Present at the meeting:
- Councillor N D Ash (Chairman)
- Councillor Mrs J M Peet (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor N A Bradbury
- Councillor S Dawber
- Councillor S J Greensmith
- Councillor Mrs J Hurst
- Councillor R T Splaine
Cabinet Portfolio Holders:
- Councillor K Cunliffe – Portfolio Holder for Healthier Communities and Older People
Officers in attendance
- Gary Finch – Principal Officer – Scrutiny
- Margaret McKenzie – Solicitor
- Kay Cullen – Trainee Committee Clerk
Officers presenting reports
- Bernard Walker – Executive Director – Health and Well-being
- Louise Sutton – Service Director – Personalisation and Community Services
- Simon Dale – Policy and Planning Manager
- Anne Roberts – Policy Officer
External Organisations presenting reports
- Andrew Foster – Chief Executive – Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Martin Farrier – Senior Consultant – Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
- Peter Rowe – Chief Executive – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust
- Dr David Valentine – Medical Director – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust
- Kate Fallon – Managing Director – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare
- Harry Holden – Chairman – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare
Members of the public invited as witnesses to present evidence
- Miguel Cubells
- Dennis George
- David Heaton
- Paul Highton
50 Apologies for absence: Councillors M A Dewhurst, Mrs S Dewhurst, Ms L E Fagan, Mrs D Fairhurst, E N Houlton, K W McManus, E Russon and J Talbot.
51 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Adult Health and Well-being Scrutiny Committee held on 17 November 2009 were approved as a correct record.
52 Whipping Declarations: There were no declarations made.
53 Cancer Patients and Carers Partnership Group - Update: This item was withdrawn.
54 Carers Forum - Update: Representatives from the Carers Forum, Margaret Robinson and Janet Burtonwood, updated Members on the progress the Carers Forum had made on the three main issues raised at the meeting of this Committee held on 22 September 2009 (minute 28 refers).
The representatives informed Members, that the Carers Forum was still experiencing problems with the three issues that were raised: support from Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPN); after care; and accessing services.
The representatives raised concern around the small number of mental health social workers that there was in the Borough. They felt that care plans were not being carried out correctly and that they were having difficulty getting in contact with services and the mental health workers when they were needed.
Members asked a number of questions and commented on the feedback given.
The Executive Director – Health and Well-being, Bernard Walker advised Members, that the Council had the correct number of social workers employed in the Borough and that they were fully trained. He informed Members that Adult Services were delivering social services responsibly and to the national standard.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- thanks the representatives of the Carers Forum for giving the Committee an update;
- invites the Chief Executive – 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust, Simon Barber, to the meeting on 16 March 2010, to answer the Carers Forum concerns raised at the meeting; and
- requests that a meeting be set up with the Executive Director, Bernard Walker, the Portfolio Holder for Healthier Communities and Older People, Councillor K Cunliffe, the Chairman, Councillor N D Ash, the Vice Chairman, Councillor Mrs J M Peet, Sam Oliver from the 5 Boroughs Partnership and the representatives from the Carers Forum, Margaret Robinson and Janet Burtonwood to discuss the issues raised around CPN.
55 Wigan Borough Local Involvement Networrk (LINk) – Work plan update: The representatives from the LINk, Irene Yates, Allan Ricketts and Anne Turner, updated Members on the progress they had made with the LINk work plan. Overall, they felt that achievements were being made with the work plan and that they were making good progress.
Members asked a number of questions that included the following points:
- What steps were being taken to enable the service to contact more people?
- How many active LINk members were there?
- What affect would the termination of the host, Carers Federation, have on the LINk?
The representatives advised Members, that they had set up a number of tasks to help get in contact with more people; these included publicity campaigns, changes to the LINk website and interacting with other focus groups. They informed Members that currently there was approximately 130 LINk members and work has been done to help engage more members. The representatives assured Members that they felt confident that there would be no negative effect on the LINk during the termination of the host.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- thanks the representatives of the Wigan Borough Local Involvement Network (LINk) for giving the Committee an update; and
- requests that they bring back a further update on the work plan to this Committee at its meeting on 27July 2010.
