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 5 July, 2016. 

The Chair advised that he wished a matter to be recorded concerning developments which had occurred since the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee last met.  He advised that Councillor Patricia Young (Joint Committee Vice Chair), Councillor Joanne Harding (Trafford Health Scrutiny Chair) and himself had met with the NHS regarding the acceleration of their plans for the Urgent Care Centre in order to resolve issues at North Manchester General Hospital. He then read out two emails he had sent and requested that the emails be included within the minutes as a matter of public record.

The first email was dated 15 September 2016 addressed to all members (and substitute members) of the Joint Committee and read as follows:

“I am writing to you with this urgent information on behalf of Councillor Patricia Young (Joint Committee Vice Chair) Councillor Joanne Harding (Trafford Health Scrutiny Chair) and me.

As you know following the July meeting of the Joint Committee, we were expecting the NHS to put forward their plans for the next stage of the Trafford Urgent Care Centre at our next meeting.  It was agreed that this meeting would be on Tuesday 11 October.

On Tuesday morning we were asked for an urgent meeting with NHS managers and clinicians’ and we met them yesterday.  They explained that they had an urgent need to bring forward to Monday, 3 October the implementation of their plans for the Urgent Care Centre, in order to move the Consultants to the A&E Department at North Manchester General Hospital, a service which is in extreme difficulty.

We listened carefully to the case that was put, and asked various questions which were answered.  We were given certain assurances.  We asked for a succinct written briefing to be produced which we could circulate to the other seven members of the Joint Committee.

In these exceptional circumstances, the three of us agreed that we had no alternative but to agree to the proposals.  Please find attached the written briefing which explains the NHS proposals and includes the assurances we were given.  If I don’t hear otherwise from you by 12 noon tomorrow (Friday), I will assume that you are in agreement with our decision.

If you want to clarify anything from me, I can be emailed, or phoned. 

The Joint Committee meeting will go ahead on Tuesday 11 October at Manchester Town Hall with the main meeting at 6.30pm, preceded by a pre-meeting at 6pm.  This will give an opportunity to hear from the NHS with a progress report and for all joint Committee members to raise questions and comments”.

The second email was dated 16 September 2016 and addressed to all members (and substitute members) of the Joint Committee and read as follows:

“Thank you for your comments by email and phone.  Everyone has understood the situation we have been put in, and has accepted that we have no alternative but to agree to the proposals.

At our meeting on Wednesday, we argued with the NHS representatives about the 8pm closing time for patients to arrive at the Centre. In line with the view expressed by members at the last Scrutiny meeting, we said that 10pm could be acceptable.  However, they would not budge on this due to recruitment issues and shift patterns.  We were able to obtain the assurance detailed in the briefing about treatment via Mastercall for patients who may still arrive after 8pm.

The “capacity we’re agreeing this” is that the Joint Committee are agreeing this change to come into effect on 3 October.  The reason the three of us made our agreement conditional on consulting with the other members of the Joint Committee is that the decision is one which needs the support, or otherwise, of the Joint Committee.  The responses to my email indicate that we have that support.

This Joint Committee certainly doesn’t give the NHS a “free pass” on anything.  None of us like what has been done to the previous A&E department at Trafford General, and is now being done to the urgent care Centre.  Nor are Committee members responsible for the current difficulties in the NHS.  The Joint Committee at its 11 October meeting, and subsequent meetings, will fully scrutinise this major alteration to the Urgent Care Centre, including its opening hours, and can recommend further changes in services if we feel that to be necessary.

We made the recommendation to members that we did because it was made clear to us by clinical professionals that deficiencies at North Manchester General A&E could be potentially life threatening without the additional Consultant hours, whereas the changes to Trafford’s Urgent Care Centre would not pose a serious risk to patients”.

The Vice Chair reported that she was disappointed that the presentation to be delivered at this meeting was received so late.  She re-iterated that members expected to receive any requested reports by the Friday prior to the meeting at the very latest.

A member who was also the Chair of Trafford Health Scrutiny Committee reported that she was disappointed regarding the lack of engagement by the NHS with Trafford Health Scrutiny Committee regarding the Single Hospital Service. 

Decision:

                 1) To note recent developments

2) That the minutes of the meeting held 5 July 2016 be agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman.