Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2011

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 13 September 2011 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

Representatives of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will attend the meeting and make a presentation on the role of the Commission and on opportunities for the Scrutiny Committee to engage with them and their work.

Attached for information is a document prepared by the CQC for health and social care scrutiny committees.

Officer contact: Jonathan Vali, 0161 474 3201, jonathan.vali@stockport.gov.uk

Fiona Bryan (Compliance Manager) and Sue Jennings (Enforcement Officer) from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) attended the meeting and made a presentation on the work of the Commission as the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.

The presentation covered the following areas:-

·         the background to the establishment of the CQC, its aims and scope of its activities;

·         the information required for registration of health and social care facilities;

·         key outcomes and standards against which providers were measured and assessed, including changes brought about following problems at the Winterborne Home such as the increased emphasis on feedback from service users;

·         enforcement activity and sanctions against providers who did not meet the required standards;

·         the re-launch of the CQC website and the Care Directory that detailed the findings of all inspections in care facilities in England;

·         the value of developing a dialogue between the CQC and the Health Scrutiny Committee to improve monitoring and improving standards without the need for enforcement action.

Councillors and officers discussed the presentation and the following issues were raised:-

·         The need to take an overall view of a service rather than focus on any individual user’s experience. It was important to determine the risk to service users of any problems.

·         There was a role for both the CQC and service commissioners to respond to complaints to resolve problems early and officers from the Council and the CQC were developing mechanisms to facilitate this.

·         There were concerns about the registration of providers of cosmetic procedures and the potential risks to the public.

·         There was a role for the CQC in contributing to continuous improvement of services, as well as to monitor compliance, although there were limited resources to do this.

·         It was hoped that there was a thorough process of re-registration when providers or facilities were taken over by other providers.

·         There were many professionals and organisations involved in providing services who had opportunities to identify problems and improve services before the need for the CQC to intervene. There was a need to change the culture of many organisations to ensure these groups took responsibility.

·         Concern was expressed about the use of fines as a sanction and the impact this would have on resources available to provide vital public services.

·         The CQC was considering how better to address the underlying problems associated with providers that were oscillating between failure and compliance to ensure they improved permanently.

·         There was a potential loop-hole in the registration process which allowed providers of care to begin providing specialist forms of care by amending their Statement of Purpose but without having to notify the CQC and without having to demonstrate appropriately trained staff and procedures. There was a vital role for commissioners to ensure that providers were suitable for the care they were offering.

·         The dignity of service users was a key priority for the CQC and something taken very seriously by inspectors.

The Chair reported that he had invited representatives of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to the next meeting to discuss the recent findings of the CQC into dignity and nutrition and the steps being taken by the Trust to address concerns raised by the report.

The Executive Councillor (Adults & Health) undertook to address the issue raised in respect of risks associated with changes to Statements of Purpose.

RESOLVED – (1) That Fiona Bryan and Sue Jennings from the Care Quality Commission be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

(2) That the Care Quality Commission be invited to make a further presentation to the Health Scrutiny Committee in 12 months time to provide an update in respect of their work in Stockport and on progress with developing effective relationships with Council service commissioners.

(3) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to circulate further information from the Care Quality Commission in respect of the extent of the use of fining as part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships & Transformation)

The report sets out the proposed process for developing the 2012-13 Council Plan which is focused around four key priorities aimed at creating a borough that is:-

• Safe and Strong – a place that promotes respect for all its citizens by all its citizens
• Thriving – building on a strong and sustainable economy and high levels of educational attainment and skills
• Green – leading the way in creating a sustainable future for our environment and our economy
• Healthy – increasing choice, control, independence and the adoption of healthy lifestyles as well as excellent services that offcer value for money.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to

(i)                 note the process and timetable for developing the 2010-13 Council Plan as set out in the report.

(ii)               review the 2011-12 Council Plan and put forward suggestions for priorities for 2012-13.

