Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing information on the plans for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust to become a Foundation Trust and seeking the Board’s views on this

Further to minute 41 of the Board’s meeting held on 25^th November 2011, where Members received a report on the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust’s proposals to become a Foundation NHS Trust (FT), the Board considered a further report.  Appended to the report was a copy of the consultation document prepared by YAS; a list of issues/queries raised by the Board at the previous meeting with written responses provided by YAS together with a copy of the Board’s interim consultation response

Attending for this item and representing YAS were:

• David Whiting –Chief Executive – YAS
• Fiona Barr – Foundation Trust Programme Director – YAS
• Paul Mudd – Operations Manager – YAS

Members queried and commented on the following matters:

• funding for new ambulances, with the Board being informed that the A&E ambulances were a relatively young fleet but that some improvements were proposed to the Patient Transport Service fleet
• whether two Local Authority representatives were sufficient to properly represent such a large population which differed considerably in terms of geography, demographics, communities and needs.  On this matter, the Board was informed that the Foundation Trust legislation only required one Local Authority representative to be an Appointed Governor but that two places were being proposed; these being one representing rural areas which would be East Riding of Yorkshire Council and one representing cities, which would be Sheffield City Council.  It was the view of the YAS Executive that while trying to balance the diversity of the Yorkshire region, the Council of Governors should be manageable in number and be active and well developed.  Advice obtained from other FT Ambulance Services had highlighted the importance of a relatively small Council of Governors as a large Governing Body could become unwieldy
• details of the process which had been undertaken to select these two Local Authority representatives was requested.  Mr Whiting stated that this had been discussed at their Board level.  Concerns were raised by the Board that there had not been a democratic process carried out on this issue
• the process for electing Public Governors; the measures in place to ensure these would properly represent the region across all areas; how hard to reach groups would be represented; the need for equality and whether any positive discrimination would be applied.  Ms Barr informed the Board that links had been made with many groups and that early indications were that there was a good mix of people wishing to become governors.  YAS sought advice from Leeds City Council on how to ensure all groups were represented
• the importance of recruiting actively from under-represented areas.  On this matter, Members were informed that as part of the tests for FT status, YAS would need to demonstrate their membership was representative of its area.  The Board was also advised there would be a drive to encourage membership early in 2012
• the Government’s position on FTs and whether, given a choice, YAS would currently be seeking to become a FT.  Mr Whiting stated that irrespective of the requirement to either become a FT by April 2014 or be merged with another FT, YAS would be seeking FT status; that the very planning for this had led to improvements in service.  It was stated that YAS could make a positive contribution to the quality of services that would align with the Government’s aim of providing more services to patients in their own homes – resulting in lower hospital admissions
• the working relationship between the FT and Local Authorities with concerns about whether Leeds would receive what it needed from the service.  The Board was informed that moving to FT status would not hinder the way YAS worked locally
• the regulation role of Monitor in the authorisation process and beyond
• funding/financial issues and the transfer of assets to the Foundation Trust.  Mr Whiting highlighted the importance of demonstrating financial stability and that it was for YAS to create a level playing field before authorisation.  In terms of income, this would not change but FT status would allow for greater borrowing which would help initiate some of the developments and improvements YAS wished to carry out.  As part of the work towards FT status, YAS’s 5 year plan would be rigorously tested by Monitor
• cross-border work and funding, with Mr Whiting explaining the process of mutual aid which operates across all 11 Ambulance Trusts

Members continued to voice their concerns at the limited Local Authority representation proposed for the Council of Governors particularly that not only was there no representation for Leeds with a population in the region of 750,000 people, but there was no representation for the Leeds City Region or for the whole of West Yorkshire.  Whilst accepting there could not be a representative from each of the 13 Local Authorities, the Chair asked that consideration be given to having a representative from each of the 4 sub-regions of Yorkshire

Mr Whiting agreed to take these concerns back to the YAS Executive Board for detailed debate and consideration and stated that whilst it was inevitable that some Local Authorities would not be represented individually, the suggestion of a Local Authority representative from East, West, North and South Yorkshire could be considered

RESOLVED -  To note the information provided and the comments now made and that a further response from the Board would be sent on the proposals for YAS NHS Trust to become a Foundation Trust