To receive and if so determined, to approve as a correct record, the minutes of the last meeting of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee held on 29 October 2012. 

To approve the minutes of the meeting on 29 October 2012 as a correct record.

To note any declarations of interest.

The following personal interests were declared:

·         Councillor Lloyd declared a personal interest as an employee of the Stroke Association based at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.

·         Councillor Bruer-Morris declared a personal interest as a practice nurse at GP practices in both Manchester and Trafford.

To note the membership of the Committee. 

The Committee noted that Manchester City Council has appointed Councillor Akbar as a substitute member for Manchester councillors.

To receive information for the Committee to consider in relation to the New Health Deal for Trafford consultation which concluded on 31 October 2012;

·         Covering Report of the Democratic Services Manager (A)

·         Report of the Strategic Programme Board which met on 19 December 2012 and the minutes arising from this meeting (B - To Follow)

·         Minutes of the Strategic Programme Board held on 29 November 2012 (C)

·         Report of the Integrated Care Re-design Board (D)

·         Provider Responses to the Consultation (E)

·         Consultation and Engagement Report (2) (F1 and F2)

·         Public Reference Group Report (G)

·         Equality Analysis Report (To Follow) (H)

·         Transport Report (2) (I1 and I2)

·         Local Response: Manchester Health Scrutiny Committee (J- To Follow)

·         Local Response: Trafford Health Scrutiny Committee (K - To Follow)

·         Four Tests of Service Reconfiguration Presentation (L)

The Committee considered a number of reports from NHS Greater Manchester on the results of the New Health Deal for Trafford consultation, which ended on the 31 October 2012, and the draft proposals which would be put forward to NHS Greater Manchester for approval. The agenda papers provided details of the public, stakeholder and health provider responses to the consultation; information about the consultation process, the responses from both Manchester and Trafford health scrutiny committees and the minutes and decisions of the Strategic Programme Board (SPB). The Committee noted that they had received all of the documentation listed on the agenda.

The overall aim of the proposals is to change the way hospital services are delivered in Trafford with the aim of moving care out of hospitals and into communities where possible. The proposed changes included the development of a comprehensive integrated care system, closing the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department at Trafford General Hospital between the hours of midnight and 8am, downgrading A&E to an urgent care centre and redirecting patients to other hospitals. It was also proposed to expand outpatient services and day surgery and to establish specialist services in orthopaedic surgery at Trafford General Hospital.

The Director of Service Transformation, NHS Greater Manchester informed members that the views of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee would be reported to the meeting of the SPB on 15 January. The Committee’s views would inform the final draft proposals that would be presented to the NHS Greater Manchester Board for approval on 24 January 2013. The papers contained the responses from the NHS to concerns raised by the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting in October.

The Committee discussed the effects of the draft proposal to close the A&E department at Trafford General Hospital at night. This had been raised as a concern at both local health scrutiny committees as it would have an impact on A&E capacity at neighbouring hospitals. In the past, it had also been raised as a concern by the provider hospitals particularly by Wythenshawe hospital (University Hospital of South Manchester - UHSM). Members noted that Wythenshawe hospital was already treating more A&E patients than it had capacity for and they were concerned that additional patients would create even more pressure on capacity.

The Director of Service Transformation agreed that provider hospitals had raised this concern in the past and UHSM had stated in their response to the consultation that the deflection strategy (to redirect patients away from A&E services) should be in place before the full proposals to convert Trafford A&E to a minor injuries unit are implemented. In response to concerns raised by the Joint Committee at its last meeting, the SPB had included an assurance process to check provider capacity is in place before the proposed changes are implemented. The Chair of Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) further explained that the number of people using Trafford General A&E was low so deflecting the patients  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.