Meeting: Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 2 - 11/07/2005 10:00:00 AM)
Item: A3 Minutes
DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL
At a Meeting of the
Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee held at the County Hall, Durham on
Monday 11 July 2005 at
10.00 a.m. COUNCILLOR J PRIESTLEY in the Chair.
Durham County Council Councillors Armstrong, Chaplow, Lethbridge, Simmons, Stelling and Trippett
Chester le Street District Council Councillor Armstrong
Easington District Council Councillor Campbell
Derwentside District Council Councillors Agnew and Pickersgill
Durham City Council Councillor Smith
Teesdale District Council Councillor Stansfield
Sedgefield Borough Council Councillors Crosby and Gray
Wear Valley District Council Councillor Hatker
Co-opted Members Councillor Iveson
Other Members Councillors Chapman, Fenwick, Gray, Meir, Ord and Shuttleworth
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Carr, Fergus, Hamilton, Lee and Taylor-Gooby; J Thompson and G Eshelby
A1 Welcome from the Chairman The Chairman welcomed members to the meeting of the Health Scrutiny Sub Committee.
A2 Election of Vice Chairman (District Councils) Resolved That Councillor Stanfield be elected as the District Councils Vice Chairman.
The Chairman thanked Councillor Andy Gray for his work and support as retiring Vice-Chairman. Councillor Pickersgill abstained from voting.
A3 Minutes The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2005 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
A4 Declarations of Interest Mr B Ferguson declared an interest in item A9 as a member of the North East Ambulance Service PPIF and Councillor Pickersgill in relation to Stanley Health Centre.
A5 Terms of Reference of the Sub Committee The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny about the terms of reference of the Sub Committee (for report see file of Minutes)
Resolved: That the report be noted.
A6 MRSA - An Update on the Position in County Durham The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny
and received a presentation from Dr David Allison, University Hospital North Durham and Vivien Hollyoak of the Health Protection Agency North East providing an update on the current position in County Durham relating to MRSA and surveillance controls in hospitals (for report see file of Minutes).
Vivien Hollyoak, Director of the Health Protection Agency North East explained what MRSA Bacteraemia is, how the condition affects people and how the Acute NHS Trusts are required to carry out surveillance of the disease. She told the Committee that the Trusts are required to report the number of cases diagnosed in their laboratories and the susceptibility pattern of each case to the Health Protection Agency on at least a weekly basis. This information is then circulated to the Department of Health, Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Acute NHS Trusts on a monthly/quarterly basis. Vivien also informed Members that enhanced MRSA Surveillance in the North East is being undertaken on a voluntary basis and this had provided useful data showing areas where there was a higher risk factor such as in patients aged 70 years or more. Units involved in general medicine, care of the elderly, renal dialysis and critical care and treatment involving the use of devices eg. Tubing and catheters were also high risk areas. Having access to this information allows the appropriate strategies to reduce occurrences of the bacteria to be introduced.
Dr David Allison, Director of Infection Prevention Control presented a detailed breakdown of seven key points about hospital acquired infections. Members were advised that there are at least 300,000 hospital acquired infections a year with around 9% of patients at any one time affected. He outlined the most common types and those most at risk. He also said that there had been an increase in the number and frequency of infections that were resistant to common antibiotics and highlighted the bacteria staphylococcus aureus which is responsible for around half of all infections. In 2003 around 40% of these were resistant to the antibiotic methicillin compared with just over 2% in 1992. He advised members that whilst not all hospital acquired infection is preventable a report in 2000 noted that infection control teams believed that they could be reduced by up to 15%. He outlined the importance of the ‘clean your hands’ campaign and detailed the measures that were now in place to support this strategy. Cleaning services were also identified as an area where, because of the way services were provided, there was a need for careful control and monitoring. Annual cleanliness audits were now carried out as well as ad hoc visits on a random basis and the results are presented quarterly to the Trust Patient Environment Action Team. He informed Members that one of the key strategies in the fight against MRSA is education and training of staff, patients and visitors. It was acknowledged that not all types of infection were monitored.
Vivien Hollyoak and David Allison then answered questions by Members and the Chairman thanked them for their presentation.
Resolved: That the report and presentation be noted and a further update be given in about six months time.
A7 Health Care Commission - Assessment of Health Trusts The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny together with an accompanying report from the Primary Care Trusts in County Durham about the new assessment procedure for Health Trusts (for report see file of Minutes). The Sub Committee also received a presentation from Andrew Young, Chief Executive of Durham and Chester le Street PCT and Helen Byrne, Deputy Chief Executive of Easington PCT on Standards for Better Health - together with an accompanying report from the Primary Care Trusts in County Durham about the new assessment procedure for Health Trusts (for report see file of Minutes). The Sub Committee also received a presentation from Andrew Young, Chief Executive of Durham and Chester le Street PCT and Helen Byrne, Deputy Chief Executive of Easington PCT on Standards for Better Health - The PCT’s Approach to Implementation
The Head of Overview and Scrutiny advised that this Committee will be required to comment on the 9 main trusts operating in County Durham. The Sub-Committee would be expected to comment only on those issues within their knowledge. He informed the Committee that the mechanism would develop in time.
Andrew Young and Helen Byrne were thanked for their presentation.
Resolved: That the report and presentation be noted.
A8 Stanley Health Centre The Sub Committee considered a report of the Derwentside Primary Care Trust about the modernisation of health services in Stanley (for report see file of Minutes).
Resolved: That the Sub-Committee noted the positive outcome of the consultation process.
A9 North East Ambulance Service - Discussion Document The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny explaining a discussion document received from the North East Ambulance Service on improving ambulance services in rural areas (for report see file of Minutes).
There was concern that the discussion document suggested a course of action rather that inviting views. Simon Featherstone, North East Ambulance Trust assured Members that this was a genuine discussion document and that no decisions have been taken yet. The intention is to engage with as many people as possible in a discussion.
The Head of Overview and Scrutiny informed Members that this was a consultation process and this is the starting point. The formal consultation period has not yet commenced. The proposal affects only a relatively small part of the area i.e. Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale and St John’s Chapel and it is important that meetings of interested parties from those areas are involved in the consultation process. A meeting to facilitate this would be arranged.
Resolved: That the report be noted.
A10 Tony White Unit - Update The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny explaining a report from the County Durham and Darlington Priority Services Trust providing an update on the temporary relocation of psychiatric intensive care services (for report see file of Minutes). It was noted that no representations had been received from or on behalf of users of the service. Unison had not offered any views to the Sub-Committee.
Resolved: That the report be noted.
A11 Issues from Patient Forums The Sub Committee considered a summary of the Annual report and Work Plan of Sedgefield Patient and Public Involvement Forum (for report see file of Minutes).
Resolved: That the report be noted.
A12 Issues from Patient Advice and Liaision Services There were no items to be considered.
A13 Scrutiny Projects and Work Programme The Sub Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny about the work programme of the Sub Committee (for copy see file of Minutes).
Resolved: That the work programme be noted.
A14 Training Issues The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Head of Overview and Scrutiny about training and development for Members of the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee (for copy see file of minutes)
Resolved: That the report be noted.
Attachments
Minutespdf.pdf