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Health Service Forum South East

Minutes of a regular meeting of the Health Service Forum SE held on 13 September 2011 in the Larkfield Centre

These are draft Minutes, subject to confirmation at the next meeting

Contents

Regulation of Care for Older People

Scottish Social Services Council

Date of Next Meeting

Welcome

As the guest speaker from Community Pharmacy Scotland was not present, Margaret Hinds, Chair of the Forum, opened the meeting.

Apologies

Apologies were received from Eric Canning, Douglas McGregor, Dorothy Walls, May McClelland, Vicki Simmie, Alastair Glen.

Minutes

The minutes of the 14 June 2011 were accepted as correct and adoption was proposed by Janette Butler and seconded by James Sandeman.

Following last month’s meeting we e-mailed Sandra Bustillo, Associate Director of Communications of GG&C NHS Health Board regarding the parenting classes held in various parts of the Health Board region. We feel that areas such as Govanhill and Pollokshields were not covered. Ms Bustillo has asked a colleague to advise me of future plans for the Triple P programme. Readers of the Herald will have seen the two supplements on parenting 24/25 Sept supported by the Health Board amongst others. The latest news on the Board web site shows only one southside parenting class to be held in the Couper Institute in October 2011.

Correspondence

Members of the Forum had heard rumours that 15 beds in Mearnskirk hospital have been closed. At present Mearnskirk Hospital provides NHS continuing care beds for the SE of Glasgow . We were assured by Mr Calderwood that ’ the closure of the beds is temporary because the occupancy rates had significantly reduced. In a few month’s time these beds will be re-opened as other patients from South Glasgow will move into them.’ We also asked Mr Calderwood to clarify the criteria used to determine a patient’s suitability for admission to Mearnskirk. He sent a copy of the national criteria NHS circular drawing attention to the wording suitable ’patients should require regular and ongoing specialist supervision of their care and have complex medical and/or nursing needs. Inevitably this means that many patients who receive NHS continuing care are nearing the end of their lives. The average length of stay of patients at Mearnskirk so far this year is 170 days.’

Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer reported a balance at the bank of £2139.80. The vast majority of members have now paid their dues.

Lightburn Hospital

Elderly rehabilitation inpatient services for the North and East of Glasgow are to transferred to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. and the New Stobhill Hospital. Both hospitals have key diagnostic facilities . These transfers mean that Lightburn Hospital will close. The Health Board will save £650,000 per annum in running costs.

Regulation of Care for Older People

The Scottish Parliament Health Committee is currently hearing evidence on the Regulation of Care for Older People and minutes can be accessed on line; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s4/committees/hs/papers -11/hep11-07.pdf

Scottish Social Services Council

Little by little employees in the care sector are being required to register with Scottish Social Services Council. Managers of care homes for older people have to register by March 2012, supervisors by 2013 and then practitioners and support workers. Care at home workers do not have to register until 2020. In order to accelerate the registration timescale more money would have to be made available. To register, employees must hold the relevant Scottish Vocational Qualification. A search on the web for colleges offering study courses for SVQ in care of the elderly showed at least two distance learning courses each costing approx £300. Courses that require attendance at college are run on the southside at Cardonald and Langside Colleges.

Date of Next Meeting　

Next meeting Tuesday 11 October 2011 at 7.30 p.m.

A representative from Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice