To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 28 March 2011 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 28 March 2011 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations and the nature thereof in relation to:-

(a)    personal interests in any agenda item

(b)    personal and prejudicial interests in any agenda item

(c)     any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman informed the Committee that she had attended the East of England Health Scrutiny Chairs Forum on 10 June 2011.  The issues discussed included GP commissioning and pathfinders.  There was also discussion relating to the abolition of strategic health authorities in England and its impact on local authorities.

The Chairman proposed that site visits be arranged for 12 September 2011 to an Extra Care sheltered housing scheme, Silsoe Horticultural Centre and a sheltered housing scheme instead of a Committee meeting.  The Chairman also reminded Members of the Committee that they could raise issues to be added to the work programme at any time.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Policy Adviser arrange site visits for Members of the Committee on 12 September 2011, in consultation with the Director of Social Care, Health and Housing and the Chairman, and that the meeting on 12 September 2011 be cancelled.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no petitions had been received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no questions, statements or deputations from members of the public had been received in accordance with Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review  in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2. 

No decisions from the Executive were referred to the Committee for review in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

No items were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

Cllr Mrs Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing commented to the Committee on several issues including the anticipated outcomes of the NHS listening exercise and an update on the current situation with Southern Cross Healthcare. Cllr Hegley also referred to a meeting of the East of England lead Member network that she had recently attended.

To receive an overview of the Social Care, Health and Housing Directorate.

The Director of Social Care, Health and Housing gave a presentation to the Committee, which provided an overview of Adult Social Care, Heath and Housing. A full copy of the presentation is attached.

In addition to the presentation the Director commented that key issues for the Committee over the municipal year would include reablement services and a peer review of adult safeguarding arrangements.

The Director also informed the Committee that Ed Thompson, Assistant Director for Adult Social Care, was leaving the Council. The Committee thanked him for his support

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.

To consider proposals for community engagement and stakeholder involvement when discussing plans for community dental services to become a social enterprise.

The Committee received a report from David Levitt, Deputy Director of Communications and Public Engagement (NHS Bedfordshire), on the outcomes of service user engagement and proposals to rationalise the number of community dental services (CDS) bases in Central Bedfordshire.  In addition to the report David Levitt explained that the proposals had been amended and it was proposed to retain Leighton Buzzard Health Centre.

In response to the report and the outcomes of service user engagement the Committee raised and discussed the following issues in detail:

• There was no perceived lack of access to NHS dentists in Central Bedfordshire.
• The decision to retain Leighton Buzzard Health Centre was welcome.
• The length of time that some residents remained patients of specialist dental facilities was determined by their individual circumstances.
• Letters to service users detailing the changes in service provision should be personalised, detailing local transport schemes that were available, which could improve their access to local services.

RECOMMENDED to NHS Bedfordshire that the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee welcomes the decision to retain Leighton Buzzard Health Centre as a Community Dental Service base and subsequently support the proposals.

To receive a report from the Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk) relating to patients discharged from hospital into care and nursing homes in Bedfordshire and Luton.

The Director of Social Care, Health and Housing and the Chairman of Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk) informed the Committee of the role of the Bedfordshire LINk and national proposals to abolish the LINk and establish Healthwatch.

Graham Dinn, the Chairman of the LINk Social Care Working Group, outlined the methodology, key findings and recommendations of the report and commented that further issues in relation to hospital discharge were proposed to be considered by the working group in the future.

In response to the report Members of the Committee raised and discussed the following issues in detail:

• The importance of reviewing best practice from elsewhere to consider how the process of hospital discharges could be improved. It was also important to enhance early involvement of families in order to improve patient support prior to discharge.
• The negative effect of discharging a vulnerable person from hospital early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Respecting the dignity of a patient was a major issue and needed to be reviewed in Central Bedfordshire in order to enhance standards.
• The views of the voluntary sector should be sought in future discussions relating to hospital discharge procedures in order consider how improvements could be achieved.
• The importance of effective planning by hospitals prior to discharge.

The Committee requested that a further report be provided in relation to hospital discharge to inform Members of current performance and how providers aimed to improve services.

NOTED the report.

RESOLVED that a further report on hospital discharge be provided to the Committee at an appropriate time.

To receive the draft Quality Account for Bedfordshire Community Health Services for 2010.

The Committee received the 2010/11 Bedfordshire Community Health Services (BCHS) quality account. Helen Smart, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Quality & Improvement, Bedfordshire Community Health Services, outlined the key priorities for BCHS for 2011/12 and performance for the previous 12 months.

In response to the quality account the Committee raised the following issues and comments to be included in the final quality account:

• The reduction of community acquired pressure ulcers and patient dignity were key priorities that needed to be retained in the quality account.
• Training and education for staff needed to be improved in order reduce the number of avoidable pressure ulcers suffered by patients.
• Improving performance in relation to medicine management was important and needed to be addressed by BCHS in order to deliver significant savings.
• Reducing the number of patients who come to harm following a fall was supported, it was important to ensure that appropriate information was available to patients and those that support them.

RECOMMENDED to Bedfordshire Community Health Services that the priorities contained in their quality account be adopted for 2011/12.

RESOLVED that a further report be provided to the Committee at a future date relating to medicine management.

To receive the draft Quality Account for Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for 2010.

The Committee received the 2010/11 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust quality account. Victoria Parsons, Head of Quality Development, drew particular attention to performance in relation to clinical indicators of quality and national targets and regulatory requirements for 2010/11.

In response to the quality account the Committee raised the following issues and comments to be included in the quality account:-

• The Committee were concerned of the failure to meet targets for the maximum waiting times for cancer patients. The Committee stated that fast improvement in this area was crucial.
• It was important to ensure that staff were accountable for performance.
• There needed to be a greater awareness of risk on behalf of patients and carers in order to minimise the risk of issues such as pressure ulcers.

In addition to these comments the Head of Quality Development agreed to provide further information to the Committee in relation to the maximum waiting time of 62 days from all referrals to treatment for all cancers.

RECOMMENDED to Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust that the priorities contained in their quality account be adopted for 2011/12.

To consider details of the currently draft Committee work programme and the Executive Forward Plan.

Members considered the Committee’s draft work programme for 2011/12 and the Executive Forward Plan.

RESOLVED that the draft work programme be approved.