Agenda and minutes

Lizzie Williams declared a personal interest in item 125 below (Joint Disability Equality Scheme – Future Funding and 2007 Progress).

There were no members of the public and press present.

It was noted that Councillors Jack and Sangster were to attend. No nomination was made to attend as substitute for Councillor Doyle.

(NOTE: After the meeting, George Hewitt volunteered to attend as substitute which was agreed by the Chair)

Kath Atkinson, Rotherham PCT, introduced the submitted paperwork that had been considered by the Rotherham Primary Care Trust Board on 18th February, 2008 relating to the above.

In explaining primary care medical services, Kath gave a presentation which covered:-

-           Primary Care Medical Services

·                    39 practices

·                    142 GP’s

·                    Independent Contractors

·                    services generally of a good standard

·                    visibility

·                    practice size

·                    workforce

·                    access

·                    cost

·                    premises

-           What Patients have told us

·                    Access            -           telephone

                                          -           in person

·                    Continuity of Care

·                    Urgent Advice

·                    Treated with Dignity

-           What we plan to do

·                    all practices to open contracted hours

·                    over the next 12 months to increase contracted hours in some practices

·                    establish 2 new practices      -           in the Primary Care Centre

                                                                  -           at Wath

·                    expand the Walk in Centre hours

·                    work towards practices with minimum list sizes of 5,500

·                    transfer practices into Joint Service Centres at Swallownest and Wath

·                    develop plans for Rawmarsh and Dalton

·                    increase the range of services available in general practice

-           Consultation    :           March to May, 2008

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

• trend in GP numbers increasing or decreasing

• GP pay and correlation with health community/operation of practice

• current contracted hours versus aim to increase contracted hours

• audit of GP’s regarding conforming to requirements and pay relative

• patient choice regarding hospital, aim to extend to choice of GP.

• patient feedback important for monitoring of GP services

• implications of extended GP hours for medical support staff : need to offer genuine full service

• home visits to the elderly and disabled

• preventative medication e.g. statins – long term effects

• flexibility of GP opening hours

• concerns regarding 0845 telephone numbers being more costly than local telephone numbers

• benefits of the smaller practice for patients and need to ensure they are not made to feel second class citizens to the larger practices

• communication concerns for people with a learning disability e.g. letters

Resolved:- (1) That the information be noted and Kath be thanked for her presentation.

(2) That the outcome of the consultation and development of the strategy be awaited.

Kevin Gallacher, Rotherham PCT, gave a presentation relating to primary care services in the above.

The presentation covered:-

-                Health Profile – Rawmarsh/Parkgate Ward ranks

-                Rotherham – Hierarchy of Provision (2003)

-                Primary Care Centre (Walk-In)

-                Aston Cum Aughton/Swallownest  : centre ready March/April, 2009

-                Services not necessarily provided by GP’s. (quotes from Health Minister Lord Warner, October 2006)

-                Rawmarsh Population Density

-                Registered patients

-                Current Community and Primary Healthcare Provision in Rawmarsh and Parkgate

-                GP enhanced services

-                Other services available to all registered patients

-                Montage showing existing facilities

-                RawmarshPhamacies

-                Examples of locally enhanced pharmacy services

-                Dental Services

-                Customer Service Centre potential tenants

-                Rawmarsh Options Remit

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

-          unwillingness of GP’s to move into the Centre

-          view that one stop shop for services not ideal

-          rationale behind services in one Centre

-          large versus small practices

-          patient led National Health Service

-          One stop health : professionals together, danger of form of hospitalisation

-          hospitalising versus Centre for Independent Living

-          transport/access to super centres

-          personalised care for patients important

-          safety net needed to look after the older community

Resolved:- (1) That the information be noted and Kevin Gallacher be thanked for his presentation.

(2) That this Panel be kept updated on progress.

David Stevenson, Commissioning Manager, presented the submitted report providing an update of the progress made with regard to the implementation of the Direct Payments Strategy for 2004 to 2007. The report also highlighted areas of achievement and future plans for the continued development of Direct Payments in Rotherham.

Also submitted as appendices to the report were :-

-                      the Direct Payments Strategy action plan containing the scrutiny review recommendations and progress to date

-                      breakdown of current numbers of direct payment recipients

It was noted that, since the implementation of the Strategy, uptake of direct payments in Rotherham had been rapid. Rotherham was now in the top five of the national rankings for the number of direct payment recipients.

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

-                      stretch targets

-                      development of independent budgets

-                      time to review the strategy

Resolved:- That the information be received and the progress made on the action plan contained in the Direct Payments Strategy fro 2004 to 2007 be noted.

Kath Rogers, Commissioning Manager, introduced the submitted report relating to the above and gave a presentation.

The presentation covered:-

-                      The National Context : Key drivers for the commissioning agenda

-                      What is Commissioning? : Audit Commission definition

-                      The Reform Agenda

-                      Joint Strategic Needs Assessment – what has this told us ?

-                      What we will need to provide in future

-                      Commissioning Strategy – Shifting the Balance

-                      The Way Forward

-                      How to get involved

The report indicated that the Commissioning Strategy would provide guidance to reshape commissioning activity to meet the needs of local people, encouraging innovation and good practice. This was the beginning of a process of change in the way services were commissioned and provided. The report gave an overview of the strategy, the ways in which we would consult on the strategy and outlined the plans for commissioning services to meet the needs of the local population.

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered:-

-                      direct payments and independent budgets

-                      LINks – progress

-                      attitude of the independent/third sector

-                      emergency carers, scheme

-                      commissioned skills for care programme

Resolved:- That the information be noted.

Arnold Murray, JDES Project Manager, presented the submitted report indicating that Rotherham MBC, Rotherham Primary Care Trust (RPCT) and Rotherham Hospital Foundation Trust (RHFT) had produced a JDES that had been praised by the Disability Rights Commission as an example of best practice. As part of the legal requirement, a three year Implementation Action Plan was needed to ensure that the partners delivered the outcomes in set timescales.

The JDES required a Co-ordinator to co-ordinate and monitor the JDES delivery. The post and community involvement expenses were funded currently through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) which was to cease on 31st March, 2008. No alternative funding had been identified. Without such funding available from 1st April, 2008, the Corporate Property Team would be unable to co-ordinate and monitor the scheme delivery.

The JDES was seen by disabled people as the long awaited vehicle to drive forward the provision of a Centre for Independent Living that would lead to Rotherham meeting the Government’s target of every authority providing a centre by 2010.

It was proposed that all partners be requested to identify funding for the continued employment of the Co-ordinator and delivery of the JDES.

Also submitted as appendices were the following documents:-

-                      outline of the progress from 2007

-                      funding requirements for the delivery of the JDES

-                      “Towards an Integrated Living Centre”

-                      “Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People”

Resolved:- (1) That the 2007 progress be noted.

(2) That all partners be requested to identify funding for the continued delivery of the JDES as a matter of urgency,

(3) That Corporate Management Team be requested to consider options for the future of the Joint Disability Equality Scheme and report back to the next meeting of this Panel.

(Lizzie Williams declared a personal interest in the above item being a member of the Joint Scheme Delivery Partners Team and contributor to the report appendices)

Resolved:- (1) That the minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 31st January, 2008 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman subject to the inclusion of Ann Clough in the list of apologies for absence.

(2) That it be noted that the use of plain english within the Council was to be the subject of considerations by the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel, following which a joint report, specifically including reference to scrutiny minutes, was to be submitted to the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee.

Resolved:- That the minutes of meetings of the above Committee held on 18th January and 1st February, 2008 be received and their content noted.