Hampshire County Council Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee Meeting

Apologies were received from Cllr Withers and Cllr Burgess; Cllr Ford was attending as Deputy.  

Cllr Briggs in the Chair.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council'sMembers' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed,save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Cllr North declared his non-pecuniary interest as leader of a district council whose interests would be impacted by the changes on NHS services being discussed today.

The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2023.

There were no deputations.

The Chairman, Cllr Briggs, highlighted the following matters:

She welcomed the Government’s recent announcement creating a smokefree generation with additional funding for local Smoking Cessation Services

Covid, flu and vaccination rates in Hampshire

An update on the current situation was given. 

The £10m remaining Covid Recovery grant was being allocated against:

•           £1.1m for the allocation of physical activity grants

•           Funds for Wellbeing hubs in Andover and Aldershot,

•           £700,000 for additional investment in autism assessments and         Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs)

Mental Health

There had been awareness days and campaigns over the last two months – World Suicide Prevention Day and World Mental Health DAy.

Hampshire Together

The Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny meeting reviewing the Hampshire Together project.  The Joint Committee had noted that the public engagement on this was expected to start in the next few days.

A new hospital for Frimley Park

A Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee would be appointed as outlined in today’s report.

HASC Working Group

The Working Group Chair, Cllr Briggs advised that the formal consultation had closed, with over 700 responses received.  The Working Group would meet on 6 December to finalise its report to the next meeting of the Committee. 

Cllr Briggs encouraged Committee members who has not already to visit the four elderly care homes most affected by the proposals.  

It was agreed to offer visits to Cllr Garton from Eastleigh BC.  

Members joined the Chair in thanking the officers for their continuing support in the consultation process and the member visits programme.

The Committee received a report in relation to a) a new hospital for Frimley Park and (item 7 in the minute book) and b) Project Fusion, the Southern Health NHS FT and Solent NHS Trust merger (item 6 in the minute book) and Crowlin House.  The Chairman welcomed Eugene Jones from Southern Health to the meeting to present the update. 

Project Fusion

It was noted that the full business case had been approved locally and was being submitted to NHS England.  The Chair and NED appointments were completed and executive appointments were in progress.  The merger involved Southern Health, Solent, the community and mental health services on the Isle of Wight.   The business case would be published in due course.  The merger was on track for 1 April 2024. 

Crowlin House

It was noted that there were currently seven residents and the Trust was looking to re-establish referrals and would engage with the County Council in this regard.

The Committee received a report and a presentation was given by Kish Sidhu, Martha Early and Carol Deans from Frimley ICB.

It was noted that the Frimley Park Hospital had been included in the New Hospitals Programme and was to be replaced on a new site by 2030.  A preferred option on this was expected to be announced in February 2024.  Frimley Park Hospital needed to be replaced by 2030 because it was built in

the 1970s using Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), which

makes up around 65% of the current hospital.

Frimley Park NHS FT operated Frimley Park Hospital, Wexham Park Hospital, Heatherwood Hospital and a range of other sites providing outpatient and diagnostic services.  Turnover was around £1bn.  Patients mainly came from Surrey, Hampshire and Bracknell Forest.

Other principal points highlighted included:

·         Availability and cost of a new site

·         Construction and costs were looked at nationally  

·         Access and parking

·         Timescale for obtaining planning permission

At this stage, the ICB was seeking early engagement through overview & scrutiny to establish a Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee to provide oversight throughout the project through to the commencement of construction.  It was noted that an officer from HCC would be invited to support the site shortlisting process.

RESOLVED to

Note the national deadline for eradicating RAAC from the most affected

hospitals, including Frimley Park, by 2030.

Note that developing a replacement hospital on a new site is the only viable

option to achieving this deadline.

Note the process and progress to date in working to identify viable site

options to deliver a new hospital for local communities by 2030.

The Committee received a report providing updates on issues previously discussed by the Committee: South Central Ambulance Service – safeguarding, and the Acute Services Partnership (Portsmouth and IoW).

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

The Chairman welcomed Mark Orchard and Dr John Knighton. 

The report highlighted five key priorities:

•      Ensure the safety of all patients

•      76% of A&E patient to be admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours

•      85% of ambulance handovers completed within 15 minutes.

•      Maintain the delivery of our elective activity

•      Eliminate patients waiting over 104 weeks for elective treatment and reduce the number of patients waiting over 65 weeks.

