COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Sue Ramsey 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:
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.04 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies as listed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson reported that an informal lunchtime meeting had taken place earlier today with Asthma UK. A note of the meeting will be circulated in due course.
The Committee noted that a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act had been made and that the relevant documents had been released.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 16 October 2008 & 23 October 2008.
The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2008 & 23 October 2008 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the availability 3 Tesla Scanners and agreed to write to the Minister about this matter. Members also agreed that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson should carry out a fact-finding visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital and Chicago Memorial Hospital on behalf of the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about Agenda for Change pay bandings and agreed to invite the Minister to meet the Committee to discuss this matter.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the proposed Omagh Hospital and agreed to discuss this issue with the Minister.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the Responsible Pharmacist Regulations.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the Department’s policy for Commissioning of Complimentary & Alternative Therapies.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister regarding the commencement of section 145 of Health & Social Care Act on 1 December 2008.
The Committee noted responses from the Belfast Trust & the Southern Trust about the payment of reward money to adults with learning disabilities. Members agreed to write to the trusts for further information and to inquire if people attending day-care facilities were being charged for transport.
The Committee agreed an amended response to the Department’s consultation on the draft Guidance on the Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland.
The Committee agreed a Committee motion calling on the Minister to abolish all hospital car parking charges.
2.13 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
2.21 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.
2.27 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill rejoined the meeting.
2.44 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.
2.46 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill rejoined the meeting.
2.56 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
3.04 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
5. Evidence session on funding for Playboard
Members took evidence from the following witnesses:
Sean Holland Acting Chief Social Services Inspector, DHSSPS
Marna Bell Family Policy Unit, DHSSPS
Rosie Drysdale Family Policy Unit, DHSSPS
A question and answer session ensued. The chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The Committee agreed to write to the Office of the First and deputy First Minister about this matter.
6. Statutory RuleSR 2008/423: The Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment No.2) Regulations (NI) 2008.
The Committee considered the content of SR 2008/423: The Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment No.2) Regulations (NI) 2008 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
3.11 p.m. committee adjourned.
3.20 p.m. committee resumed.
3.23 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher rejoined the meeting.
3.25 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny rejoined the meeting.
7. 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
Martin Bradley Chief Nursing Officer
Clause 1 (Restructuring of administration of health and social care)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment agreed by the Department, put and agreed to.
Clause 4 (Department’s priorities and objectives)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment agreed by the Department, put and agreed to.
Clause 6 (Power of Department to give directions to certain bodies)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment agreed by the Department, put and agreed to.
Clause 8 (Functions of the Regional Board)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted and supports the proposal to amend section (3) requiring the Regional Board and Regional Agency to jointly sign-off the commissioning plan, put and agreed to.
Clause 9 (Local Commissioning Groups)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment agreed by the Department, put and agreed to.
Clause 12 (The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being)
Question: that the regional public health agency be incorporated into the proposed regional board under clause 7.
Proposer: Mr Alex Easton
Seconder: Mrs Iris Robinson
The Committee divided: Ayes 2; Noes 6; Abstentions 0
AYES
Mr Alex Easton
Mrs Iris Robinson
NOES
Dr Kieran Deeny
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mrs Carmel Hanna
Mr John McCallister
Mrs Michelle O’Neill
Ms Sue Ramsey
ABSTENTIONS
None
The motion falls
As consensus could not be reached on clause 12 as drafted the Chairperson proposed:
That the Committee is content with Clause 12 as drafted Question put.
The Committee divided: Ayes 6; Noes 2; Abstentions 0
AYES
Dr Kieran Deeny
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mrs Carmel Hanna
Mr John McCallister
Mrs Michelle O’Neill
Ms Sue Ramsey
NOES
Mr Alex Easton
Mrs Iris Robinson
ABSTENTIONS
None
Question accordingly agreed to.
Clause 13 (Functions of RAPHSW)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted subject to the proposed amendment agreed by the Department, put and agreed to.
Clause 15 (Functions of RSSO)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.
Clause 17 (Functions of the Patient and Client Council)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.
Clause 19 (Public involvement and consultation)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.
Clause 22 (Public-private partnerships)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.
Clause 29 (Orders, regulations, guidance and directions)
Question: That the Committee is content with the clause as drafted, put and agreed to.
Schedule 1 (The Regional Health and Social Care Board)
Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 1 as drafted, put and agreed to.
Schedule 2 (The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being)
Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 2 as drafted subject to the proposed amendments to paragraph 6 and 7(3), put and agreed to.
Schedule 5 (Transfer of assets, etc)
Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 5 as drafted subject to the proposed amendment to paragraph 2(6), put and agreed to.
Schedule 6 (Minor and consequential amendments)
Question: That the Committee is content with schedule 6 as drafted subject to the proposed amendment to paragraph 18(1)(a), put and agreed to.
4.17 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
4.21 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
4.29 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
4.33 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
4.36 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
8. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.
The Committee agreed to invite Mrs Gillian Killen to an informal meeting to brief Members on life coaching.
Members noted a letter from Mena Lyons about the implementation of the recommendations of the Bamford Review and agreed to forward this to the Minister for a response
The Committee noted correspondence about services for M.E suffers in Northern Ireland.
Members noted a copy of ‘Drug Use in Northern Ireland 2006/2007-Drug Prevalence Survey: Cocaine Results’.
The Committee noted a letter regarding the strategy for Asthma UK.
Members noted a letter about the ‘Extra Care’ Annual Report for 2007/08.
The Committee noted a letter from Help the Aged NI about the ‘SeniorLine Benchmark Survey 2008’.
Members noted a report from the Department about ‘Minimum care standards for Domiciliary Care Agencies and Nursing Agencies’.
The Committee noted a Health and Social Care Reform bulletin.
Members noted a letter from Action for Children about a lunchtime reception in the Long Gallery on Tuesday 11 November.
9. Any other business
Members agreed a Committee input into the Assembly Commission Annual report.
The Committee noted the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s review of the Assembly’s role in relation to European issues but agreed not to make any submission.
The Committee agreed to invite the National Osteoporosis Society to an informal meeting on Thursday 27 November 2008.
The Committee noted a paper from the Department on the budget stocktake exercise.
Members agreed to invite Anachem to an informal meeting with the Committee.
Members agreed to invite the Royal College of Midwives and the Northern Health & Social Care Trust to brief the Committee on the issue of maternal deaths at Antrim Area Hospital. The Committee also agreed to write to the Minister about this issue.
The Committee agreed to write to the Minister about the use of self test kits for colon cancer.
Members noted that patients in England & Wales could now pay for private drug treatment without losing the right to treatment on the Health Service and agreed to write to the Minister to ask if there were plans to extend this to Northern Ireland.
The Committee agreed to forward a letter from Political YouthWings to the Minister.
Members raised concerns about an increase in sexual assaults and agreed to invite the PSNI care unit and the Department to brief the Committee.
10. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 13 November 2008 at 2.00pm in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.03 pm.