Minutes of Proceedings

COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 13 MAY 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA 
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA 
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA 
Mr Conall McDevitt MLA 
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA

In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Jessica Golden-Alexander (Clerical Officer)
Mr Craig Mealey (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Alex Easton MLA 
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.03 a.m. in public session with the Deputy Chairperson in the Chair .

1. Apologies

Apologies as above

2. Evidence sessions on the RQIA reports on Intrapartum Care in Northern Ireland

Evidence session with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority

The Committee was briefed by

Mr Glenn Houston Chief Executive

Mr Phelim Quinn Director of Operations and Chief Nurse Advisor

Mr David Stewart Medical Director

A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.

10.52 a.m. Mr Jim Wells took the Chair.

Evidence session with the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust

The Committee was briefed by

Mr William McKee Chief Executive

Mr Brian Barry Acting Director of Specialist Hospitals and Child Health

Ms Elizabeth Bannon Co-director, Maternity and Women's Services

Ms Ruth Clarke Maternity Services Manager

A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information.

12.02 p.m. Meeting adjourned

2.00 p.m. Meeting resumed

2.00p.m Ms Sue Ramsey joined the meeting.

2.00p.m Dr Kieran Deeny joined the meeting

3. Chairperson’s Business.

The Committee discussed the Departments plan to close the Accident & Emergency units at Whiteabbey and Mid Ulster Hospitals and agreed to raise this matter with officials at the Committee meeting on Thursday 27 May 2010.

The Chairperson informed members that the Committee could not proceed with proposed evidence sessions on the Departments Guidance on the Termination of Pregnancy on Thursday 3 rd June 2010 as papers have been lodged in court regarding an application for leave for judicial review of the Departmental Termination of Pregnancy Guidance.

The Committee agreed that the Minister would give evidence to the Committee on the Departments commissioning plans on 3 rd June 2010.

The Committee noted that its next meeting would take place at Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick and would be followed by a tour of the New Downe Hospital.

The Committee noted that the Sun Bed bill was introduced on Tuesday 11 th May 2010.

4. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 22 April 2010.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2010 were agreed.

5. Matters arising.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Committee’s request for copy of the North South Feasibility Study carried out by CAWT. The Minister has stated that he will not be placing the working group report in the public domain. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister again requesting this information. The Committee also agreed to copy the Ministers response to the Executive.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister stating that the Department did not hold records regarding recurrent and non recurrent funding given to each Trust for 2007/08 and agreed to write to the Minister asking that requests this information from the Trusts.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding Residence Orders and agreed to write to the Minister regarding amending the Children’s Order to address this matter.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding a review of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and agreed that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson would seek a meeting with the Minister regarding this issue.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding funding for the proposed Women's and Children's hospital.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the effect of cancelled clinics and staff recruitment on waiting time statistics.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding support for people with audio, visual disabilities and agreed to write to the minister asking when the Department’s new Disability Strategy would be available. Members also agreed to copy the Ministers response to the RNIB who raised this issue with the Committee.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding runaway and missing children and agreed to copy this to Ms Michelle McIlveen MLA.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding bike to work scheme and agreed to forward this to the Committee for Culture Arts & Leisure who raised this matter with the Committee. The Committee also agreed to the Minister asking for these schemes to be made a priority .

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the treatment received by Billy Caldwell and agreed to write to the Minister about this matter and the treatment available for intractable epilepsy. The Committee also agreed to copy the letter to Mrs Caldwell and to arrange an informal meeting with Mrs Caldwell.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding development plans for the Belvoir park hospital site.

2.43 p.m. Mr Thomas Buchanan joined the meeting.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing an update on the work of SAGE and agreed to forward this to the Environment Committee.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing an update on the proposed midwife-led maternity unit for Omagh.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Desertcreat Training College and agreed to copy the response to the Justice Committee and the Executive.

Mr Thomas Buchanan made a declaration of interest that he was a member of the Policing Board.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister regarding an error in a previous response regarding funding for Social Services.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the decision to gift swine flu vaccines to the World Health Organisation.

