COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday 15 October 2009
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr David Irvine (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.02 am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson reminded members that a one off joint Committee meeting with the Committee for Education would take place on Wednesday 21 st October 2009 at 1 pm to hear a presentation from the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health. Members noted that Mr Wells would chair the meeting.
The Chairperson informed members that the Minister had not made a statement on proposals for efficiency savings due to CSR and that the Speaker has not accepted the urgent oral question proposed at the last Committee meeting. The Committee motion on efficiency savings due to CSR had been agreed by the members from the Ulster Unionist Party and was scheduled on the Order Paper for Monday 2 nd November 2009 but the Minister would not be available for the debate. Members agreed that the Committee Clerk should ask the Business office if the motion could be rearranged for Monday 9 th November 2009 when the Minister would be available and to move the motion regarding the Committee report on obesity to Tueday10 th November 2009.
The Committee noted an extract from the official report of an answer given by the Minister providing information on plans the Trusts have submitted contingency plans for deficit in this years budget.
The Chairperson informed members that the Joint Committee on Health and Children in the Irish Parliament was planning to visit Parliament Buildings on Thursday 5 th November and members agreed to host a meal for the Committee.
The Chairperson informed members the Speakers Office have invited all Health Committee members to an event for Womens Aid on 25 th November in the Great Hall. Members agreed that the Committee Clerk liase with the Committee for Employment & Learning about a campaign being organised by the Students Union regarding violence against women.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 8 October 2009.
The minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2009 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding planning matters and new dental services.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding SUMDE.
The Committee noted a letter from BMA thanking the Committee for its interest in SUMDE.
The Committee noted responses from the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and the Western Health & Social Care Trust regarding the number of staff suspended pending the outcome of investigations. The Committee agreed to write to the Belfast Trust about the response.
The Committee noted a report on the informal meeting with Diabetes UK on Thursday 8 October and agreed to contact the Scottish Health Department to inquire about their approach to combating diabetes.
The Committee noted a response from the South Eastern Trust regarding CSR proposals and that the Trust would be coming before the Committee on the 5 th November to discuss these proposals.
5. Statutory Rule: 2009/331: The Food Labelling (Nutrition Information) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
The Committee considered SR 2009/331: The Food Labelling (Nutrition Information) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
6. Proposed Statutory Rule.
The Committee considered the Food for Particular Nutritional Uses (Addition of Substances for Specific Nutritional Purposes) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and agreed that the Food Standards Agency should proceed to prepare this Statutory Rule.
7. Evidence session on Comprehensive Spending Review efficiency savings with the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust .
Members took evidence from:
William McKee Chief Executive, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
Wendy Galbraith Director of Finance, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
A question and answer session ensued. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
10.30 a.m. Mrs Iris Robinson joined the meeting.
Mr Alex Easton made a declaration of interest that his sister was a nurse.
11.14 a.m. Mr Alex Easton left the meeting.
11.25 a.m. Mr Alex Easton rejoined the meeting.
8. Evidence session on Comprehensive Spending Review efficiency savings with the Southern Health & Social Care Trust.
Members took evidence from:
Mairead McAlinden Acting Chief Executive, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
Gillian Rankin Director of Older People’s Services & Primary Care, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
Francis Rice Director of Mental Health & Learning Disability, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
Stephen McNally Acting Director of Finance, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
11.40 a.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
12.05 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
12.24 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
Mrs Iris Robinson made a declaration of interest that her mother was a resident in a sheltered dwelling in Portadown and had received care from the Southern Trust.
12.33 p.m. Mr John McCallister rejoined the meeting.
12.44p.m. Committee meeting adjourned.
12.44p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting
1.59 p.m. Committee meeting resumed.
1.59 p.m. Mrs Dolores Kelly joined the meeting .
1.59 p.m. Mrs Claire McGill joined the meeting .
9. Presentation from the Minister for Health, Social Services & Public Safety on Departmental priorities for 2009/2010.
Members took evidence from:
Michael McGimpsey Minister, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Andrew McCormick Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Julie Thompson Director of Finance, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Michael McBride Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
A question and answer session ensued. The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
3.33 p.m. Committee meeting adjourned.
3.33 p.m. Mr Sam Gardiner left the meeting.
3.42 p.m. Committee meeting resumed
10. Departmental Briefing on Comprehensive Spending Review efficiency savings.
Members took evidence from:
Andrew McCormick Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Julie Thompson Director of Finance, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Sean Donaghy Under Secretary, Resources & Performance Management Group, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Diane Taylor Director of HSC, Human Resource, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
A question and answer session ensued. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
4.03 p.m. Mrs Dolores Kelly left the meeting
Dr Kieran Deeny made a declaration of interest that he was a member of the Western Local Commissioning Group
11. Correspondence.
The Committee noted a letter from Martina Anderson MLA seeking a meeting with the Committee for Youthlife and agreed to invite the group to the next Committee Long Gallery event.
The Committee noted a request by the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade NI (FRLT) to brief the committee regarding the misuse of alcohol and agreed to invite the group to the next Committee Long Gallery event.
The Committee noted a request by West Coast Air Ambulance Services to brief the committee regarding proposals for an air ambulance service and agreed to invite the group to the next Committee Long Gallery event.
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Rainbow Project to the Chief Executive of the Public Health Agency regarding the Sexual Health Strategy for Northern Ireland and agreed to ask the Agency to copy their response to the Committee.
The Committee noted a quarterly update on the number of Post Project Evaluations, forwarded by the Committee for Finance and Personnel and agreed to request a written briefing from the Department on this issue
The Committee noted a report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office, ‘Resettlement of long-stay patients from learning disability hospitals.’
The Committee noted a summary of information relevant to Health in the Independent Review of Economic Policy (IREP) document.
The Committee noted correspondence forwarded by the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the performance of DFP against 2008/2009 PSA Targets. The Committee agreed to ask the Department for a written briefing on whether there are any discrepancies between the performance reporting systems used in the Department and used by OFMDFM.
The Committee noted an invitation to a workshop on 3 rd December hosted by Advice NI.
The Committee noted an invitation to The Salvation Army Belfast Symposium on 6 th November 2009.
The Committee noted a report ‘Statistics from the NI Drug Misuse Database: 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009.’
The Committee noted correspondence regarding the proposed autism bill from Autism NI, Autism Initiatives NI, the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group, the OFMDFM Committee and the Department of Education. The Committee agreed to return to this matter at a future Committee meeting.
The Committee noted a briefing paper from the Western Trust regarding CSR proposals and that the Trust would be coming before the Committee on the 22 nd October to discuss these proposals.
12. Any other business
No other business was discussed.
13. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 22 October 2009 at 2.00pm in the Boardroom, Food Standards Agency.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.03 p.m.