Officer contact: Steve Skelton, 0161 474 3174, steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships & Transformation) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the proposed process for developing the 2012-13 Council Plan which would be focussed around four key priorities aimed at creating a borough that was ‘Safe and Strong’; ‘Thriving’; ‘Green’ and ‘Healthy’.

The following themes were identified for consideration as part of the development of the 2012-13 Council Plan:-

• Joint commissioning and pooling/aligning budgets.
• The challenge for the Council of affecting behavioural change to achieve improvements in health and wellbeing.
• Impact of choice on the health economy.
• Continuity of care.

RESOLVED – (1) That the process and timetable for developing the 2012-13 Council Plan as set out in the report be noted and the comments of the Scrutiny Committee be referred to the Executive Councillor for consideration.

(2) That the Corporate Director for People be requested to submit an update to a future meeting in respect of progress with the Healthy Schools Programme and the Chair of the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Committee be invited to consider holding a joint meeting to consider this issue.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

During the last cycle of meetings each scrutiny committee was given the opportunity to examine the savings proposals put forward by the Executive at its meeting on 5 September 2011, together with the report form the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services on the financial landscape and forecasts for the period 2012/13 to 2014/15. Furthermore, a seminar was held for all members on 7 September at which the basis and make-up of the financial forecasts were outlined.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee considered the comments made by the scrutiny committees at its meeting on 4 October 2011 and determined that each committee’s comments be summarised and referred back to member of the Committee at the earliest opportunity, together with a note of come cross cutting themes identified by the Co-ordination Committee. Members are asked to make any further comments on the financial position and the Executive’s savings proposals at the November round of Scrutiny Committees.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to make any further comments at this stage in relation to the savings proposals prior to consideration by the Executive at the meeting on 16 December 2011.

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth, 0161 474 3201, craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising the comments made by the Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting on the savings proposals put forward by the Executive together with the report from the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services on the financial landscape and forecasts.  The report also included a note of some cross cutting themes identified by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee was given the opportunity to make any further comments on the financial position and the Executive’s savings proposals prior to consideration by the Executive at its meeting on 16 December 2011.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider an update from the Managing Director of NHS Stockport on progress with implementing NHS Reform (if any).

Officer contact: Richard Popplewell, 0161 426 5001, Richard.popplewell@nhs.net 

The Managing Director, NHS Stockport, and the Executive Councillor (Adults & Health) provided an update in respect of NHS Reform. The following issues were highlighted:-

• The Health and Social Care Bill was likely to receive Royal Assent in the summer of 2012.
• In Stockport, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was taking on increase responsibility from NHS Stockport including a greater role in planning for 2012-13. It was anticipated that the CCG would receive authorisation as an NHS Body from October 2012.
• Work was ongoing to prepare for the transfer of Public Health functions to the local authority, including identifying the local spend on this activity.
• The shadow Health & Wellbeing Board would be responsible for the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, work on which had already begun, and would inform commissioning by partners.
• Work was continuing on Transforming Community Services with the drawing up of legal agreements between NHS Stockport and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust for the transfer of community health staff (except for MOSIAC and Learning Difficulties staff).
• The Health Select Committee had completed its enquiry into public health and the results were due to be published imminently.
• The detail of the creation of the local Health Watch would be left to individual local authorities.

Councillors sought assurances that the transfer of staff from NHS Stockport to the Foundation Trust would not lead to a diminution in levels of service experienced by patients.

RESOLVED – (1) That the update be noted.

(2) That the Managing Director of NHS Stockport and the Chief Executive of Stockport Foundation Trust be requested to submit a report to a future meeting on progress with Transforming Community Services.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.                                                          

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Jonathan Vali,   0161 474 3186 , jonathan.vali@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next two meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within its remit.

The Chair reported that he had agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting on 29 November 2011 to allow for a thorough discussion on the future role of the Health Scrutiny Committee in light of ongoing NHS Reform.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Corporate Director for Place be requested to submit a report in January 2012 on feedback in relation to the Dementia Strategy and the Chair of the Adults & Communities Scrutiny Committee be invited to consider holding a joint meeting to consider the issue.