COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 09 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Mrs Mary Bradley 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:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Craig Mealey (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.04 p.m. in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies as above.
2. Chairperson’s Business.
Members noted the Committee forward work programme.
The Committee noted a rota for members’ attendance at informal lunchtime meetings.
The Committee agreed that the Chairperson should represent it at an event being organised by the College of Occupational Therapists.
The Chairperson noted that Thomas Buchanan and Claire McGill would be leaving the Committee and thanked them for their contribution to the work of the Committee.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2010.
The minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2010 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about funding for the ME Association and agreed to copy this to William McCrea MP who raised this issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the implementation of Card before You Leave Protocol and agreed to copy this to Conall McDevitt MLA who raised this issue with the Committee. The Committee also agreed to seek and update from the Minister on this matter following a meeting of the steering group in July 2010.
2.15 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the review of maternity services and agreed to copy this Sands, Tinylife & Bliss who raised this issue with the Committee. The Committee also agreed to write to the Minister seeking further information and to ask that the Committee be made aware of future announcements before they are made public.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing an update on Swine Flu and a summary of the key findings of Dame Deirdre Hine’s independent review of the UK response to the 2009 influenza pandemic.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing information on the number of child protection referrals and the number of children on the Child Protection Register.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about extending the family group conferencing model to vulnerable adults and agreed to copy this to Family Group Conferencing who raised this issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about funding for FASA in Bangor.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about changes to the Department’s public appointments procedures.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing details of services available for sufferers of rare diseases.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding funding for Special Olympics Ulster and agreed copy this to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure who raised this matter with the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing a written briefing on the Review of the Supplement for Undergraduate Medical & Dental Education (SUMDE) and agreed to copy this to the Junior Sections of the BMA and BDA in Belfast.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing a timescale for publication of the Department’s new Disability Strategy.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the interdepartmental review of housing adaptations.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department about the supply of contact lens solution on prescription and agreed to copy this to Advice NI who originally raised this matter with the Committee .
The Committee noted a response from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the implications for DHSSPS of the emergency budget announced by the Coalition Government.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Education regarding the ICAN Centre in Ballynahinch.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister for Social Development about financial services for cancer sufferers and agreed to copy this response to Macmillan Cancer Support who raised the issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Northern Trust regarding services provided by the Mid Ulster & Whiteabbey Hospitals.
The Committee noted a response from the Northern Trust regarding a moratorium on recruitment and its management structure.
The Committee agreed to write a letter of congratulations to Colm Donaghy regarding his recent appointment as CEO of the Belfast Trust.
The Committee noted a response from the Southern Trust providing details of the Trust’s Palliative and End of Life Strategy.
The Committee noted a response from the Southern Trust providing details of the number of unallocated child protection cases in the Trust.
The Committee noted a letter from the General Medical Council regarding concerns raised by the Committee about language testing for doctors and agreed to request a briefing paper from Assembly Research Services.
The Committee noted a letter from Peter Robinson MLA regarding the funding of bariatric surgery and agreed to write to the Department seeking an update on the pilot scheme and the current policy position.
The Committee noted a report on the long gallery event held on 29 th June 2010 and agreed to follow up on the issues raised.
2.37 p.m. Mr Alex Easton left the meeting.
5. Evidence session with Departmental officials on the Safeguarding Board Northern Ireland Bill NIA 25/09.
The Committee agreed to invite the Children’s Commissioner to give evidence to the Committee at its meeting on Thursday 7 October 2010.
The Committee noted the paper from the Examiner of Statutory Rules regarding the delegated powers contained in the Bill.
The Committee agreed a motion to extend the Committee stage of the Safeguarding Board Northern Ireland Bill NIA 25/09.
The Committee took evidence from:
Mr Sean Holland Chief Social Services Officer;
Mr Fergal Bradley Head of Child Care Policy Directorate
Ms Patricia Nicholl Safeguarding Board Bill Team
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
2.41 p.m. Mr Alex Easton rejoined the meeting.