Work with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust continued through a single leadership model to support clinical and financial stability.  Work on winter planning with system partners continued with a focus on developing capacity and reducing length of stay.  The Trust had successfully addressed previous recruitment challenges.

The challenges of managing pressure for beds alongside safe discharge for patients no longer requiring hospital treatment was discussed.  The hospital worked to make discharges as early in the day as possible.  In terms of demand, Portsmouth had a shortage of GPs so patients frequently resorted to the A&E Department. 

The Committee requested an update on whether the ambulance handover target was being met. 

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust

The Chairman welcomed Sarah Thompson the from South Central Ambulance Service.  Slides were circulated describing Operation Avocet which was a systems cyber attack in July 2023 that had been restored in November.  The slides described the progress with the recovery process, outstanding actions and open risks.

It was agreed that quarterly updates from SCAS should continue and that to obtain a rounded picture of operational challenges,  a joint appearance with Portsmouth Hospital could be arranged.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Adults’ Health & Social Care providing an annual update in respect of the local authority statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable adults. 

The following prinicpal points were made

·         There was good partnership working through the MASH arrangement

·         The experience with the Care Quality Commission’s arppoach to regulation was generally positive although there continued to be learning arud the inspection framework they used

·         The rise of “mates” abuse was highlighted and would be reflected in training activity

·         The risk described the risk arising from increased demand and referrals which required a clear focus on safeguarding issues

·         A range of internal and multi-agency training was available

RESOLVED that the Committee:

• Notes the positive progress and strong performance of the Directorate to keep adults at risk safe from abuse and/or neglect, whilst acknowledging ongoing risks to fulfilling statutory safeguarding duties, including as a result of increased numbers of safeguarding concerns being reported.

• Notes the commitment of a wide range of Adults’ Health and Care staff,

and wider partner agencies, to delivering robust safeguarding arrangements in Hampshire.

• Notes the contribution of the Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board

(HSAB) to safeguarding strategy, assurance, and the development of

policy across the four local authority areas of Hampshire, Portsmouth,

Southampton, and the Isle of Wight.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Public Health on the progress of ongoing work to support the delivery of the Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  The updated Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Place Assembly meeting were highlighted.  The Assembly meeting was helping provide momentum in the cross-agency working.

RESOLVED that the Committee note

·         the update, progress, and upcoming Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board note the update, progress, and upcoming priorities of the Health and Wellbeing Board’s work.

·         the annual report that has been signed off by the Chair and agreed by partners of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

·         and submit any additional queries or comments in writing for responses.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Adults’ Health and Care to consider whether to initiate a Working Group to oversee and scrutinise the approach and outcomes of the planned Stage 2 Consultation in relation to savings proposals.  The report included draft Terms of Reference for the Working Group including proposed composition. 

The savings scheme proposals in scope related to the adult social care grants programme for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, the withdrawal of all funding for non-statutory Homelessness Support Services and changes to the way in which contributions towards non-residential social care costs are calculated.

The report proposed a cross-party group made up of Members of the Select (Overview and Scrutiny) Committee, consisting of a total of 8 Members: 5 Conservative Group, 2 Liberal Democrat Group, 1 Labour Group or 1 Independent Group. 

An amendment to this was proposed to the above to say –

9 Members: 5 Conservative Group, 2 Liberal Democrat Group, 1 Labour Group and 1 Independent Group.  This amended position was approved unanimously.

RESOLVED

To initiate a Working Group to review proposals, subject to Stage 2

consultations, relating to the adult social care grants programme for voluntary,

community and social enterprise organisations, the withdrawal of all funding

for non-statutory Homelessness Support Services and changes to the way in

which contributions towards non-residential social care costs are calculated,

as per the Terms of Reference appended to the report.

To agree membership of the Working Group as follows with group leaders to provide their nominations to the Chairman:

9 Members: 5 Conservative Group, 2 Liberal Democrat Group, 1 Labour Group and 1 Independent Group.

The Committee received a report from the Director of People and Organisation setting out its work programme into 2024.

Items planned for the 16 January meeting included

HCC

Receipt of the report of the Care Homes Working Group Whitehill & Bordon

To consider the revenue and capital programme budgets for the

Adults’ Health and Care department.

NHS

Health and Wellbeing Hub Update

Proposal to create an Elective Hub