COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Room 135, Parliament Buildings

Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (In the chair)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner, MLA
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA

In Attendance: Mr Hugh Farren (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Noelle Bourke (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Rodney Aiken (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA

The meeting commenced at 2.06 pm in public session.

1. Nomination of Acting Chairperson

As an apology had been received from the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the Clerk called for nominations for a Chairperson to Chair the meeting. Mr Gallagher proposed that Ms Sue Ramsey act as Chairperson for this meeting. Mr Alex Easton seconded this and the nomination was accepted.

2. Apologies

Apologies as listed above.

3. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson thanked the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust for hosting the Committee visit to the Royal Children’s and Maternity Hospitals. Members agreed to write to the Minister for an update on the proposed Regional Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

4. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 16 October 2008 & 17 October 2008.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2008 were agreed.

Members agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2008 should be revised and would be considered at the next Committee meeting.

5. Matters arising.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the Minor Ailments Scheme.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the provision of out-of-hours mental health care in the Strabane area.

The Committee noted a summary of the keys points from the lunchtime meeting with Representatives of Erne and Tyrone County Hospitals.

The Committee noted a summary of the keys points from the lunchtime meeting with Representatives of The Western Innovations Network.

The Committee deferred consideration of a response to the Department’s consultation on the draft Guidance on the Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland until the next Committee meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from the Fertility Counselling Service.

The Committee deferred consideration of a Committee motion calling on the Minister to abolish all hospital car parking charges until the next Committee meeting.

2.14 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan joined the meeting.
2.16 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.

6. Evidence session with the RQIA on the Clostridium difficile Review.

Members took evidence from the following witnesses:

Dr David Stewart RQIA Medical Director
Mrs Elizabeth Knipe Lay Reviewer
Dr Bharat Patel Consultant Microbiologist, Health Protection Agency
Dr Ray Sheridan Consultant in General and Geriatric Medicine, Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust

A question and answer session ensued. The chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. Members agreed to write to the Minister for an update on the implementation of the report’s recommendations.

2.58 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
3.18 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher rejoined the meeting.

3.46 p.m. committee adjourned.
3.54 p.m. committee resumed.

4.05 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan left the meeting.
4.21 p.m. Mr John McCallister rejoined the meeting.

7. Proposed statutory Rule.

Members were briefed on the proposal to make the Feeding stuffs (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 by:

Kirsten Dunbar Head of FSANI Primary Production and Science Unit
Gerard Smyth FSANI Primary Production and Science Unit

Members agreed that the Food Standards Agency should proceed to prepare the Statutory Rule

8. Statutory Rule SR 2008/405: the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

The Committee considered the content of SR 2008/405: the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.

9. Clause By Clause consideration of the Health & Social Care (Reform) Bill

The following witnesses attended:
Bernard Mitchell Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
Ivan McMaster Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
Craig Allen Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
Carolyn Harper Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety

The Committee agreed to consider clauses where there was no dispute and defer consideration of other clauses to the next Committee meeting

The Chairperson referred Members to the legislation & copy of responses received from relevant bodies. The committee commenced clause by clause consideration of the Health & Social Care (Reform) Bill at Clause 1.

Clause 1 (Restructuring of administration of health and social care)

Clause 1 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 2 (Department’s general duty)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 3 (Department’s general power)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 4 (Department’s priorities and objectives)

Clause 4 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 5 (The framework document)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment by the Department, put and agreed to.

Clause 6 (Power of Department to give directions to certain bodies)

Clause 6 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 7 (The Regional Health and Social Care Board)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 8 (Functions of the Regional Board)

Clause 8 deferred for further consideration

Clause 9 (Local Commissioning Groups)

Clause 9 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 10 (Power of Regional Board to give directions and guidance to HSC trusts)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 11 (Provision of information, etc. to Regional Board by HSC trusts)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 12 (The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being)

Clause 12 deferred for further consideration.

Schedule 2 (The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being)

Schedule 2 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 13 (Functions of RAPHSW)

Clause 13 deferred for further consideration

Clause 14 (The Regional Support Services Organisation)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the change in the title of the body, put and agreed to.

Schedule 3 (The Regional Support Services Organisation)

Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 3 as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 15 (Functions of RSSO)

Clause 15 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 16 (The Patient and Client Council)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 4 (The Patient and Client Council)

Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 4 as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 17 (Functions of the Patient and Client Council)

Clause 17 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 18 (Duty to co-operate with the Patient and Client Council)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment by the Department, put and agreed to.

Clause 19 (Public involvement and consultation)

Clause 19 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 20 (Public involvement: consultation schemes)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment by the Department, put and agreed to.

Clause 21 (Duty on HSC trusts in relation to improvement of health and social well-being)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment by the Department, put and agreed to.

Clause 22 (Public-private partnerships)

Clause 22 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 23 (Schemes for transfer of assets and liabilities)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 5 (Transfer of assets, etc)

Schedule 5 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 24 (Transfer of functions of Health and Social Services Boards)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 25 (Transfer of functions of the Mental Health Commission)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 26 (Transfer of functions of Central Services Agency)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 27 (Amendment of statutory and other references to dissolved bodies, etc)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 28 (Dissolution of special agencies)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 29 (Orders, regulations, guidance and directions)

Clause 29 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 30 (Further provision)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 31 (Interpretation)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 32 (Minor and consequential amendments)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 6 (Minor and consequential amendments)

Schedule 6 deferred for further consideration.

Clause 33 (Repeals)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 7 (Repeals)

Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 7 as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 34 (Commencement)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

Clause 35 (Short title)

Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.

10. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.

The Committee noted a letter from Dr Mary Gallagher about a draft Statutory Instrument – Health Care & Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No 2) Order 2008 and agreed to write to the Minister about this matter?

Members noted a letter received from Gabrielle and Thomas Bennett about Health Service complaints procedures.

The Committee noted a letter from David Bolton at the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma & Transformation about a report on an investigation into the prevalence of psychological trauma in Northern Ireland. Members agreed to invite Mr Bolton to an informal meeting with the Committee.

Members noted a copy of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2008.

The Committee noted an invitation from the Community Development and Health Network to an event on Thursday 30 th October.

Members noted a newsletter from the British Heart Foundation.

The Committee noted an invitation from Queens University Belfast to a Trauma Studies Masterclass on Monday 10 November 2008.

11. Any other business

Members agreed to invite Asthma UK to the Committee’s next informal meeting.

12. Date, time and place of the next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 6 November 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.29 pm.

Signed: ______________________________
Chairperson

Date: ________________________________

17 October 08 / Menu