COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday 19 November 2009
Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
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:
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.03 pm in public session .
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson thanked members for their work on and their involvement in the debate on the obesity report.
The Chairperson informed members that an informal lunchtime meeting had taken place today with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council and that a report on this meeting will be prepared for the next Committee meeting.
The Chairperson informed members that the Joint Committee on Health and Children in the Irish Parliament would be visiting Musgrave Park Hospital on Tuesday 12 th January 2010 and would like to meet informally with the Committee on the evening of Monday 11 th January 2010. Members agreed to proceed with the meeting.
Members noted a draft programme for the Committee visit to Northern Ireland Hospice on Thursday 3 rd December.
It was agreed that the Chairperson should issue Christmas cards on behalf of the Committee to the main individuals and organisations it has met during the year.
The Chairperson provided members with an update on a meeting that he had with the Minister on Tuesday 17 th November 2009.
The Chairperson reminded members that the next Committee meeting would have 3 evidence sessions on hygiene and infection control in the Royal Hospital and that a quorum would be required until at least 6.00pm .
The Committee noted the publication of the RQIA reports on child protection and agreed hold an all day meeting on 10 th December 2009, to address the issues raised by the report. The Committee also agreed to write to the Police Service for Northern Ireland about cooperation with the Department on child protection matters.
The Committee agreed that its consideration of proposed autism legislation on Thursday 7 th January 2010 would be held in closed session.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 12 November 2009
The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2009 were agreed.
4. Matters arising
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the planned transfer of neurological services from Forster Green Hospital to Musgrave Park Hospital.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about issues raised by the Allied Health Professions and agreed to forward this to the Allied Health Professions.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the safety of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the implementation of the swine flu vaccination programme.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the BMA’s involvement in the Medical Student Management Group carrying out the review of the Supplement for Undergraduate Medical & Dental Education and agreed to forward this to the BMA.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister notifying the Committee of his intention to seek Executive agreement to undertake a 12 week consultation on proposals to strengthen sanctions against retailers who regularly break the law with regards to underage sales of tobacco products. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister supporting these proposals.
The Committee noted an interim response from the Department about the release of information about efficiency savings in the Northern Trust.
The Committee noted a letter from the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health thanking the Committee for the opportunity to present evidence to the concurrent Committee on Wednesday 21 st October.
The Committee noted a response from South Eastern Trust about the average time taken for investigations when staff have been suspended.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust providing information on efficiency savings.
The Committee noted a copy of Service Framework for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Care and agreed to write to cancer charities seeking their views on the affect of efficiency proposals on cancer treatment.
5. Consideration of Social Services provision
The Committee discussed the provision of social services in Northern Ireland and agreed that a programme for a review of care packages should be prepared for the next Committee meeting.
6. Consideration on provision of specialist advice on budgetary matters
The Committee agreed to write to the Assembly personnel office regarding proposals for the Assembly to recruit research staff with experience of economic matters and to return to this issue at a future Committee meeting.
7. SR 2009/362: The Food Labelling (Declaration of Allergens) Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee considered SR 2009/362: The Food Labelling (Declaration of Allergens) Regulations (NI) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister informing the Committee of a consultation to be carried out on the regulation of the sunbed industry in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Speaker regarding a petition on victims of institutional abuse laid by Carmel Hanna on 9 th November 2009 and agreed to request a written brief from the Department on this matter.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Belfast Health Initiative (BHI) seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite the group to meet with the Committee at the next Long Gallery event in February 2010.
The Committee noted correspondence from a coalition of nursing recruitment agencies seeking a meeting with the Committee to discuss the impact of scaling back agency cover on full time nursing staff and agreed to invite the group to meet with the Committee at the next Long Gallery event in February 2010.
The Committee noted correspondence from Patrick Donnelly regarding care arrangements for his son who has cerebral palsy and agreed forward the letter to MLA’s for the North Down constituency. The Committee also agreed to write to the Health & Social Care Trusts about their long term planning for young people with cerebral palsy who have elderly carers and may require institutional care in the future.
The Committee noted a review completed by the Department and the Department for Social Development on support provision for carers and agreed to write to the Department about how they intend to take forward the reviews recommendations. The committee also agreed to write to the Committee for Social Development regarding impact of Welfare Reform Bill at Westminster on young carers.
The Committee noted a report from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Department, ‘Public Attitudes to Health and Social Care Services in NI 2009.
9. Any other business
The Committee agreed to visit the forensics unit at Knockbracken Healthcare Park.
10. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 26th November 2009 at 2.00pm in the room 30 , Parliament Buildings.
3.03 p.m. The meeting moved to closed session
3.03 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
11. Northern Ireland Audit Office briefing on the General Report on Health & Social Care Sector in Northern Ireland – 2008
The Committee took evidence from:
Mr Terence Woodhouse Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office
Ms Anu Kane Audit Manager, Northern Ireland Audit Office
Mr Neil Gray Audit Manager, Northern Ireland Audit Office
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.09 p.m.