Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented Members with responses to questions which had been submitted to the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT).

The Chair invited Ailsa Claire, the current Yorkshire and Humber regional representative on the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) to introduce herself to the meeting.

Andy Buck addressed the meeting.  He reported that Ailsa Claire, the current regional representative on the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), was not in attendance at the meeting as planned. Mr. Buck added that he was due to be confirmed as the new Chair of the Yorkshire and the Humber Specialised Commissioning Group at a meeting the following day, and would therefore become the regional representative on the JCPCT.

Mr. Buck was asked whether or not he had attended any of the JCPCT meeting to date, or been involved in any of its deliberations on the issue being considered by the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Yorkshire and the Humber) (Joint HOSC).  Mr. Buck was also asked whether or not he had been briefed by Ms. Claire in advance of the meeting.  Mr Buck confirmed that to date he had not attended any JCPCT meetings and had not been briefed by Ms. Claire.

Members expressed extreme disappointment that Ms. Claire was not in attendance at the meeting and that no attempt had been made to notify the Joint Committee in advance of the meeting. 

The Chair reminded all those present that, on behalf of the Joint HOSC, she (and her predecessor Cllr. Mark Dobson) had sought to secure the attendance of a decision-making representative on a number of occasions.  The Chair also highlighted that the meeting had been arranged specifically to facilitate the attendance of a representative from the JCPCT.

Members aired their frustration at not having a sitting representative of the JCPCT present at a meeting of the Joint HOSC to help their consideration of the proposed changes to Children’s Congenital Heart Services in England and the proposed reconfiguration of designated surgical centres.

The Joint HOSC agreed to an adjournment of the meeting to allow members to consider whether or not to proceed.  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:00am.

The meeting was reconvened at approximately 12:10pm.

The Chair advised the meeting that during the adjournment members of the Joint HOSC had discussed a number of options and agreed to proceed with the meeting.  The agreement to proceed was confirmed during the meeting.

The Chair added that the Joint HOSC had also agreed to demand the attendance of Ms Claire – the current regional representative on the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) – as previously agreed.  This was confirmed during the meeting. 

The Chair reported that a letter had been emailed to Ms. Claire’s office, advising of the Joint HOSC’s decision to require Ms. Claire’s attendance before 2:00pm.  A copy of the letter was also handed to Mr. Buck in order to help resolve the situation.

It was agreed to defer any further consideration of the item until Ms. Claire was in attendance.