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Minutes of regular meeting of the Health Service Forum South East held on the 10th June 2003 in the Larkfield Centre at 7.30 p.m.
Contents
Snippets from the GGNHS Board of May 2003
Snippets from the South Trust Meeting
Snippets from the GGNHS Board meeting of 17th June
Welcome
The meeting was opened by Margaret Hinds who welcomed everyone. We were pleased to welcome a new member to the Forum - Stewart Maxwell MSP.
Apologies
Apologies were received from Jeanette Butler and Fiona Brodie.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of the 13th May were adopted as a true record with the correction, instead of Eastwood read East Renfrewshire.
Correspondence Out
A letter has been sent to Mr R. Calderwood, Chief Executive, South Glasgow University Hospital Trust, requesting a copy of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the ACAD. A Letter to Tom Divers Chief Executive NHS Greater Glasgow, requesting the OBC. Our architects, Eric Canning and Carl Ogilvy-Wedderburn emphasised the importance of good design. A contractor will only build what is called for in the specification. Any changes to the agreed design result in two problems 1) added expense e.g. the Scottish Parliament building. 2) Making the building fit the agreed cost. In almost every case hospitals which have been built using PFI or PPP financing have fewer beds than the original plan. Our secretary did some research on the web on hospital building and found an interesting article in BUILDING, Business Magazine of the Year 2002/03, the article published on 30th May 2003 was entitled "Welcome To Britain's First PFI Hospital". The hospital is the Cumberland Infirmary. The number of beds provided was reduced, yet admissions have increased by 2.2% per year! To meet the demand for beds a temporary ward was built last year to accommodate 16 patients and consultants are now calling for a permanent extension. It does not make encouraging reading. A copy of the article has been sent to Mr Divers.
Correspondence In
Correspondence in. A letter from Janis Hughes MSP in response to our request to meet with the MSPs. Janis has kindly agreed to organise this in September after the recess.
Treasurer's report
There is £2,213.89p in the Bank. The Treasurer proposed that we repay in part the generous loan we had received. This was agreed.
South Monitoring Group
The South Monitoring Group was set up by Frank McAveety, MSP, when he was the Deputy Minister for Health and Community (this post is now occupied by Tom McCabe). Another MSP has to be appointed because Kenneth Gibson, lost his seat at the last election. We believe that both Tommy Sheridan and Nicola Sturgeon have applied for the available seat. Tommy and Nicola have been very supportive of the Forum in our campaign for a new Victoria Infirmary. An invitation has been issued to all South side Community Councils to nominate a representative to be considered for one of the two available posts on the Monitoring Group. The names to be sent to Margaret Stirling, at Glasgow City Council offices by September. All of the nominees will meet and vote on the two people to fill the vacancies. By the time the Community Council representatives are selected the Group will have held three meetings. Community Councils who are members of the Forum, are dismayed that these appointments are so late in being made. The Group is not allowed to discuss A&E. The reason given - there is already a group looking at this. The A&E consultant on the Monitoring group put forward a very reasonable case for A&E to be included but to no avail. The Monitoring group will not have voting procedures.
Snippets from the GGNHS Board of May 2003
Waiting Times
There will no longer be a Deferred List. It will be replaced by a Unified List. This list is composed of two categories, patients without Availability Status Code (ASC)s and patients with ASC's. These codes describe availability for treatment.
The WHITE PAPER -PARTNERSHIP FOR CARE recommends Community Health Partnerships- Establish a Service Redesign Committee- Establish a Performance Review and Resource Committee. (How many more committees?)
Snippets from the South Trust Meeting
ACAD Update. Work is underway to conclude the clinical strategy, which would in turn, allow the schedule of accommodation to be completed. Checks would be included to determine if the costs remained within the previously determined financial envelope. The draft invitation to tender should be completed by early July 2003. Formal approval is awaited from Glasgow City council on the relevant part of the Queen's Park ground being declared surplus to requirements. Once this is received, formal negotiations for purchase of the land could be entered into. An application for outline planning permission for the site is likely to go before the Council towards the end of June 2003. Board groups were being convened to look at the future of the Mansionhouse Unit.
Activity of Waiting List numbers. Deficits in activity in April = 268 under performance in inpatients or 2.6% and 415 under performance in daycases or 12.4%. Reduction in new outpatients a deficit of 1398 or 10.3% against the year plan and a 1873 or 13.3% reduction against the performance last year. This under performance in outpatients is under review by Divisions.
All staff will earn a minimum of £5.18p per hour.
Snippets from the GGNHS Board meeting of 17th June
As a result of the White paper Board membership is now 9 Executive members and 16 non-exec. James Coleman joins for Glasgow City Council. The West Dunbartonshire Council have still to appoint. Talks are progressing on the Centre for Population Health. Brian Cowan it is hoped will be the Director. MSPs to meet Board on 27th June. Maternity Services will be the first item on the agenda.
Local Health Plan. There is to be a £7 million reduction in the Board's base allocation. The Local Health Plan will need to be altered to reflect this. The Arbuthnott Formula is the reason. Census results show a continuing fall in Glasgow population. Sir John pointed out that there would be ongoing discussions with the Scottish Exec over this decision. The Exec need to look at the most significant areas of deprivation, 38% in Glasgow. Bill Goudie advised that he approved the financial strategy with the greatest reluctance. He was tired of Govt. raising expectations by announcing additional funding, then introducing new initiatives without appropriate funding - effectively a cut. People are being short changed.
ACAD Development. Mr Calderwood spoke to this paper. Managers were being seconded to various tasks from Trust Management Teams North and South, and the Board. Peter Gallagher (S) would be responsible for Finance. Neil McGrogan is newly appointed with a responsibility for Community Engagement. Beds are the big issue. The Trust is revisiting the infrastructure to be sure of requirements beyond 2010. This would be crucial to phase 2. Bill Goudie reminded members that the beds issue was highlighted at the meeting in the Mitchell Library.
Other Items of interest
1. The Victoria has the 4th busiest A&E in the UK.
2. The headquarters of the new Health Council will be in Glasgow.
3. Jean Turner, MSP has been appointed to the Parliamentary Health Committee. She is also on the Glasgow North Monitoring Group. Well done Jean !
4. An American company is to manage Information Technology for the NHS in England.
5. The Forum was not included on the mailing list for Consultation documents. We will request the Scottish Executive to send these.
Have a pleasant summer and if going on holiday have a lovely stress-free time. Look forward to seeing everyone in September "bright eyed and bushy tailed" and prepared for our continuing battle for a new Victoria Infirmary!
Date of the next meeting is Tuesday September 9th 2003 at 7.30 p.m.
