Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Lance Quantrill. Councillor Jackie Branson, as the conservative standing deputy, was in attendance in his place. 

Apologies were also received from co-opted members Councillor Julie Butler and Councillor Cynthia Garton.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider, having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

No declarations were made.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting (to follow)

The Minutes of the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) held on 21 September 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

The Committee received three deputations relating to Item 6 on the agenda, the Stage 2 Independent Investigation Report on Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Teresa Skelton gave a statement expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment of an unnamed individual by Southern Health and the lack of action taken in response to complaints raised about the situation.

Geoff Hill gave a statement giving the view that insufficient action had been taken by Southern Health in response to the various complaints and investigations of complaints that had taken place. He suggested that the Committee should seek the views of the Hampshire County Councillor appointed as a governor on Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Maureen Rickman indicated that she was one of the bereaved families involved in the cases investigated by the Independent Review. However, the process was not satisfactory. She felt the Terms of Reference of the Stage 1 Independent Review were not honoured. The Stage 2 review focus moved away from the individual cases and the families withdrew from the process. She wanted the deaths to be independently investigated and assurance that the same mistakes wouldn’t be repeated.  

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman highlighted that members had been sent an email on 13 October 2021 regarding the temporary closure of care homes.

The Chairman noted that a covid update had not been included on this agenda as an update had been given at the recent member briefing held on 15 October 2021.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on issues brought to the attention of the Committee which impact upon the planning, provision and/or operation of health services within Hampshire, or the Hampshire population.

·       Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust: Stage 2 Independent Investigation Report by Mr Nigel Pascoe QC

The Committee considered a briefing note from Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust regarding the Stage 2 Independent Investigation Report into the Trust conducted by Mr Nigel Pascoe QC published in September 2021 (see Item 6 in the Minute Book). An extract of the independent investigation report including the Executive Summary and Recommendations was appended. The report considered the circumstances of the deaths of five people in the care of the Trust between 2011 and 2015, the internal and external investigations of those deaths and the steps recommended or taken to prevent their re-occurrence. Stage 2 focused on where the Trust had got to and where it should be, with a view to future reform and improvement.

The Chief Executive of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust reported that the Trust accepted the recommendations made in the Independent Review reports from Stage 1 and Stage 2 and had apologised for the failings identified, including apologising unreservedly to the bereaved families affected. He reported that the Trust was developing an Action Plan to respond to the recommendations made in the Independent Review reports that would be going to the Trust Board at the end of November 2021.

Members thanked the deputations for their comments on this topic. Members requested clarification of the role of the committee in relation to this situation. The Chairman agreed to seek legal advice on this point. The Chairman agreed to circulate the report from the Stage 1 review to Committee Members.

Members noted that there was a breakdown in trust between the bereaved families and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and that further work was required to help the families achieve closure over the tragic circumstances they had experienced. Members suggested good practice be sought from other examples of public investigations involving bereaved families such as Grenfell.

Members felt that it wasn’t clear what the families wanted to achieve. Members wanted to invite NHS England & Improvement to a future meeting to explore the allegation that the Terms of Reference for the Review were not followed through. Members were interested in what monitoring of the implementation of actions would be in place, to provide assurance that similar situations would not happen again.

RESOLVED:

1.    The HASC request Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust attend the meeting in January 2022 to present their action plan, setting out how they will respond to the recommendations from Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Pascoe Review. That the report that comes to the committee in January take account of the concerns raised by members at this meeting. 

2.    The remit of the HASC in relation to this topic be set out as part of the documents provided for this meeting. 

3.    NHS England and Improvement are invited to attend this meeting.

For the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee to pre-scrutinise the proposals to make revenue budget savings in a number of public health services (substance misuse, stop smoking, sexual health and public health nursing), following a public consultation undertaken in Summer 2021. The Committee to take account of the report from the Working Group that considered these proposals. The Executive Member for Adult Services and Public Health is due to take a decision on these proposals at the Decision Day scheduled for 2:00pm on 16 November 2021.

The Committee received a report and supporting presentation from the Director of Public Health regarding proposals to make revenue budget savings in a number of public health services (see Item 7 in the Minute Book).

It was noted that the Committee had established a Working Group to consider these proposals in further detail. The Chairman of the Working Group Councillor Briggs gave a statement summarising the findings of the Working Group, as laid out in the Working Group report appended to the report.

Members thanked the Working Group and were supportive of their recommendations. Members asked questions and commented on the proposals.

RESOLVED:

That the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee supports the recommendations being proposed to the Executive Member of Adult Services and Public Health.

For the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) to consider whether to initiate a Working Group to review proposals for the future of both the Demand Management and Prevention Grants and Social Inclusion services, as part of the wider SP23 savings programme.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adults’ Health and Care regarding the suggestion that the Committee initiate a Working Group to review the proposals for the future of both the Demand Management and Prevention Grants and Social Inclusion Services, as part of the wider SP23 savings programme (see Item 8 in the Minute Book).

The Chairman indicated that he would liaise with the opposition spokespeople on the Committee regarding the membership of the Working Group.

RESOLVED:

To initiate a Working Group to review proposals for the future of both the Demand Management and Prevention Grants and Social Inclusion Services,

as part of the wider SP23 savings programme, as per the Terms of

Reference attached to the report.

To consider and approve the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee Work Programme.

The Chief Executive’s representative presented the Committee’s work programme (see Item 9 in the Minute Book).

Councillor Craig expressed concerns about the impact of GP surgeries merging.

Councillor Tree requested a further update on the Whitehill and Bordon Health Hub before the end of the year.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee’s work programme be approved, subject to any amendments agreed at this meeting.