COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner 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 John Render (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mrs Carmel Hanna 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 thanked the Deputy Chairperson for chairing the Committee in her absence.
Members welcomed the Chairperson back and congratulated her on her appointment to the Northern Ireland Select Committee at Westminster.
3. Evidence session with the Minister for Health, Social Services & Public Safety.
Members took evidence from:
Michael McGimpsey Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Michael McBride Chief Medical Officer
Martin Bradley Chief Nursing Officer
Miriam McCarthy Deputy Secretary
Norman Morrow Chief Pharmaceutical Officer
Sean Donaghy Deputy Secretary
Maureen McCartney Mental Health Unit
A question and answer session ensued. In relation to the discussion of efficiency savings the Department agreed to provide the Committee with further information. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer agreed to return to brief the Committee on Generic Prescribing at a future Committee meeting. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
2.20 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
2.29 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher rejoined the meeting.
3.13 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny left the meeting.
3.16 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny rejoined the meeting.
3.49 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
3.52 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
3.54 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher rejoined the meeting.
3.57 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
4.02 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
4.02 p.m. Mr Sam Gardiner left the meeting.
4.11 p.m. Meeting resumed.
4. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 29 January 2009.
The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2009 were agreed.
4.12 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
5. Matters arising
No Matters arising were discussed
6. Proposed Statutory Rules
- Members were briefed on proposals to make the Regional Health and Social Care Board (Membership) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009,
- The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being (Membership) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009,
- And the Nursing and Midwifery (Amendment Order) 2009
by:
Ivan McMaster Department of Health, Social Services & Public safety
Maura O’Brien Department of Health, Social Services & Public safety
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. Members agreed that the Department should proceed to prepare these Statutory Rules.
4.17 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan rejoined the meeting.
7. Evidence with the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust on Omagh Hospital and Efficiency Savings.
The Evidence session with the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust on Omagh Hospital and Efficiency Savings was deferred to a later date.
8. Statutory Rules: SR 2009/27: The Feeding stuffs (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 & SR 2009/28: The Establishments and Agencies (Fitness of Workers) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
Consideration of these regulations was deferred to a later date.
9. European Union Cross-Border Healthcare
Consideration of a Research Paper on European Union Cross-Border Health Care was deferred to a later date.
10. DHSSPS Spring Supplementary Estimate
Consideration of the DHSSPS Spring Supplementary Estimate was deferred to a later date.
11. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.
Consideration of correspondence was deferred to a later date.
12. Any other business
The Chairperson reminded Members that the next Committee meeting would take place in the Board Room of Autism NI, and would be preceded by a visit to services operated by Autism Initiatives in Newcastle.
The Chairperson told Members that following a request to brief the Committee on the implementation of the recommendations of the C Difficile report, the RQIA had advised that the Department had responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the report. The Committee agreed to invite Departmental officials to brief Members on the implementation of the report.
13. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 12 February 2009 at 2.00pm in the Board Room, Autism NI, Donard, Knockbracken Healthcare Park.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.19 pm.