Present:

Councillors Westlake (Chairman), Boyd, Brook, Chugg, Clarance, Colthorpe, Dezart, Gilbert, Greenslade, Morse, Sellis, Wragg and Wright

(Councillors Brook, Gilbert, Greenslade and Wright attended for up to and including minute 87)

Member attending in accordance with Standing Order 25:-

Councillor Moulding

Apologies for Absence

Councillor Diviani

Councillor Christophers (Representing District Councils)

*81 Minutes

RESOLVED the minutes of the meetings held on 16 January 2015 and the Joint Budget Scrutiny Committee held on 29 January 2015 be signed as correct records.

*82 Matter of Urgency: Medical Provision at Teignmouth Hospital

(An item taken under Section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972)

The Chairman had decided that the Committee should, at the request of Councillor Clarance, consider this matter as a matter of urgency in order to apprise members of his representations, as a local member, in respect of the public consultation by the South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group and their options on future community services in the Teignmouth and Dawlish areas. The consultation period had closed on 22 March.

The consultation responses and the CCG proposals would be submitted to the next meeting of this Committee.

*83 Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM)

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health (PH/15/10 - text only | pdf PH/15/10) on the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) national partnership between four national charities; Homeless Link, Drugscope, CLINKS and MIND, with the aim to influence policy and services for adults facing multiple needs and exclusions. The local pilot would be centred on 30 vulnerable adults in Exeter with multiple needs. The report outlined the project development in Devon led by the County Council (Public Health) and the next steps.

The Consultant in Public Health and the Senior Public Health Officer responded to matters raised or specific questions posed by Members including:

the importance of effective data sharing between the agencies involved

methodology relating to the measurement of outcomes with this most complex and vulnerable group of people

importance of spreading good practice learned to other areas within the County noting that many agencies involved have a county or wider reach

the work being undertaken in other district council areas in the County.

It was MOVED by Councillor Westlake, SECONDED by Councillor Sellis and

RESOLVED that activity being undertaken to improve the health and wellbeing of adults with complex or multiple needs such as the street homeless population, through the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) Approach be welcomed and that a progress report be submitted to a future meeting.

*84 Axminster Consultation: Community Services (Minute 78)

(Councillor Moulding attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item)

The Committee considered the report of the Northern Devon Health Care Trust (PH/15/12 - text only | pdf PH/15/12) on chronology of events, the outcome and rationale of the decision on safer staffing and the success of the work in partnership with Axminster League of Friends to use the 300,000 offer to safely reinstate inpatient beds at Axminster.

The local member for Axminster reported on the community view and hope that the beds should be reinstated at Axminster, the lack of evidence relating to the benefits of the consolidation of beds at Seaton Community hospital, the positive work with the League of Friends on the use of their funding offer and the successful recruitment campaign for staffing for the proposed re-instated beds at Axminster and for other community hospitals.

The Trust s Representatives responded to matters raised or specific questions posed by Members, namely:

the current legal position and that a final determination would be made by the High Court on 13 April;

with the success of the recruitment campaign the Trust was reviewing whether there was enough staff to safely reopen beds at Axminster with the funds from the League of Friends; and the funding provided was sufficient for only approximately 6 months pending decisions on the overall strategy and longer term plans.

It was MOVED by Councillor Westlake, SECONDED by Councillor Sellis and

RESOLVED that the position be noted and that the Trust be requested that further developments be reported to the Scrutiny Officer for dissemination to Members.

85 Torrington Community Hospital: Test of Change

The Committee received the report of the Member Investigation (PH/15/9 - text only | pdf PH/15/9) and concerns relating to the decisions and evidence used leading to the Test of Change changes at the Torrington Community Hospital with the withdrawal of inpatient beds. The Clinical Commissioning Group would be provided the opportunity to respond to the member report.

The Chairman of the Member Investigation reported further on transport issues within the community as a result of the liquidation of the Torridge Transport Association the implications of which required further investigation.

