COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Room 135, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
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
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:
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting commenced at 2.06 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 Organ Donor Clinicians. A note of the meeting will be circulated in due course.
The Committee agreed to publish its response to the Department’s consultation on the draft Guidance on the Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland on the Committee website.
Members noted that the Committee motion on Hospital Car Parking Charges had been scheduled for debate on Tuesday 25 November and agreed to make the Assembly Research paper on the subject available to all MLA’s.
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 6 November 2008.
The minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2008 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a summary of the key points from the lunchtime meeting with Asthma UK Northern Ireland and agreed to write to the Minister about the issues raised. Members also agreed to write to the Ministers for the Environment and Social Development about this matter.
2.13p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher joined the meeting.
5. Autistic Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan
Evidence session with Autism NI (PAPA)
Members took evidence from the following witnesses:
Arlene Cassidy, CEO, Autism NI
Edyth Dunlop, NIUSE
John Campbell, Autism Initiatives
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The witnesses agreed to send the Committee a copy of the DVD ‘Employment for Autism’. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson should meet with Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Employment and Learning to discuss possible initiatives.
2.35 p.m. Mrs Carmel Hanna left the meeting.
2.52 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
Evidence session with the National Autistic Society NI
Members took evidence from the following witnesses:
Regina Cox, National Co-ordinator, National Autistic Society NI
Shirelle Stewart, Communications Officer, National Autistic Society NI
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
3.24 p.m.Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
3.27 p.m. Committee meeting adjourned.
3.32 p.m. Committee meeting resumed.
3.37 p.m.Mr Tommy Gallagher rejoined the meeting.
6. Consideration of the draft Report on the Committee Stage of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Bill.
The Committee considered the Draft Report on the Committee Stage of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Bill paragraph by paragraph. The Committee agreed the main body of the report:
Paragraph 1-11, read and agreed.
Paragraph 12-13, read and agreed.
Paragraph 14-15, read and agreed.
Paragraph 16-18, read and agreed.
Paragraph 19-22, read and agreed.
Paragraph 23-27, read and agreed.
Paragraph 28-34, read and agreed.
Paragraph 35, read and agreed as amended.
Paragraph 36-38, read and agreed.
Paragraph 39, read and agreed as amended.
Paragraph 40-41, read and agreed.
Paragraph 42-45, read and agreed.
Paragraph 46-49, read and agreed.
Paragraph 50-55, read and agreed.
Paragraph 56-57, read and agreed.
Paragraph 58-70, read and agreed.
Paragraph 71-77, read and agreed.
The Committee agreed the Executive Summary
Paragraph 1-6, read and agreed
The Committee agreed that Appendix 1 to 5 be included in the report.
The Committee agreed that an extract of today’s Minutes of Proceedings should be included in Appendix 1 of the report and were content that the Chairperson agrees the minutes relating to this.
The Committee ordered the Report on the Health and Social Care (Reform) Bill (NIA 21/07) to be printed.
7. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.
The Committee noted correspondence from Stephen Moutray MLA regarding the availability of help and advice for victims of sexual abuse and agreed to forward this to the Minister for a response.
Members noted a letter from the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists requesting a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to an informal meeting with the Committee.
The Committee noted a letter from the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland about their 2007/08 Annual Report.
Members noted an Advice Matters bulletin from Advice NI.
The Committee noted information about a Tackling Obesity 09 conference.
Members noted an invitation from Advice NI and Citizens Advice Bureau to the launch of a training programme on 5 December 2008.
The Committee noted a newsletter from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Members noted a letter from the British Medical Association about their policy document “Improving Care for Older People in NI’’.
The Committee noted statistics from the NI Drug Misuse Database: 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008.
Members noted hospital statistics from the Department for the period 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008.
The Committee noted a memo from the Clerk to the Committee for Employment and Learning asking the Committee to forward a letter to the Minister and agreed to forward the letter.
8. Any other business
The Committee noted a press release from the Minister about the proposed Omagh Hospital and agreed to write to the Minister for more information.
The Committee discussed a subject for a Committee inquiry, the Chairperson suggested looking at obesity. The Committee deferred consideration until the next Committee meeting.
The Committee noted the outline programme for the visit to Wales.
The Committee noted that an Action Cancer ‘Big Bus’ event would take place on Tuesday 25 November 2008.
The committee noted an invitation from the RISE foundation to an event on Tuesday 25 November 2008.
10. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 27 November 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.59 pm.