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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE 1. Chairman's Opening Remarks Present: Dr J Hendron (Chairman) Apologies: Ms P Armitage In Attendance: Mr G Martin (Committee Clerk)
Dr Hendron took the Chair at 2:03 pm.
Private Session 1. Chairman's Opening Remarks The Chairman drew members' attention to a letter he had received from Gillian Shaw, Chairperson of Downe Lisburn HSS Trust, highlighting the serious shortfall over a number of years in Westminster's allocation of resources for health services in Northern Ireland. Agreed: The Clerk will copy this letter to the Committee together with the NICON report by Brendan Cunningham, Chief Executive of the Southern Board, on the same subject. 2. Minutes of the Last Meeting The minutes of the last meeting were agreed. 3. Matters Arising
4. Subordinate Legislation Agreed: The Committee was content with the following three proposals for Statutory Rules: Coffee Extracts and Chicory Extracts Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001; Restrictions on Pithing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001; and Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001. 5. Draft Future Work Programme The Committee noted the draft future work programme up to 28 February 2001.
6. Adoption Bill - Initial Consideration Members noted the synopsis of responses to the Adoption Bill and were content to proceed to the Committee Stage on Wednesday, 24 January when Departmental Officials will attend. The Chairman's motion seeking an extension to the Committee Stage of the Bill until 6 April 2001 will be moved at the Assembly Plenary on Monday, 15 January. Ms McWilliams joined the meeting at 3:20 pm. 7. Primary Care - Way Forward The Committee deliberated on how it should respond to the consultation document 'Building the Way Forward in Primary Care'. Members expressed serious concerns that the Department should not proceed with plans to end GP Fundholding on 31 March 2001, with the associated staffing implications, unless and until a seamless transition can be made to a suitable replacement. i. Agreed: The Clerk will prepare an urgent draft press release highlighting the Committee's concerns and urging the Minister to have an agreed alternative in place before ending GP Fundholding. ii. Agreed: The Committee agreed the following terms of reference for a report on the above consultation document: "To critically analyse the proposals and questions included in the document 'Building the Way Forward in Primary Care', taking account of the proposals contained in the document 'Fit for the Future: A New Approach' and the lessons learnt in England and Wales, and to produce a draft report by 16 February 2001. iii. Agreed: The Committee will commission the services of a team of experts from the School of Health Services at UUJ, who have expressed an interest in assisting the Committee in this matter, to prepare the report. An initial fee for this work was also agreed. iv. The Clerk will invite the Permanent Secretary, Mr Clive Gowdy, and the Director of Primary Care, Mr Derek Baker, to next week's meeting to speak to the proposals for Primary Care. v. Agreed: The Clerk will arrange for the Committee to meet separately with the Primary Care Forum and the General Practitioners' Committee NI BMA in relation to the Primary Care proposals. 8. AOB i. Agreed: In recognition of the potential cross-departmental nature of the current Inquiry by the Environment Committee into school transport services, it was agreed that the Clerk write to his counterpart on that Committee to request details of public safety-related issues arising from the Inquiry. The Clerk will also write to both the Department and the Office of the First and deputy First Minister for guidance on the definition of "Public Safety" in relation to the remit of the Department. The Clerk will write to the Department for Regional Development to highlight the Committee's concern that all schools bus routes in Northern Ireland should be gritted during periods of severe weather. ii. Agreed: The Committee noted the Department's consultation on the current statutory framework on the treatment of impotence, and requested that the Clerk obtain data on the costings involved should the restrictions on availability be lifted. It agreed to revisit the matter at next week's meeting. iii. Agreed: The Committee agreed with the Department's policy proposal to allow nicotine replacement therapies to be prescribed on the NHS by GPs. The Clerk will obtain more detail on the financial implications for the Department. iv. The Chairman advised that the House of Commons Health Committee will be visiting Belfast on 25 January to study Northern Ireland's integrated model of health and social services as part of its Inquiry into public health in England. The Clerk will investigate the possibility of arranging an informal meeting that day between the two Committees. v. Agreed: The Clerk will seek expert analysis of the Department's respective sets of unaudited accounts for the years 1998/99 and 1999/2000, which have been forwarded at the Committee's request. vi. The Chairman advised that the Environment Committee is considering a consultation paper on telecommunication masts issued by the DoE, and that it has written to the HSS&PS Department in respect of some health-related issues. Agreed: The Clerk will write to his counterpart on the Environment Committee to request a copy of the relevant papers, and he will enlist a researcher to examine and advise on any potential health concerns raised within the document. vii. Agreed: The Clerk will arrange for the Committee to meet with the Drugs and Development Youth Parliament at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, 31 January over a buffet lunch to discuss the findings of the group. The Chairman reminded members of the lunch with the Directors of Social Services of the four HSS Boards at 12:30 on Tuesday, 23 January in the Private Members' Dining Room. Agreed: The Chairman will liaise with Prof. Robert Stout on the findings of the Royal Commission report on the care of the elderly. The Clerk will arrange for research to be conducted into which of the report's recommendations carried significant financial implications and those that related to procedures and protocol; and also into which recommendations, if any, were taken forward by the Scottish Executive. The position in England and Wales will also be examined. ix. As a follow-up to the consultation document 'Changing Minds', the Clerk will write to the Department to check on progress on the development of a revised strategy document and its implementation plan. x. The Clerk will arrange for a briefing note from the Research Department on skill shortages, particularly within Health and Social Services, in Northern Ireland as this is the subject of a motion put down for debate in the Assembly next week. xi. The Clerk will obtain copies of the recent document 'Family and Children's Services in Northern Ireland in 2000: A Four-Board Perspective'. xii. Agreed: In order to avoid duplication of responses, the Chairman will keep a record of letters he receives in his capacity as Chair of the Committee against which members can check their individual correspondence. The record will also track responses and action where appropriate. 9. Date and Time of Next Meeting The Committee will meet next at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 17 January 2001 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings. The meeting ended at 4:35 pm. DR J HENDRON January 2001 |
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