Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies were received, all expected Members were in attendance. 

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 Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 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

The Minutes of the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) held on 1 March 2021 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

The Committee did not receive any deputations.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman made three announcements:

Hampshire Together

The Chairman reported that in late 2020, a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was established by Hampshire County Council with representation from Southampton City Council, to scrutinise proposals by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in conjunction with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group partnership, under the banner ‘Hampshire Together: Modernising our hospitals and health services programme’. This related to proposals for potentially building a new acute hospital serving the population of mid Hampshire. 

At the last meeting of the committee on 1 March 2021, the previous Chairman announced that options were due to be put forward for public consultation in late May 2021. Since then, the Trust and Commissioners had received feedback from the national assurance process that had resulted in further work being undertaken and the public consultation being delayed. The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee established to scrutinise these proposals would be re-convened when a revised timetable became clear.

Petersfield Community Hospital

The Chairman highlighted that the Committee had been notified that from 1 June 2021 the Petersfield Community Hospital would be an Urgent Treatment Centre, which meant it offered a wider range of urgent care services than when it was previously a Minor Injuries Unit. Further information had been circulated to Committee Members of this welcome enhancement. 

Merger of GP Practices in Fareham

The Committee had been notified of plans for 3 GP practices in the Fareham area to merge from 1 October 2021. The 3 practices started working collaboratively in 2017 and the Clinical Commissioning Group was supportive of this development. Further detail had been circulated to Committee members. 

To receive a presentation from the Director of Public Health providing an update on the Covid-19 pandemic in Hampshire.

The Committee received a presentation from the Director of Public Health (see Item 6 in the Minute Book) providing an update on the latest position on covid 19 in Hampshire, including the most up to date data on a range of metrics.

Members heard that while cases were increasing locally, cases in the over 60s were low, indicating the success of the vaccination programme in this age group who were most at risk of hospital admission if they catch the virus. The Delta variant was increasing, however the evidence suggested this was no different to the other variants in severity of the disease or level of protection from the vaccine.

Members asked questions for clarification and heard that:

·         A range of work was underway to improve the vaccine uptake in areas such as Rushmoor where rates were lower

·         While rates of infection were increasing, this wasn’t reflected in an equivalent increase in hospitalisations so far in this wave

·         Clinics were being established for those with ‘long covid’ symptoms, as a new disease this was an emerging area

RESOLVED:

The Committee note the update.

To receive a report from the Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Groups providing an update regarding the NHS response to the Covid-19 pandemic locally, including the progress of the vaccination programme and service recovery. Also included for information are written updates from the following Trusts:

·         Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

·         University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

·         Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

·         Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

·         Solent NHS Trust

The Committee received a report from the NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group providing an update regarding the NHS response to the Covid-19 pandemic locally, including the progress of the vaccination programme and service recovery (see Item 7 in the Minute Book). The Committee also noted that written updates had been provided by the following Trusts:

·         Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

·         University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

·         Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

·         Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

·         Solent NHS Trust

The Chairman noted that the representative from Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust was unable to attend, but had provided presentation slides for their update that would be published and circulated following the meeting.

Representatives from NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group gave a verbal summary of the latest position and responded to questions from Committee members. Members heard that the current focus was to vaccinate as many people as possible within the next four weeks in response to the Prime Minister’s announcement about the delay to lockdown easing. The next phase would include planning for booster vaccine doses for priority groups in the autumn.

Hampshire take up of the vaccine had been good locally compared to other parts of the country. However, all options to ensure full take up would remain under consideration going forwards, including widening the approach to walk in facilities and out reach clinics as new needs and opportunities arise.

Hampshire’s Vaccination centres and clinics had all been well attended to date, and include bookable and walk in slots for peoples convenience, in places close to homes and communities. Regarding children, the virus posed low risk to this age group, and the vaccine has a low associated risk, so careful consideration was being given to whether to vaccinate this age group and further guidance was awaited from the national Joint Committee for Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) .

It was commented that access to transport may be a barrier for some young people accessing the vaccine centres. It was responded that roving vaccine clinics are in place and available to all, they could go out to any areas on any day including evenings and weekends where there was evidence of need.

RESOLVED:

The Committee note the update.

To receive a presentation providing an update on the actions of the Adults Health and Care Department in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Committee received a presentation from the Director of Adults Health and

Care (see Item 8 in the Minute Book) providing an update on the response to the pandemic by the Adults Health and Care department since the last meeting.

It was reported that the Department for Health and Social Care had recently announced £250 million for infection prevention and covid testing in care home settings. Detail on the allocation for Hampshire was awaited but was expected to be in the region of £4m for infection prevention and £3m for testing.