56 Establishing an NHS Trust to deliver Community Health Services in the Borough of Wigan: The Managing Director – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare, Kate Fallon, returned to this Committee to seek for Members endorsement in relation to their submission to the Strategic Health Authority for the establishment of the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare PCT to become a NHS Trust.
Members asked if the legal advice had changed from the last meeting of this Committee (minute 37 refers). The Solicitor, Margaret McKenzie advised Members that the request from the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Community Healthcare had differed in emphasis to the request to the last meeting and that she could now clarify that it was open to the Committee to support their submission to the Strategic Health Authority.
Resolved: The Committee notes the report and agrees to send a letter of support to Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT.
57 Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR): Representatives from Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust and the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT along with a member of public, Miguel Cubells who had been called as a witness to give evidence, attended the meeting to discuss the HSMR issue in Wigan.
A handout was circulated to Members on behalf of Miguel Cubells.
Miguel Cubells reported to Members, many of his concerns around the HSMR issue for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh. He highlighted to Members that Wrightinton, Wigan and Leigh had high death rates since 1998/99.
Senior Consultant, Dr Martin Farrier, gave a presentation, which informed Members of how the Trust had investigated the high HSMR and what actions the Trust had taken to help reduce the ratio. He assured Members that the work the Trust had done was very important to them and they were continuing to work hard to reduce this further.
The Chief Executive of Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, Andrew Foster, advised Members, that since he became Chief Executive in 2007, he had made HSMR the Trust’s top priority and since then the rate had dropped and it was now below the national average.
The Chief Executive – Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT, Peter Rowe and Medical Director, Dr David Valentine, informed Members, that the PCT was contracted to work with Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. They had quarterly meetings with the Executive Director of public health for the borough of Wigan, Dr Kate Ardern, to help investigate HSMR. They advised Members that there was a hoist team in place to audit the Trust and help them understand the issue. They reported to Members that the Care Quality Commission was satisfied with the action plans in place but were still monitoring the progress.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- supports the Chief Executive, Andrew Foster’s comments to continue to discuss this issue with Mr Cubell’s outside this meeting; and
- requests that the Chief Executive bring back to this Committee further updates on HSMR to monitor its performance.
The meeting was adjourned at 8.10pm in accordance of procedure rule 19, of the constitution. The meeting reconvened at 8.25pm.
58 Social Care Transformation Action Plan – Engagement of Members: The Committee considered a report, that informed Members of the progress that had been made in implementing the Transforming Social Care Action Plan.
Members asked a number of questions and commented on the various aspects of the report.
Resolved: The Committee requests that a Members Seminar be set up on the Social Care Transformation Action Plan and that a briefing note be sent out to Members prior to the seminar.
59 Care Quality Commission (CQC) Annual Performance Assessment 2008/09: The Committee considered a report, that informed Members, of the outcome of the Annual Performance Assessment of Social Care Services for Adult Services.
Members asked a number of questions and commented on the various aspects of the report.
Resolved: The Committee congratulates the Adult Services Department on its results from the CQC.
60 Adult Services budget monitoring 2009-10: The Committee considered a report, which informed Members of the budget monitoring position for Adult Services after the first seven months of 2009-10. Reference was made to the budgetary issues that would need to be addressed during the year.
Members were advised of the significant underlying budgetary pressure of £1.2 million for 2009-10, that related to transition cases from previous and current years. They were informed that the monitoring position after seven months showed a £1,850,000 overspend and that the Adult Services Improvement Plan 2 had been put into place to deliver a reduction in savings of £244,000 in a year.
The report showed cost pressures associated with care costs which were partially offset by the decreasing impact from continuing care and that the current projected out-turn for the Department was an over-spend of £2.81million. The Senior Management Team was considering further measures that sought to mitigate the level of the overspend.
Members asked a number of questions and commented on the various aspects of the report.
Resolved: The Committee thanks the Executive Director for the report.
