| Membership | What's Happening | Committees | Publications | Assembly Commission | General Info | Job Opportunities | Help |
|
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AT 2:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2002 IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS Present: Apologies: In Attendance:
Dr Hendron took the Chair at 2:12 pm.
Private Session
i. The Chairman advised members of an informative meeting that he had yesterday with Dr Jane Wilde, Director of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. A briefing note on the meeting will be copied to members. ii. The Chairman and a number of members also met yesterday with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Ambulance Service. The Committee will receive a summary of the main points raised, which will help inform its response to the Department's consultation paper on the Implementation of the Strategic Review of the Ambulance Service. iii. The Chairman and a number of members visited the Mater Hospital this morning for a tour of the new McAuley Building, including the Day Procedures Unit, and the A&E Department in the old building. The tour rounded off with a brief presentation in the Boardroom. A written summary of the visit will be copied to members.
The minutes of the meetings of Tuesday, 05 February and Wednesday, 06 February 2002 were agreed.
The Clerk has arranged for the Chief Medical Officer to attend next week's meeting in relation to the recent controversy surrounding the MMR vaccine.
Public Session The Committee considered a paper from the Department providing an overview of the latest position regarding the D&E virus affecting local hospitals. Members were content with the figures, which showed that only Antrim Area Hospital (10 patients) and the Ulster Hospital (2 patients) were now affected. Agreed: The Clerk will request a final update on the hospital situation for next week's meeting.
i. Pharmaceutical Services and General Medical Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 Agreed: That the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee is content with the Department's proposal for the Pharmaceutical Services and General Medical Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002.
[2:25 pm] Mr McFarland left the meeting at 2:23 pm and returned at 2:30 pm. ii. Road Traffic (Health Services Charges) (Amendment) Regulations Departmental Officials: Mr Andrew Hamilton Mr Stephen Popplestone
Rev R Coulter joined the meeting at 2:43 pm.
Mr Hamilton explained that the equivalent regulation in England had been revoked by the Department of Health due to a failure to comply with a commitment, previously made in the House of Lords, to consult with the insurance industry on the increases, when the primary legislation was being introduced in 1999. The Department of Health consequently introduced new regulations in England with effect from 08 February 2002, which have the effect of retaining the old tariff charges. Mr Hamilton explained that the Minister has taken the view that the Department should follow the GB line to ensure consistency of charges across the UK. He advised that the Department's intention is to introduce new regulations with effect from 16 February 2002, restoring the old rates until such times as they are reviewed in GB. Agreed: The Committee supported the Department in the laying of new regulations on Friday, February 15 that will take effect from the following day. Consequently, the Chairman will write to the Business Office to withdraw the motion, tabled on behalf of the Committee, that the Assembly annuls the Road Traffic (Health Services Charges) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
[3:15 pm]
The Clerk advised that although the Department had requested responses to the paper by 15 February, the timescale could be extended to facilitate a further meeting on 20 February, at which Officials could attend, to allow the Committee to conclude its consideration of the paper. Agreed: The Committee will defer consideration of the consultation paper until next week's meeting, at which Departmental Officials will be invited to attend. [3:20 PM]
EHSS Board Officials: The Committee had before it the Departmental Guidance on the establishment of and the remuneration arrangements for the Local Health and Social Care Groups (LHSCGs), which will come into operation with effect from 1 April 2002. Dr Kilbane reiterated that the rationale for the move to the new primary care arrangements was to remove inequities in the health care system while reducing administration costs. For example, the old GP Fundholding practices cost £6.20 per head of population compared with £3.00 per head under the new scheme. The annual savings, which could amount to £600,000 in one of the largest LHSCGs, could be reinvested in primary care services. In the Eastern Board area, an anticipated £2.5m reduction on management costs would be reinvested in health care services. The remit of the new groups in the first instance will be to develop primary care practices. Dr Kilbane stated that where primary care professionals have worked in conjunction with Boards and Trusts, and involved users on an equal basis, there were visible service improvements. Examples could be an increased role for nurse practitioners, more counsellors, home helps, or an enhanced commissioning role for the groups. While the Board would have expected to have known its budgets for 2002/2003 by mid January, there has been no confirmation of the detail yet. However, it continues to work in good faith with the Department based on estimates. In response to members' concerns about the ability of the new system to cope given the shortage of time to prepare, Dr Kilbane advised that she was confident that the totality of services would remain intact, with hospitals equally accessible to patients of all GPs. The Board has talked extensively to GPs (fundholders and otherwise) regarding the services, and they are very aware of the detail and broadly content with the arrangements. The LHSCG managers have not been appointed yet and will probably not be in place by April 2002, as the posts have to be advertised and detailed employment and equality legislative requirements must be met. As regards members' concerns about the future of nurse practitioners and administrative staff employed in the GP Fundholding practices, Dr Kilbane explained that it was anticipated that all care staff would still be in place after April. The Board shares the Committee's concerns for such valued staff, none of whom it wants to lose. Through the staff redeployment unit in the Central Services Agency, the Board is encouraging those affected to register for vacancies in the health and social services. An in-year stock take of services has taken place, together with a further questionnaire regarding fundholding services. The Board now holds an almost complete record of the services in place and their cost. The Chairman welcomed the end of the GP fundholding system from 31 March 2002 and wished Dr Kilbane and her colleagues well in the setting up of the new primary care arrangements. He advised that the Committee would be closely monitoring and reviewing developments over the coming months.
Mr Gallagher left the meeting at 4:02 pm and rejoined it at 4:20 pm. The meeting was suspended at 4:26 pm and resumed at 4:35 pm. [4:35 pm]
Witnesses: Departmental Officials: The Committee took evidence in turn from the above sets of witnesses on three proposed amendments to the Bill, as agreed by Barnardos, Carers NI and the Children's Law Centre. The proposed amendments are intended to:
Agreed: The Committee accepted that the proposed amendments had identified a number of concerns that needed to be addressed. It was agreed that the Clerk should consult with the Assembly's legal advisers on the redrafting of the amendments, which will be tabled for consideration at next week's meeting.
[5:25 pm]
Private Session
The Committee deliberated. Draft Report (Inquiry into the Delivery of Cancer Services in Northern Ireland), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered:
Resolved:
Resolved:
Rev R Coulter and Mr Kelly left the meeting at 5:25 pm and 5:35 pm respectively. [6.15 pm]
Public Session
AOB
Agreed: The Clerk will invite representatives from the partnership to discuss the contents and implications of the document at an informal lunchtime Committee meeting.
The next meeting will be at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 20 February 2002 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 6:35 pm. DR J HENDRON |
| Home| Today's Business| Questions | Official Report| Legislation| Site Map| Links| Feedback| Search |