Present: Dr J Hendron (Chairman)
Mrs P Armitage
Mr P Berry
Rev R Coulter
Mr T Gallagher (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Kelly
Ms M McWilliams
Ms S Ramsey

Apologies: Mrs A Courtney
Mr A McFarland
Mrs I Robinson

In Attendance: Mr P Hughes (Committee Clerk)
Mr D Harkin (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs K McFerran (Executive Support)
Mr B Greene (Administrative Support)

Dr Hendron took the Chair at 2:14 pm.

Private Session

1. Chairman's Opening Remarks

i. The Chairman expressed his delight at a letter from Prof Paddy Johnston advising that the latest University Research Assessment puts Queen's at the top of the national and international research effort. The letter will be copied to members.

ii. The Chairman drew members' attention to a letter forwarded by Mrs Iris Robinson from the Director of the North West Independent Hospital, Ballykelly, who is urging greater co-operation between the Health Service and the private sector to reduce the waiting lists for elective surgery.

iii. The Chairman referred to a letter he had received from Castlereagh Borough Council expressing its appreciation for the commitment of staff in hospitals in the Borough during the recent pressures caused by the outbreak of the virus infection. The Committee commended the sterling work of staff across all the hospitals in Northern Ireland, who are working under extreme pressures.

iv. The Chairman advised members that he had been invited to the official opening of the new Action Cancer House on Friday, 08 February 2002.

v. The Chairman met Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the Health Promotion Agency, on Monday in relation to children and accidents. Members will receive documentation on the matter.

vi. The Chairman met with the Head of Government Affairs for Boots Chemists yesterday to discuss primary care issues. An important point made was that Northern Ireland should learn from the primary care model in Wales.

2. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of 23 January 2002 were agreed.

3. Matters Arising

i. The Committee will consider the Clerk's paper on arrangements for handling Committee meetings at next week's meeting.

ii. The Clerk will brief the Committee on legal advice regarding the Northern Ireland Hospice at next week's meeting.

Public Session

4. Subordinate Legislation

The Health and Personal Social Services Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (Fund-Holding Practices) (Transfer of Assets, Savings, Rights & Liabilities & Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002

Agreed: That the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee is content with the Department's proposal for the Health and Personal Social Services Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (Fund-Holding Practices) (Transfer of Assets, Savings, Rights & Liabilities & Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002

Ms McWilliams joined the meeting at 2:28 pm.

[2:30 pm]

5. Public Bills

5.1 Committee Stage of the Personal Social Services (Amendment) Bill

Departmental Officials: Mr Paul Simpson
Mr Peter Deazley
Ms Claire Thompson

Clause 2 - "Service to Carers"

The Committee was satisfied with the Department's written explanation of the definition of "means", as referred to in Clause 2, Subsection (10). The paper pointed out that "means" in this context refers to charging for non-residential personal social services, and the same regulations apply as for income support.

Agreed: That the Committee is content with Clause 2.

Clause 10 - "Short Title"

Question proposed:

That the Committee recommend to the Assembly that the Clause be amended as follows: on page 10, line 2, leave out

"Personal Social Services (Amendment) Act"

and insert

"Carers, Disabled Children and Direct Payments Act" - [Ms Ramsey]

Question put and agreed to:

That the Committee is content with the Short Title, subject to the Committee's proposed amendment.

"Long Title"

Question put and agreed to:

That the Committee is content with the Long Title.

[2:40 pm]

5.2 Draft Personal Social Services (Preserved Rights) Bill

Departmental Officials: Mr Paul Simpson
Mr Peter Deazley
Ms Claire Thompson

Mr Simpson explained that the delay in progressing the legislation, which had resulted in the need for accelerated passage for the Bill, lay in the Department's having to recalculate costs at a late stage and the mechanisms for progressing legislation through the Executive. He advised that lessons had been learnt in terms of planning, and requested the Committee's support for the Minister in her request.

Members voiced considerable concern at the way in which the Bill had been handled and the unacceptable delays both within the Department and the Executive. They were sympathetic to the needs of the 1740 vulnerable residential care and nursing home residents whose funding arrangements are due to transfer from the Department for Social Development to the HSS Boards from 08 April 2002. The Committee acknowledged the importance of bringing the residents into care management arrangements, thereby ensuring that they receive care assessments, which could mean an increased level of care for some.

Agreed: That the Committee agreed to the need for the proposal for accelerated passage of the Personal Social Services (Preserved Rights) Bill.

Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Minister expressing the Committee's dissatisfaction with the delay in bringing forward the legislation and requesting a chronology of events, including the cause of the delays.

[3:10 pm]

6. Hospitals Crisis Update

   Departmental Official: Mr Brian Grzymek

   Mr Grzymek spoke to a briefing paper, which was tabled at the meeting, summarising the latest position on bed closures to new admissions as a result of the virus infections in Northern Ireland's hospitals, as well as the number of "trolley waits" in each hospital.

