COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday 14 January 2010
Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr John McCallister MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Jessica Golden-Alexander (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.01 pm in public session .
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson noted that the Committee had held a dinner meeting with the Committee for Health & Children from the Irish Parliament.
The Committee noted that Mrs Iris Robinson had resigned from the Northern Ireland Assembly and agreed to write to thanking her for her work on the Committee and to wish her well for the future.
The Committee agreed to accept an offer from the Minister to brief the members on the revised Departmental expenditure plans.
The Committee agreed that a Committee motion on the McElhill / McGovern tragedy should be debated on Monday 8 th February.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 7 January 2010.
The minutes of the meeting held on 7 January 2010 were agreed as amended.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Southern Trust about breakdown of taxi costs and the number of porters employed by the Trust.
The Committee noted a response from the Northern Trust about dermatology services and agreed to forward this to Dr Alderdice who raised this issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted responses from Health and Social Care Trusts about physiotherapy services for patients with multiple sclerosis and agreed to forward these to the MS Society Northern Ireland who raised this matter with the Committee.
The Committee noted responses from Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust about patient nutrition.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the revised Departmental expenditure plans for 2010 -11. Members noted that the Committee had agreed to take evidence on this matter at an all day meeting on Thursday 28 th January 2010. The Committee agreed to write to the Department for details of revised expenditure plans and senior civil service pay and bonus.
The Committee noted a report on the informal meeting with Arthritis Care NI on Thursday 7 th January 2010 and agreed to write to the Department about the issues raised.
The Committee noted a swine flu update from the Department and agreed to write to the Department for further information.
5. Evidence session with the Patient Client Council
The Committee took evidence from
Mr John Keanie Chairperson, Patient Client Council
Ms Maeve Hully Chief Executive, Patient Client Council
Ms Sue Ramsey made a declaration of interest that the Patient Client Council was acting on behalf of a relative.
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
2.45 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
2.47 p.m. Mrs Dolores Kelly joined the meeting.
2.56 p.m. Mr Alex Easton left the meeting.
3.07 p.m. Mr Alex Easton rejoined the meeting.
3.18p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
6. Departmental response to the ‘General Report on the Health and Social Care Sector in Northern Ireland’.
The Committee took evidence from
Dr Andrew McCormick Permanent Secretary
Mr Sean Donaghy Deputy Secretary, Resources & Performance Management
Mr Dean Sullivan Director of Planning and Performance Management
Mr John Cole Deputy Secretary, Chief Estates Officer
Mrs Dolores Kelly made a declaration of interest that she was a former health service employee with a frozen superannuated pension.
A question and answer session ensued. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
4.56 p.m. Mr Jim Wells left the meeting.
4.56 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill took the chair.
4.25 p.m. Mr Jim Wells rejoined the meeting and resumed the chair.
7. Statutory Rule. SR 2009/415 the Food Enzymes Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee considered SR 2009/415 the Food Enzymes Regulations (NI) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
Mr John McCallister made a declaration of interest that he is a share holder in a food processing company.
8. Statutory Rule. SR 2009/416 the Food Additives Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee considered SR 2009/416 the Food Additives Regulations (NI) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
9. Statutory Rule. SR 2009/417 the Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee considered SR 2009/417 the Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) Regulations (NI) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
10. Statutory Rule. SR 2009/427 the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
The Committee considered SR 2009/427 the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
11. Proposed Statutory Rule
The Committee considered the Nutrition and Health Claims (Amendment) Regulations Northern Ireland 2010 and agreed that the Food Standards Agency should proceed to prepare this Statutory Rule.
12. Correspondence.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Evan Bates regarding the Investing for Health strategy and agreed to invite Mr Bates to brief the Committee at its next meeting.
The Committee noted an invitation to a conference ‘Pandemic Preparedness and Response 2010: Preparing the Nation’.
The Committee noted correspondence from Macmillan Cancer Support seeking a meeting with the Committee about the consultation on the Service Framework for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Care and agreed to write to the Minister supporting the concerns raised by Macmillan Cancer Support.
The Committee noted correspondence from John J. Rice & Co. Solicitors regarding the victims of child abuse in Northern Ireland and agreed to write to the Minister asking for a copy of a paper on this matter that is being prepared for the Executive.
13. Any other business
No other business was discussed.
14. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 21st January 2010 at 2.00pm in Room 30 , Parliament Buildings .
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.44 p.m.