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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS AT 2:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2001 Present: Apologies: In Attendance:
Mr Gallagher took the Chair at 2:07pm.
Private Session
The Deputy Chairman reported briefly on the meeting that he and a number of Committee members had yesterday with representatives of the NI Fibromialgia Support Group. The group gave an account of their experiences as sufferers of the disease, of which there is seemingly little information among the medical profession. The group highlighted the need for some funding for research and requested the Committee's help in increasing public awareness of the disease.
The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
The Report of the Acute Hospitals Review Group and the centralization of dermatological services are covered as separate agenda items.
i. Question put and agreed to: That the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee has considered Statutory Rule No. 309 - General Dental Services (Amendment No.3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being satisfied as to its technical correctness, has no objection to the Rule. ii. Agreed: The Committee was content with the Department's proposal for a Statutory Rule on Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
Public Session Panel Members: Mr Andrew Hamilton, Director of Finance Mr John McGrath, Director of Human Resources Mr John Cole, Health Estates
The Chairman welcomed the panel to the meeting at 2:15pm, after which Mr Hamilton gave a brief presentation on PFI/PPP and how it relates to the Department's capital and revenue expenditure programme. This was followed by a question-and-answer session, which is summarised in Annex 1. Mr Hamilton explained that, while PFI/PPP is often discussed in the context of a shortage of Government funds, its purpose is to spread the cost of investment over a number of years, thus moving from a capital to revenue budget. Therefore, the more PFI schemes, the greater the pressure on the revenue budget. PFI must be tested in every case of capital investment for affordability and value for money. Mr Hamilton emphasized the need for significant sustained investment in the NHS capital programme, as there is a massive gap between what is needed and what can be afforded. Out of an annual budget of £50m to meet capital needs, 50% is required for buildings maintenance. Current public sector capital is not enough, and while PFI/PPP has a contribution to make, it cannot substitute for public investment.
The Deputy Chairman thanked the panel, and they left the meeting at 3:24 pm. The meeting was suspended at 3:24 pm and resumed at 3:26 pm.
The Deputy Chairman welcomed Dr Gavin to the meeting at 3:26 pm, after which she gave a presentation on the threat to cancer registration posed by the need to have informed patient consent. Dr Gavin briefly explained the work of the NI Cancer Registry in collecting information on all patients with a diagnosis of cancer, which provides a benchmark from which to measure future improvement. However, difficulties have arisen with the Guidance on Confidentiality issued by the General Medical Council last year, which has left doctors very wary about transferring identifiable data to the Cancer Registry (though this has since been modified in the light of new legislation in GB). Dr Gavin explained the importance of the data from the Cancer Registry in helping to produce local information, check trends, investigate clusters and calculate survival, with the aim of improving the service and saving lives. However, there is concern that a requirement for informed consent would lead to incomplete, biased and unreliable data, which would be of limited use, if any. Dr Gavin sought the Committee's support in urging the Department to make cancer a notifiable disease, and pointed out the importance of assuring the public of the seriousness with which the Cancer Registry takes the issues of confidentiality and data security. Even within the Registry, only designated staff have access to named data. Barring the above option, preference is for the extension to Northern Ireland of Clause 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 for England and Wales, which allows the Secretary of State to designate exceptions to informed consent annually on the advice of a new Patient Information Advisory Group. Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Minister requesting that she:
The Deputy Chairman thanked Dr Gavin for her briefing, and she left the meeting at 3:50 pm.
Private Session
Agreed: The Committee will defer consideration of the draft press statement prepared by the Clerk until the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 19 September.
Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Minister in support of the request by consultants from the Belfast City Hospital that an urgent decision be made in respect of the siting of centralised dermatological services.
i. Agreed: The Clerk will write to extend to the Chairman the best wishes of the Committee for a speedy recovery from his recent operation.
ii. Agreed: The Clerk will prepare a draft response to OFMDFM's consultation document on a Commissioner for Children in Northern Ireland, which has a closing date for responses of 8 November 2001.
iii. Agreed: The Clerk will prepare draft press statements for the Chairman's consideration voicing the Committee's grave concern at the deepening crisis in the health service vis-à-vis:
Agreed: The Clerk will write to the Department to ascertain what criteria is used in determining the priority of patients in relation to their placement on waiting lists for heart surgery.
The next Committee meeting will be at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 19 September 2001 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 4:22 pm. MR T GALLAGHER |
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