   He explained that there were now only three beds closed, which was a normal level for the time of year. All hospitals have infection control nurses and robust procedures to contain the virus, and they have maintained a consistently high quality care service throughout the affected period.

   The 84 "trolley waits" as of today, which was a peak for the time of year, was attributed to the heavy admissions numbers in recent days. The number of "patient outliers"(medical admissions housed in surgical or other wards) stood at 125 yesterday.

   In response to Mr Berry's point on the need for close co-operation between Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital to optimize services, Mr Grzymek agreed to provide the Committee with an update following his forthcoming meeting with the Southern HSS Board.

   Agreed: The Clerk will request a further written update from the Department on the hospitals' situation for next week's meeting.

   [3:35 pm]

7. Draft Service Delivery Agreement (SDA)

Departmental Officials: Mr Paul Simpson
Mr Don Hill
Mr Leslie Frew

Objective 1

Mr Simpson reiterated that the draft SDA was very much "work in progress", as the Minister has yet to make key budget decisions, and that the Priorities for Action 2002/03 would include a much fuller statement of targets. He advised that the finalised SDA should be ready in February.

Objective 1 is designed to build on Investing for Health Partnerships through a participative approach. The Department undertook to forward a short paper on the facility for local groups to avail of funding to take forward health initiatives.

Objective 2

Mr Simpson explained that a much fuller statement on the objective to ensure the delivery of effective, high quality health and social care would appear in the next financial year. The present document reflected a select list of the most important outputs.

Ms McWilliams expressed concern at the absence of associated budget costs against each target. She asked that the lengthy timescale (by March 2003) allotted to draw on the findings of the Review of Community Care be re-examined.

Mr Frew confirmed that the additional 1000 community care packages would be rolled out from April 2002 for completion by March 2003.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to adjourn its consideration of the draft SDA until next week's meeting, when it will resume at objective 2.8.

Ms McWilliams left the meeting at 4:25 pm.

The meeting was suspended at 4:25 pm and resumed at 4:30 pm.

8. Registered Nursing Home Association and NI Care Homes Confederation

Panel members: Mrs Maureen Strange
Mr Ian McCartney
Ms Janet Montgomery
Mr Dessie McLauglin

The panel spoke to a briefing paper highlighting the major issues affecting the sector, which are summarised as follows:

• The care structures in the community independent nursing and care homes in Northern Ireland are under threat. The Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee backs up this statement. If the current fee structure is not addressed independent homes will continue to close, placing an additional burden on the statutory sector.

• In Northern Ireland older people are being kept too long in acute hospital environments, which can delay their recovery. This means that upon discharge to a nursing or care home patients often have more complex medical and nursing needs.

• Current funding does not address increased care needs imposed upon nursing and care homes by the HSS Trusts. For example, many patients are required to have a special air flow mattress, which can cost up to £4,000.

• The organisations' workforce wishes to work in full partnership with their colleagues in health and social services and bring extra capacity to an over-burdened system. The independent sector is in a position to provide an additional 1,000 beds to address the problem of "bed blocking" in the hospitals.

Rev R Coulter left the meeting at 5:05 pm.

[5:20 pm]

9. AOB

i. Agreed: The Chairman will write to OFMDFM to express the Committee's disappointment that the First and Deputy First Minister had declined its request for a meeting to discuss Health Service funding.

ii. Agreed: In response to a letter from the Causeway Pharmacy Locality Group regarding the composition of the Local Health & Social Care Group, the Clerk will arrange for an informal lunchtime Committee meeting with representatives from the Group to discuss the issues.

iii. Agreed: In response to a letter from Mrs Clare McGartland, who was recently appointed as the registrant member for Northern Ireland on the Health Professions Council, the Committee agreed to host an informal lunchtime meeting with Mrs McGartland to discuss the work of the new Council.

iv. The Committee noted a letter from Barnardo's advising of a forthcoming court case involving two ex-members of staff who have been charged with serious offences against children that are alleged to have taken place twenty years ago in Macedon children's home, Newtownabbey.

v. The Committee noted a letter from Diabetes UK expressing gratitude for those members who signed the Diabetes Pledge, as this helps to raise awareness of the condition.

vi. The Committee noted a letter from Dr Paul McGlinchey in relation to the Hayes' proposals for acute services.

10. Date and Time of the Next Meeting

Note: The Committee will meet in closed session at 10:30 am on Tuesday, 05 February in Room 144, Parliament Buildings to continue its consideration of the draft Report on the Delivery of Cancer Services in Northern Ireland. The normal weekly meeting will be at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 06 February 2002 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting ended at 5:35 pm.

DR J HENDRON
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

February 2002

29 January 2002 / Menu / 5 February 2002