Agenda item

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer provided the Committee with a presentation of the following press articles relating to the remit of the Adults Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

·         Northern Echo 12 March 2019 – One size doesn’t fit all': Call for sexual health service for 'older people‘. Sexual health services should do more to focus on the needs of older people, council bosses have said. A report for members of Durham County Council detailed efforts to combat high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 15-to-24-year-olds. But at meeting last week, members of the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee demanded to know why no information had been provided on the sexual health of 'older people'.

·         Northern Echo 16 March 2019 – Missed appointments at Weardale GP practice cost £45,000 in 2018.  Missed appointments at one rural GP practice cost more than £45,000 last year, figures have shown.  Recently released data from the Weardale Practice, showed there were 1,512 appointments missed, equalling 252 hours lost and costing £45,360, though this is down by half on two years ago.

·         Northern Echo 13 March 2019 – Doctors refute claim they want to shut Fishburn surgery by stealth –Doctors have insisted a village surgery will remain open, despite suggestions they were seeking to shut it down ‘by stealth’.  Last year, Skerne Medical Group (SMG) won support to shut its Trimdon Village site but lost out on proposals to close its surgery in Fishburn. Reference was made to the letter circulated to the Committee earlier this week explaining the situation.

·         Northern Echo 1 March 2019 – North East: Brexit could delay new ambulance delivery –Dozens of new ambulances heading to the North-East could get stuck in Europe in the event of a no-deal Brexit.  The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) is due to take delivery of a new set of vehicles this summer, but bosses have warned that the trade chaos that could result from the UK leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement could delay their arrival.

Councillor Grant said that the response given by Skerne Practice about the Fishburn crisis being over half term did not reflect what was actually happening.  She was aware that Skerne Practice allocated 20 sessions, with 10 going to Trimdon Colliery and 10 going to Sedgefield and any that weren’t required would go to Fishburn.

Mrs Hassoon was also aware that there would only be appointments at Fishburn if there was spare capacity.  She was concerned about arrangements for the elderly and anyone with chronic conditions that had to travel to either Trimdon Colliery or Sedgefield.

Councillor Grant informed the Committee that when she has mentioned vulnerable patients having to travel she was given the bus timetable.  She felt that the practice were not being honest as they had been instructed by the CCG to keep Fishburn open and they had almost gone ahead and closed it anyway.

The Chairman asked the Director of Commissioning, DDES CCG to follow this up with the Primary Care Committee.

Commenting on the media article about the delay in delivery of ambulances, the Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement, NEAS said that they receive converted ambulances from Germany.  He explained that 44 were on order for the coming year, 13 of which would be new vehicles and the remainder were dealt with under the usual vehicle replacement programme.  He assured members that should Brexit delay the import of the vehicles the trust did have contingency plans in place whereby they would lease vehicles in the UK.