COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 20 MAY 2010
GREAT HALL, DOWNSHIRE HOSPITAL, DOWNPATRICK
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mr Conall McDevitt MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Jessica Golden-Alexander (Clerical Officer)
Mr Craig Mealey (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.11 p.m. in public session
1. Apologies
Apologies as above
2. Chairperson’s Business.
The Chairperson thanked the South Eastern Trust for hosting the Committee meeting.
The Committee noted a meeting with the Minister has been arranged for Tuesday 25 th May 2010.
The Committee discussed issues to raise with the Minister at a meeting on Thursday 3 rd June 2010. Members agreed to take evidence from the Health and Social Service Board and the Public Health Agency on the commissioning plans at this meeting. The Committee agreed that rather than having a morning meeting; it would prefer to work late.
The Committee agreed to make available on the Committee website submissions received regarding the proposed Safeguarding Bill and the Departments responses to the Committee inquiries into Obesity and Suicide.
The Committee agreed that the Chairperson should speak on behalf of the Committee at an event being organised by Parkinsons UK at Parliament Buildings on Thursday 3 rd June.
2.30 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 13 May 2010.
The minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2010 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister regarding the closure of the Accident & Emergency units at Whiteabbey & Mid Ulster Hospitals and agreed to raise this issue with Departmental officials at the next Committee meeting.
The Committee noted responses from all Trusts except for the Western Health & Social Care Trust providing their plans for Dermatology Services and agreed to copy the responses to Dr Alderdice who raised this issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted responses from all Trusts except for the Western Health & Social Care Trust providing their plans for services for young people living with cerebral palsy. The Committee agreed to write to the Western Health & Social Care Trust regarding delays responding to the Committee .
The Committee noted responses from all Trusts regarding patient nutrition and agreed to pass these Assembly Research.
The Committee noted a response from the Office of the First Minister & deputy First Minister regarding historic child abuse.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister & deputy First Minister providing a research briefing regarding the private members bill on missing children.
The Committee noted a copy of a briefing given by DHSSPS officials to the All Party Group on Children and Young People regarding the private members bill on missing children.
The Committee noted a response from Education Committee regarding the recommendations of the obesity inquiry.
The Committee noted a response from Cancer Research regarding plans to regulate products containing nicotine and agreed to forward this to the Department. Te Committee agreed that it supported the regulation of products containing nicotine.
The Committee noted a response from the Food Standards Agency regarding the delay presenting the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010 to the Committee.
The Committee noted a record of the key points of the informal meeting with the Prince’s Trust on Thursday 13 th May 2010.
The Committee noted a response from Western Trust regarding the cost of Agency Nurses compared to the cost of Bank Nurses.
5. Evidence session with the Department for Health, Social Services & Public Safety
The Committee was briefed by
Mr John Cole Under Secretary, Health Estates Investment Group
Mr Stephen Galway Health Estates Investment Group
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information.
3.37 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny left the meeting.
6. Proposed Statutory Rule.
The Committee considered the Voluntary Adoption Agencies Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and agreed that the Department should proceed to prepare this Statutory Rule.
3.39 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny rejoined the meeting.
7. Sunbeds Bill
The Committee agreed a Committee work plan, draft public notice and consultation list for the Committee stage of the Sunbeds Bill.
8. Correspondence.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister providing information on the review and extension of Department’s New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel seeking its views for its Inquiry into the Role of the NI Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure and agreed that a draft submission should be prepared for a future Committee meeting.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Public Accounts Committee regarding the Memorandum of Reply on the PAC report, ‘Performance of the Health Service in Northern Ireland’ and agreed to forward this to the Department for comment.
The Committee noted a letter from the Ulster Chemists’ Association seeking a meeting to discuss support initiatives on Depression and Mental Health and agreed to invite them to them to the next Committee reception for health related groups.
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from Mrs. A.C. Long to the Minister raising concerns about GP’s referring patients to Accident & Emergency rather than carrying out home visits and agreed to ask the Minister to copy his response to the Committee.
The Committee noted a letter from Action Cancer inviting it to visit Action Cancer House and agreed to arrange a visit following the summer recess.
The Committee noted a letter from Ireland Air Ambulance requesting a meeting and agreed to ask the organisation for a written brief and feasibility study on their proposals.
The Committee noted a letter from the National Autistic Society Northern Ireland seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to them to the next Committee reception for health related groups.
9. Any other business
The Chairperson noted the forthcoming changes in Committee membership and thanked Mrs Dolores Kelly & Mr Conall McDevitt for their work on the Committee.
10. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meetings of the Committee will take place on Tuesday 25 th May at 1.00p.m in Room 144 and on Thursday, 27 th May 2010 at 2.00pm in the Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.54 p.m.