Health Scrutiny Panel – 23 June 2014

6.  Developments in health – verbal update for members.

7.  Added item (if any).

8.  Any

PRESENT:- Councillor Mrs Bromby in the chair.

Councillors Barker (Vice-Chair), Bainbridge, Eckhardt and Ogg.

Councillors Kataria, Redfern, Rowson, Waltham and Whiteley attended the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b).

The panel met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

221 DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) – The following members declared a personal interest –

 Member Minute  Nature of Interest
 Councillor Mrs Bromby  223  Relative working at NLaG
 Councillor Barker  223  Relative working at NLaG
 Councillor Ogg  223  Relative working at NLaG

The following member, attending the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.37 (b), also declared personal interests

 Member   Minute Nature of Interest
 Councillor Waltham   223 Chairman of North Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board
and a Foundation Trust Governor at NLaG

No whip was declared.

222 PUBLIC REQUESTS TO SPEAK – There were no requests received.

223 ALLEGED PATIENT SAFETY INCIDENTS – The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting before introducing Jo Coombs, Director of Nursing, and Julie Taylor Clark, Assistant Director of Nursing, at NHS England’s North Yorkshire and Humber Area Team.  The Chairman explained that Jo and Julie had been invited to discuss the Area Team’s role in overseeing performance and safeguarding systems.  The Chairman led a discussion, and invited Jo and Julie to contribute, answering members’ questions as necessary.  Issues that were covered included the role of the Quality Surveillance Group, NHS England’s oversight role and assurance processes.

The Chairman then introduced Catherine Wylie, North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s (NLCCG) Director of Risk and Quality Assurance.  Again, Catherine was invited to explain her role and how NLCCG performance monitored their contracts with NLaG, with a particular focus on how safeguarding and serious incidents were reported, handled and investigated.  Catherine gave a full explanation of this, before inviting questions from members. The panel asked questions on subjects such as available sanctions, root cause analyses, and the reason to ‘cluster’ the incidents together.

The Chairman then invited Karen Dunderdale, NLaG’s Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Nurse, Wendy Booth, NLaG’s Director of Performance Assurance, and Craig Ferris, NLaG’s Head of Safeguarding to the meeting.  Members asked a host of questions on the allegations, including reporting processes, ongoing investigations, the Trust’s planned actions, and timings.

Resolved – (a) That NLaG inform the scrutiny panel when the investigations are completed, (b) that further relevant meetings be held subsequently to discuss the findings and to seek assurances that future risk is minimised, and (c) that all witnesses be thanked for their attendance.

224 DEVELOPMENTS IN HEALTH – Members received a short, oral update on developing issues relevant to the panel’s terms of reference.  Farzana Khanum, Delivery Manager, Healthwatch North Lincolnshire, provided the panel with a short update on their ongoing work and work programme.

Resolved – That the situation be noted

225 ADDED ITEM – There was no added item for consideration at the meeting.