COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Hugh Farren (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Noelle Bourke (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Render (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.07 pm in public session with the Deputy Chairperson in the chair.
1. Apologies
Apologies as listed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Committee noted that an evidence session with the Minister planned for today had been postponed due to an Executive meeting.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 4 December 2008.
The minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2008 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister to issues raised in a letter from Stephen Moutray MLA and agreed to copy the Minister’s reply to Mr Moutray.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about providing support for victims of sexual attack. Members agreed to write to the Minister about funding for the Rape Crisis Centre.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about issues raised by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists and agreed to copy the Minister’s reply to the Royal College.
The Committee noted an acknowledgement from the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to the Committee’s letter about after school services.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister for Employment & Learning about the availability of sign language interpreters for students with hearing difficulties.
The Committee noted a summary of the keys points from a meeting with the Derry Detox Support Group and agreed to write to the trusts to determine the availability of services in Northern Ireland.
5. Briefing on dioxin contamination in animal feed from the Food Standards Agency
Members took evidence from:
Ms Maria Jennings Head of Consumer Choice, Food Standards Agency, Northern Ireland
A question and answer session ensued. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witness for attending.
2.34 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan joined the meeting.
6. Proposed Statutory Rule
Members were briefed on the proposal to make the draft Contaminants in Food Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 by:
Mervyn Briggs Local Authority Unit, Food Standards Agency
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witness for attending. Members agreed that the Food Standards Agency should proceed to prepare this Statutory Rule.
7. Evidence session on Ambulance Services in the South West
Members took evidence from the following witnesses:
Mr Liam McIvor Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
Dr David McManus Medical Director, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
Mr John McPoland Communications Officer, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
A question and answer session ensued. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
2.59 p.m. Mrs Carmel Hanna left the meeting.
8. Evidence session on Homeopathy Services in Northern Ireland.
Members took evidence from the following witnesses:
Dr Peter Fisher Clinical Director, London Homeopathic Hospital
Dr Sarah Eames President of the Faculty of Homeopathy
Dr Gary Smyth Faculty of Homeopathy Northern Ireland
Dr Kenneth Kerr Faculty of Homeopathy Northern Ireland
Mrs Kathleen Savage Northern Ireland Regional Representative, Faculty of Homeopathy
Mrs Audrey Kerr Liaison Officer Faculty of Homeopathy Northern Ireland
A question and answer session ensued. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The Committee agreed to send a copy of the official record of the evidence session to the Minister for information.
3.54 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
9. Committee response to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Action Plan Consultation
The Committee agreed a response to the Department’s consultation on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Action Plan. Members also agreed that the Committee response would be placed on the Committee website.
10. Performance Management
Members noted a briefing paper from Assembly research on Performance Management in the healthcare system.
11. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.
The Committee noted an invitation from the Minister to the launch of the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) for older people on Wednesday 11 February 2009.
Members noted a letter from John Boyd regarding funding for the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre and agreed to forward this to the Minister for a response.
The Committee noted a letter from Cllr Naomi Long MLA regarding treatment available to ME patients and agreed to forward a response from the Minister on this matter.
Members noted a memo from the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel about the Strategic Stocktake 2009 – 2011.
The Committee noted a memo from the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding their request to representatives of the local banks to meet with the Committee.
Members noted a letter from Independent Health & Care Providers about Guidance to Nursing and Residential Homes on Supplementary Charges.
The Committee noted a summary of the NIPEC meeting held on 26 th November 2008.
Members noted statistics on Smoking Cessation Services in Northern Ireland from 1 st April 2008 to 31 st March 2008
The Committee noted a report on Northern Ireland Waiting Lists.
Members noted an invitation to the opening of the Bluestone Unit at Craigavon Area Hospital. Three Members indicated that they hoped to attend.
12. Any other business
The Committee agreed to invite Children's Independent Therapy and the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists to informal meetings on 15 January and 22 January 2009.
The Committee agreed to discuss generic tendering with the Minister at his next meeting with the Committee.
13. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 15 January 2009 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.21 pm.Signed:
Chairperson
Date: