Meeting: Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 1a - 14/06/2005 11:00:00 AM)
Item: A8 Development Session and Work Programme
| Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee
14 June 2005
Development Session and Work Programme
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| Report of Head of Overview and Scrutiny |
Purpose of Report
1. To explain the outcome of the Development Session on 31 March 2005 and to consider the future projects for the Sub-Committee.
Background
2. A Development Session took place on the 31 March 2005 at the Durham Leadership Centre at Spennymoor to review progress and to consider future projects.
3. A note of the Development Session is attached.
4. A project to consider Transport and Health is to be undertaken and Primary Care Trusts will be asked for their action plans in relation to the Government’s White Paper ‘Choosing Health’.
5. A postal ballot has taken place in relation to the four remaining topics in the shortlist discussed at the Development Session. All Members and co-opted members were asked to nominate their first and second preferences. The outcome of the ballot is set out below.
| TOPIC | 1ST PREFERENCE | 2ND PREFERENCE |
| Coronary Heart Disease and Strokes | 3 | 10 |
| Substance Misuse- drugs and alcohol | 6 | 1 |
| Access to NHS Dentist | 4 | 0 |
| Cancer Services | 4 | 6 |
Total number of votes cast =17.
6. This ballot exercise underlines how difficult it is to come to a decision about which projects should be undertaken by the Sub-Committee. From a practical point of view, it would not be possible carry out in-depth studies into all four areas.
7. Following discussions with the Chairman and Vice Chairmen of the Sub-Committee, it is suggested that the following projects be investigated this year:
- The aim will be to start with a project relating to drugs and alcohol. The particular terms of reference will need to be finalised. However, this should be a topical issue bearing in mind Central Government’s current agenda.
- A project covering chronic heart disease and strokes is also planned. This too will need to be the subject of a scoping exercise. This will fit in with the Government’s ‘Choosing Health’ White Paper.
8. There will be a degree of overlap in the timing of these investigations and Sub-Committee members will have an opportunity to choose which project they wish to join or, if they wish, could be involved in both projects.
Recommendation
10. The Sub-Committee is asked to confirm that investigations into drugs and alcohol and chronic heart disease should be undertaken and that the precise terms of reference should be determined by the working groups to be set up to consider these issues.
| Contact: Ian Mackenzie Tel: 0191 383 3506 |
HEALTH SCRUTINY DEVELOPMENT SESSION
31 MARCH 2005
1. A Development Session was held on 31 March 2005 at the Spennymoor Leadership Centre. 29 representatives were in attendance, including 13 Councillors from the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee.
2. A presentation was given about the democratic deficit perceived in the Health Service and the way in which health scrutiny was intended to address this issue. Feisal Jassat from Kirklees Council provided an overview about national issues affecting health scrutiny and drew attention to good practice. He also pointed out the importance of Local Area Agreements in the future initiatives to improve health.
3. The participants then discussed a possible long list of scrutiny projects from which perhaps two projects could be selected to be considered in depth. The list covered the following broad areas:
- Coronary heart disease and strokes
- Substance misuse - drugs and alcohol
- Access to National Health Service dentists
- Transport and health services
- Cancer services
- Implementation of the Government’s White Paper, “Choosing Health”.
4. All participants then ranked these topics in their own order of preference as a health scrutiny topic. The results are set out on the attached sheet. Transport and health services received the most support, followed by coronary heart disease and strokes.
5. Perhaps the most beneficial part of this exercise was the debate about the topics, the importance of timing of a project, the availability of information and the possible impact of a scrutiny investigation. The suggestion was also made that smaller working groups could be set up to deal with more than one topic at a time.
Attendance List I. Agnew, Councillor
J. Armstrong, Councillor, Chair of O/S
K. Bage, PALS Manager
L. Buckley, General Manager
V. Crosby, Councillor
B. Davison, Patient Forum representative.
A. Dexter, Public Partnership & Communications Manager
S. Grant, Service User and Carer Forum
A. Gray, Vice Chair Health Scrutiny Committee
W. Griffiths, Chief Executive
P. Harker, Councillor
R. Harrison, Councillor
B. Key, Director of Performance Management
J. King, Forum Support Officer
A. Learmonth, Director of Public Health
J. Lee, Councillor
J. Maddison, General Manager, Mental Heath Services North
D. Marshall, Vice Chair, Health Scrutiny
D. Maskery, Patient Forum representative.
L. McEldon, Patient Forum representative.
G. Porter, Councillor
J. Priestley, Chair of Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee
M. Simmons, Councillor
M. Smith, Councillor
D. Taylor-Gooby, Patient Forum representative.
G. Tompkins, Head of Service - Strategic Planning & Health Improvement
C. Tremeer, Durham Rural Community Council
E. Watson, Councillor
C. Craddock, Northumbria University
6. The Sub-Committee will need to determine its work programme for the future year. The County Council has elections on 5 May and we will need to await the reappointment of County Councillors to the Sub-Committee after the election before final decisions can be made.
Attachments
Item 8 pdf.pdf