2.44 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
6. Evidence session with Departmental officials on the Northern Ireland Executive Budget 2010.
The Committee took evidence from:
Mr Sean Donaghy Under Secretary, Resources & Performance Management Group
Dr Michael McBride Chief Medical Officer
Mr Martin Bradley Chief Nursing Officer
Mr Sean Holland Chief Social Services Officer
Dr Bernie Stuart 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 further information as it becomes available.
3.29 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill joined the meeting.
3.35 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.
4.32 p.m. Mrs Mary Bradley left the meeting.
4.38 p.m. Committee meeting adjourned.
4.46 p.m. Committee meeting resumed.
7. Evidence session with Departmental officials on actions following the Donagh abuse case
The Committee took evidence from:
Dr Maura Briscoe Director, Mental Health & Disability Policy
Mr Sean Holland Chief Social Service Officer
Ms Elaine Way Chief Executive of the Western HSC Trust
Mr Patrick McConville Principal of Mental Health Legislation Unit
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
4.46 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting.
5.17p.m. Mr Sam Gardiner left the meeting.
8. Statutory Rules.
The Committee considered SR 2010/246 - The Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment No 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
The Committee considered SR 2010/247 - The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
The Committee considered SR 2010/259 - The Nutrition and Health Claims (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
9. End of Session Report
The Committee agreed an end of session report for the 2009/2010 session.
The Committee noted a copy of members’ attendance for the 2009/2010 session.
10. Correspondence.
The Committee noted correspondence from Dr Michael McBride regarding changes to Cervical Screening.
The Committee noted a letter from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust regarding funding for HSC Research and Development and agreed to write to the Department seeking its views on this matter.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Education regarding the banning of smoking in cars where children under 18 are present and agreed to write to the Department seeking its views on this matter.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Regional Development regarding the Transport Bill.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding an Equality Impact Assessment on Proposals for a Justice Bill (Northern Ireland).
The Committee noted a business proposal from the Royal College of General Practitioners regarding funding the RCGP Northern Ireland End of Life Care Working Group.
The Committee noted correspondence from the General Medical Council regarding new child protection guidance for doctors.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Kevin Mr Taylor regarding a suggesting an inquiry into the deficits within the Health Service and agreed to write to him to thank him for his interest in the work of the Committee.
The Committee noted correspondence from Ms Karen Bester regarding access to mental health services and agreed to forward this to constituency MLAs.
The Committee noted correspondence from Ms Rosie Hollis regarding the cervical screening age and agreed to forward information provided by the Department on this matter to Ms Hollis.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr William Humphrys regarding the Ulster Hospital and agreed to forward this to constituency MLAs.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Godfrey Young regarding the gathering and use of child protection statistics and agreed to forward this to the Department seeking its views on this matter.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Terry Wells and agreed to forward this to constituency MLAs.
The Committee noted a letter from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to the next reception for health care related groups.
The Committee noted a letter from theHealth Professions Council seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to the next reception for health care related groups.
The Committee noted a letter from the Royal College of General Practitioners seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to the next reception for health care related groups.
The Committee noted a letter from Business in the Community seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to the next reception for health care related groups.
The Committee noted a letter from NICVA requesting to present to the Committee on the Comprehensive Spending Review 2011-2015 and agreed to defer a decision on which organisations it invites to give evidence on budget issues until the Draft Budget timetable is available.
The Committee noted a letter from Action MS seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to the next reception for health care related groups.
The Committee noted a letter from the Save the Mid campaign seeking a meeting with the Committee and noted that individual members may wish to arrange to meet the group.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Nexus Institute seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite them to an informal meeting.
The Committee noted an invitation from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to a reception to mark the retirement of its Chief Executive William McKee and agreed that the Chairperson would represent the Committee at this event.
11. Clause by Clause consideration of the Sunbeds Bill NIA 18/09
The Committee agreed to arrange an additional Committee meeting for Clause by Clause consideration of the Sunbeds Bill NIA 18/09.
12. Date, time and place of the next meeting.
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Tuesday 14 th September 2010 at 12.30 p.m. in room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 6.20 p.m.
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