The Chairman reported that complaints about the services had been received by members of the committee and had been shared with the CCG, Adult Social Care and the Care Quality Commission and discussed with HealthWatch. He had already received a response from the CCG and these were currently being considered by the other agencies involved.

It was MOVED by Councillor Greenslade, SECONDED by Councillor Wright and

RESOLVED

(a) that the Committee s concerns be relayed to the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group with a request that any changes should not be made pending consideration by the Committee and that a copy of the letter with this report be forwarded to the Secretary of State;

(b) that the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group be requested to submit a report on the outcome of the complaints received (to incorporate findings from the other agencies as appropriate) to the next meeting.

*86 Planned measures to reduce the budget deficit of the NEW Devon CCG

The Committee received a presentation from NEW Devon CCG (PH/15/11) on trends and pressures, the overall positive health profiles of the population, the current budget and deficits and longer terms pressures over the next and future financial years.

The CCG representatives responded to matters raised or specific questions posed by Members namely:

the detailed statistical information relating to demography and the financial allocations (via the national Advisory Committee for Resource Allocation) and pressures leading to an overall deficit of some 60m and the Chief Officer of the CCG undertook to circulate the detailed statistical evidence for members;

that detailed proposals to address the deficits were currently being developed by the Clinical Commissioning Group;

the need to improve discharge care packages from hospital to home impacting on care needs and the overall NHS budget and the need to improve domiciliary care packages provided by the County Council

the potential and current contribution of pharmacy services (commissioned by NHS England) to reduce pressures for GP services

the implication of population growth in the County and number of retirement villages noting that the level of developer contributions for wider NHS services was not sufficient.

It was MOVED by Councillor Westlake, SECONDED by Councillor Sellis and

RESOLVED that a briefing session be arranged for morning of 14 September 2015 on measures by the NEW Devon CCG to address its short and long term funding budgetary pressures.

*87 Transforming Community Services (Minute 76)

(Councillor Moulding attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item)

The Committee considered the report of the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (PH/15/13 - text only | pdf PH/15/13) on an update on the activities and consultations in respect of the commissioning intentions for the Northern, Western and Eastern Localities. Whilst these consultations had now ended, the CCG would continue to engage stakeholders and welcome their input at all stages of the Transforming Community Services work described in the report.

The CCG Representatives responded to matters raised or specific questions posed by Members, namely

the thrust of the consultation feedback received relating primarily to the proposed closure of inpatient beds and implications for carers, transport, and community work force issues; the details of the responses would be reported to the next meeting;

the need for the CCG to evidence in their plans the projected population increases from pending and current large scale residential developments;

the implications of the Monitor programme relating to procurement and the possible impact on the timetable and decision making.

A detailed report on the consultation outcomes and future proposals by NEW Devon CCG would be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

*88 Health Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

(a) Work Programme

The Scrutiny Officer reported that the work programme would be updated following today s meeting.

(b) Scrutiny Guidance

The Scrutiny Officer also referred to recent guidance from the Centre for Public Scrutiny produced with the Care Quality Commission for members information and available at: CQC and council scrutiny working together; a guide for councillors.

There was also a general guide for all local councillors explaining the work of the CQC, and how councillors could share information about people's experiences of care from Members work with local constituents. This Guide was available at: CQC and councillors; A short guide for councillors about the Care Quality Commission

(c) Quality Accounts

The Scrutiny Officer also reported the receipt of the annual Quality Accounts from major NHS service providers detailing their current position and future development plans for analysis and feedback from Scrutiny and requested that named members be appointed to review individual accounts for comment. Councillors Morse and Boyd had agreed to review the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Trust and North Devon Health Care Trust respectively and Councillor Gilbert would be requested to review the South Devon and Torbay Health Hare Trust accounts. Other members would be asked to review the Accounts in respect of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and the Devon partnership Trust.

[NB: The Work Programme is available on the Council's website at http://www.devon.gov.uk/scrutiny_programme.htm]

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.00 pm and finished at 4.40 pm.

The Minutes of this Committee are published on the County Council s website at:-