Agenda and minutes

The Chair opened the meeting, welcomed all those present and thanked them for their attendance.  Introductions were given.

The Chair highlighted the ‘Third Party Recordings’ code of practice that applied to the meeting in relation to the use of recorded information at the meeting. 

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

The following supplementary information was submitted to the meeting:

·  Item 6: Minutes – 3 November 2014 – draft minutes from the Joint Committee meeting held on 3 November 2014 (minute 30 refers).

·  Item 7: The New Congenital Heart Disease – summary of network feedback and feedback from Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) consultation events (minute 31 refers).

The following additional item (deferred from the meeting held on 25 November 2014) was submitted for consideration at the meeting:

·  NHS England’s Review of Children’s Heart Surgery Services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – Next Steps (minute 32 refers).

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-18 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest identified at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received as follows:

·  Councillor J Bromby – North Lincolnshire Council

·  Councillor D Brown – Hull City Council

·  Councillor J Hyldon-King – North East Lincolnshire Council

·  Councillor M James – Calderdale Council

·  Councillor T Revill – Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

·  Councillor M Rooney – Sheffield City Council

·  Councillor L Smaje – Kirklees Council

·  Councillor H Spence – Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

·  Councillor K Wyatt – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

The following substitute members were in attendance:

·  Councillor S Sansome for Councillor K Wyatt – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2014.

(To follow)

The draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2014 were presented for consideration and confirmation as an accurate record.  There were no specific matters arising identified.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2014 be agreed as an accurate record.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development introducing any additional inputs from key stakeholders, in order to help inform the Joint Committee’s formal response to the proposed service specifications and draft standards, arising from the new Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) review.

The Joint Committee considered a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development (Leeds City Council) introducing additional information from stakeholders, to help inform any response from the Joint Committee to the proposed service specifications and draft standards, arising from NHS England’s new Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) review.  The following information was provided:

·  Summary of network feedback, following the meeting held on 10 November 2014.

·  Summary of the feedback from Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) consultation events.

The Joint Committee also considered NHS England’s formal consultation document and consultation questions.

Reflecting on the information presented, in addition to details previously presented to the Joint Committee, members identified a number of issues to be considered and taken account of in drafting the Joint Committee’s formal consultation response, including:

·  Maintaining a focus on issues relating to Yorkshire and the Humber, including:

o  Levels of activity, the number of surgeons and staffing issues in general;

o  Access and travel times;

o  Issues of co-morbidities and the associated co-location of services;

o  Foundation Trust issues;

o  Financial implications;

o  The importance of formalised networks;

·  Reflecting the feedback from patients and families gathered through the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) consultation events.

·  Clarification around implementation.

·  The implications in relation to specialised services – for example, Heart Transplant and ECMO.

·  Implications associated with the demographics of the population across Yorkshire and the Humber, including prevalence and the likely need to access services.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That based on the range of discussions over recent meetings, a draft consultation response be compiled and circulated for comment, prior to final sign-off by the Chair of the Joint Committee.

(b)  That the final submission referred to in (a) above, be submitted in line with the consultation deadline of 8 December 2014. 

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development to consider any next steps in relation to NHS England's Review of Children's Heart Surgery Services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Deferred from the meeting held on 25 November 2014, the Joint Committee received and considered a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development (Leeds City Council) inviting the Joint Committee to identify and consider any future actions and/or activity following receipt of the independent reports in relation to NHS England's Review of Children's Heart Surgery Services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT).

Reflecting on the range of information made available to the Joint Committee since the temporary suspension of Children’s Heart Surgery Services in March 2013, including the recent independent reports considered at the previous Joint Committee meeting, a range of issues were highlighted, including the following matters:

·  LTHT’s continued and robust defence of the Unit, which had since been vindicated in relation to the very serious allegations made in March 2013.

·  The timing and robustness of evidence leading to the temporary suspension of children’s heart surgery services at the Trust.

·  Delays in publication of findings and follow-up reports.

·  The involvement of stakeholders and role of NHS England’s Medical Director.

·  Tracking of improvement actions/ recommendations.

·  The consideration and processes followed in relation to safeguarding concerns.

RESOLVED – Consideration be given to formulating a further report focusing on the concerns raised by the Joint Committee, by January 2015. 

To consider the Joint Committee’s future activity and work schedule.

The Joint Committee considered a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development (Leeds City Council) inviting the Joint Committee to consider its future activity and work programme.

The following matters were confirmed:

·  Submission of a consultation response by 8 December 2014.

·  Consideration of a further report by January 2015, as discussed under the previous item (minute 32 refers).

·  Consideration of NHS England’s consultation outcomes, most likely in the new municipal year (i.e. 2015/16).

RESOLVED – That the future activity of the Joint Committee be agreed as detailed above.

To be confirmed.

The date and time of the next meeting of the Joint Committee was to be determined.

The meeting closed at 11:20am.