A member asked what the County was doing to support unpaid carers who had been under pressure as a result of the pandemic. It was responded that respite breaks were available for carers, the department had also made payments to informal carers in recent weeks to enable them to purchase additional care to enable breaks from caring roles.

It had been announced that care home staff would be required to be vaccinated in the future. Detail was awaited on the implications of this, and whether a similar requirement would be applied to NHS staff.

RESOLVED:

The Committee note the update.

To receive the Annual Report of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Committee received the Annual Report of the Health and Wellbeing Board (see Item 9 in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED:

That the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee:

1. Note the update, progress, and upcoming priorities of the Health and

Wellbeing Board’s work.

2. Note the annual report that has been signed off by the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

To consider establishing a Working Group regarding the proposals being consulted on by Public Health.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Health regarding a proposal to initiate a Working Group regarding proposals affecting a number of public health services (see Item 10 in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED:

1.    The Committee agreed to initiate a Working Group to feed into the consideration of options relating to the future of the Public Health services outlined in the report, as per the Terms of Reference attached to the report.

2.    That the membership of the Working Group would be confirmed by the Chairman after the meeting, following consultation with the Opposition spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive on proposals from the NHS or providers of health services to vary or develop health services in the area of the Committee.

Items for Information

·         Building Better Emergency Care Programme Update – Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust

·         Repatriation of cancer services – Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

·         Urology services proposed reconfiguration – Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Building Better Emergency Care Programme update: Portsmouth Hospitals

University NHS Trust

Representatives from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust gave a presentation in support of a report providing an update on plans to build a new Emergency Department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth (see Item 11a in the Minute Book).

Members heard that the preferred site to build the new Emergency Department was on a staff car park, which would reduce the spaces available for staff parking. Learning from the pandemic would be built in to the new facility e.g. ventilation and flexibility of the space. Engagement had been undertaken and feedback had been received around the environment and accessibility. Further work was needed to form a full Business Case for submission by May 2022, with the timeline to open the new facility in late 2024.

In response to questions, Members heard:

·      The ‘111 First’ initiative had helped to reduce the number of people attending Accident and Emergency, however numbers had started to rise again in recent weeks

·      Making the new building net zero for energy efficiency would be considered as part of the full business case

RESOLVED:

The Committee note the update and request a further update in Spring 2022 when the full business case is due for submission.

Cancer services repatriation update: Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation

Trust

Representatives from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust presented a report on the repatriation of cancer services, following the termination of contracts with the independent sector used at the height of the pandemic (see Item11b in the Minute Book).

Members heard that the Trust had moved cancer services during the pandemic, which had enabled services to continue. This meant the Trust was one of the best in the country for cancer waiting times at present. Services were now being moved back to sites within the Trust.

RESOLVED:

The Committee note the update regarding repatriation of cancer services.

Urology services proposed reconfiguration: Hampshire Hospitals NHS

Foundation Trust

Representatives from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust presented a report on proposals to reconfigure the urology service (see Item 11c in the Minute Book).

Members heard that the average urology department has 8 to 10 consultants, whereas Winchester has 2 and Basingstoke has 2. This makes it difficult to staff an emergency rota consistently. It was planned to consolidate emergency urology to be treated at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester from September 2021. This would enable a better service to be provided for patients. The impact on patients would be small as non emergency work would continue at both hospitals, and emergency patients would often arrive by ambulance who would be aware of where to take them.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee support the proposal to centralise emergency urology services, on the basis that the Trust has evidenced that this is in the best interest of service users, and that sufficient consultation and engagement has been undertaken with relevant groups and the feedback taken into account.

2.    Request an update in the autumn  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

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

The Chief Executive presented the Committee’s work programme (see Item 12 in the Minute Book).

Councillor Tree requested that an update on the Whitehill and Bordon Health and Wellbeing Hub be considered earlier than November as the District Council was discussing the funding for the hub shortly.

Councillor Harrison requested that water fluoridation be added to the work programme. When proposed previously the HASC had opposed its introduction in Hampshire, however there was a provision in the Health and Care White Paper that would enable water fluoridation schemes to be introduced directly by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Councillor Cooper requested that an update be received from the Frimley Clinical Commissioning Group regarding the Frimley Integrated Care System, as this covered residents in north east Hampshire.

Councillor Pankhurst requested an update on the mental health crisis teams topic.

Councillor Tustain requested background reading on the work programme topics for new members.

RESOLVED:

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