COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday 11 February 2010
Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mr Conall McDevitt MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Jessica Golden-Alexander (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting commenced at 2.00 pm in public session with the Clerk in the Chair.
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2 Nomination of Acting Chairperson
As apologies had been received from the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the Clerk called for nominations for a Chairperson to Chair the meeting. Ms Sue Ramsey proposed that Mr Alex Easton act as Chairperson for this meeting. Mrs Dolores Kelly seconded this and the nomination was accepted.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson welcomed Mr Thomas Buchanan back to the Committee. The Committee noted a copy of Mr Buchanan’s declaration of interest. Mr Buchanan made a further declaration of interest that he is a member of a joint liaison committee between Omagh District Council and the Western Health & Social Care Trust.
The Committee agreed to ask Assembly Legal Services for an opinion on whether proposed autism legislation would be compatible with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Act & the implications of amending existing disability legislation to include protection for individuals with “communication disabilities” and those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding whether disability legislation could be amended to include protection for individuals with ‘communication disabilities’.
The Committee also agreed to request that Assembly Research provide an analysis / comparison of the Autism Private Members Bill in Westminster and to send a copy of all the responses received to date to Mr Dominic Bradley MLA.
The Committee agreed to rearrange evidence sessions for the Committee meeting on Thursday 4 th March to allow members to attend at an event organised for rare disease day. The Committee also agreed that the Chairperson & Deputy Chairperson would take the expert witness for lunch.
4. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 4 February 2010
The minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2010 were agreed.
5. Matters arising
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about concerns regarding a proposed rule, the Health and Personal Social Services (Reimbursement of the Cost of EEA Treatment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister detailing additional resources that have been made available for the Lammy area following the McElhill/ McGovern tragedy. The Committee agreed to write to the Department asking when Mr Henry Toner QC would be returning to the Western Trust to verify that all recommendations from his report had been implemented.
The Committee agreed to write to each Trust for information on the number of children cases awaiting allocation. The Committee also agreed to write to the Minister about a recent announcement regarding funding.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing information about the adoption process and agreed to write to the Department for further information.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the budget set aside for the treatment of swine flu and agreed to write to the Department for further information.
The Committee noted the report of Examiner of Statutory Rules which has considered Statutory Rules 2009/415, 2009/419, 2009/417 & 2009/427.
The Committee noted a response from Belfast Trust about items sold in hospital shops.
6. Departmental response to the ‘General Report on the Health and Social Care Sector in Northern Ireland’
The Committee took evidence from
Mr Sean Donaghy Under Secretary, Resources & Performance Management Group
Dr Miriam McCarthy Under Secretary, Health Care Policy Group
Ms Diane Taylor Director of Human Resources
Mr Alex Easton made a declaration of interest that he was former employee of the Health Service.
Mrs Dolores Kelly made a declaration of interest that she was former employee of the Health Service.
A question and answer session ensued. The officials agreed to forward additional information to the Committee. The Chairperson thanked the witness for attending.
2.41 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
3.13 p.m. Mrs Dolores Kelly left the meeting.
3.16 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
7. Evidence session with the British Dental Association
The Committee took evidence from
Mr Seamus Killough Chair, British Dental Association Northern Ireland Council
Ms Claudette Christie Director, British Dental Association Northern Ireland
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on its plans to introduce additional dental practices.
3.26 p.m. Mrs Dolores Kelly rejoined the meeting.
3.29 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
3.36 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
3.49 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan left the meeting.
8. Proposed Statutory Rules
The Committee were briefed on the:
The Charges for Drugs and Appliances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010,
The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, and
The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 by:
Ms Christine Jendoubi Director of Primary Care
Ms Margaret Glass Primary Care Directorate
Ms Emer Morelli Assistant Director of Pharmacy and Prescribing Branch
The Committee agreed that the Department should proceed to prepare these Statutory Rules.
4.06 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan rejoined the meeting.
9. Correspondence
The Committee noted a tabled briefing on Swine Flu from the Department and agreed that a press release should be prepared encouraging people to be vaccinated.
The Committee noted correspondence from the hospital campaign for the rural west seeking a meeting with the Committee regarding concerns about the services at Tyrone County Hospital and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.
Mrs Claire McGill made a declaration that she was a former member of hospital campaign group.
Mr Thomas Buchanan made a declaration that he was a former member of hospital campaign group.
Mrs Claire McGill recorded that she believed the group should be invited to a formal evidence session with the Committee
The Committee noted correspondence from Craigavon Borough Council regarding proposed changes to out-of-hours health care for the Southern Health & Social Care Trust and agreed to arrange an evidence session on out-of-hours services in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the implementation of its inquiry into child poverty.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Regional Development Committee regarding a briefing it received from the Community Transport Association and agreed to forward this to the Minister.
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Royal College of Psychiatrists to the Minister regarding concerns about cuts in the health budget and agreed to ask the Minister to copy his response to the Committee.
The Committee noted a copy of a proposed Statutory Rule: The Social Security (Medical Evidence) and Statutory Sick Pay (Medical Evidence) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 forwarded by the Committee for Social Development.
The Committee noted an invitation to Capita’s 7 th National Developing the Adult Social Care Workforce Conference.
The Committee noted correspondence forwarded by the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the rescheduling of the Take Note Debate on the end of the year Delivery Report for the Programme for Government.
The Committee noted a letter from the British Heart Foundation regarding issues affecting people with heart disease in Northern Ireland.
10. Any other business
The Committee agreed to write to the Minister regard recent reports of the impact of staff shortages at Downe Hospital.
The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for information about proposals for the use of the Belvoir Park Hospital site.
11. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 18th February 2010 at 2.00pm in room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.38 p.m.