The Committee noted a response from the Social Development Minister regarding the publication of its Fuel Poverty Strategy for public consultation and agreed to copy the response to National Energy Action who raised this issue with the Committee.

The Committee noted a response from the Western Health and Social Care Trust regarding treatment for Wet AMD and agreed to copy the response to RNIB who raised this issue with the Committee.

The Committee noted a response from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust regarding the provision of transport for disabled patients.

The Committee noted the 14 th report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules

The Committee noted a briefing paper from Assembly Research comparing the youth justice systems in Scotland & Northern Ireland.

6. Evidence sessions on the RQIA reports on Intrapartum Care in Northern Ireland

Evidence session with the Department for Health, Social Services & Public Safety

The Committee was briefed by

Dr Miriam McCarthy Deputy Secretary, DHSSPS

Mr David Galloway Director, Secondary Care, DHSSPS

Ms Denise Boulter Nursing Officer, DHSSPS

Ms Mary Hinds Public Health Agency

Dr Fiona Kennedy Public Health Agency

A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information.

3.24 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.

3.35 p.m. Mr Jim Wells left the meeting.

3.35 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill rejoined the meeting and took the Chair.

3.36 p.m. Mr Conall McDevitt left the meeting.

3.40 p.m. Mr Conall McDevitt rejoined the meeting.

3.44 p.m. Mr Jim Wells rejoined the meeting and took the Chair.

Evidence session with the Southern Health & Social Care Trust

The Committee was briefed by

Mrs Mairead McAlinden Acting Chief Executive

Dr Gillian Rankin Interim Director of Acute Services

Dr Patrick Loughran Medical Director

Mr Francis Rice Director of Mental Health & Disability Services

A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.

3.58 p.m. Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting.

4.37 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.

The Committee agreed to consider proposing a Committee motion on the RQIA reports on Intrapartum Care in Northern Ireland.

4.40 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill rejoined the meeting.

7. Statutory Rule. SR 2010/117. The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.

The Committee considered SR 2010/117. The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and had no objection to the Rule

8. Correspondence.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Social Development forwarding a copy of the Housing Council report, ‘Why the Private Sector Should Build to Lifetime Homes Standards’ and agreed to forward this to the Department for consideration.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding support for carers.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Social Development in support of an ad hoc joint committee to review the provision of support for carers.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding Exercise on prescription/ GP referral schemes and agreed to forward the Committee’s letter to the Minister.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Education regarding the ICAN Centre, Ballynahinch and agreed to forward this to the Minister seeking his views.

Mr Jim Wells made a declaration of interest that the ICAN centre was in his constituency.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Finance & Personnel Committee regarding Departmental Post Project Evaluations.

The Committee noted a copy of correspondence sent to the Chief Executive of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust regarding the care of Dylan Lavery and agreed to copy this to MLA’s for the North Down Constituency.

The Committee noted correspondence from Daith í McKay MLA regarding his Private Members Bill regarding a levy on plastic bags.

The Committee noted a letter from the Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Support Group requesting a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite the group to the next Committee reception for health related groups.

The Committee noted a copy of a response from Include Youth regarding the Private Member’s Bill on Runaway and Missing Children and Young People

The Committee noted correspondence from the Managing Director of Belfast International Airport regarding the planning application to extend the runway at George Best Belfast City Airport.

The Committee noted a press statement from the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland announcing a consultation on the provision of homeopathic products in Northern Irish pharmacies.

The Committee noted an invitation from Preventative Health 2010 to an event on 30 th June 2010.

The Committee noted an invitation from Children in Northern Ireland to a Public Seminar at Queen’s University Belfast on Child Poverty on 19 th May 2010.

The Committee noted correspondence from Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to arrange an informal meeting with the group.

9. Any other business

The Committee agreed a press release for its visit to Downe Hospital on Thursday 20 th May 2010.

10. Date, time and place of the next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 20 th May 2010 at 2.00pm in the Great Hall, Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.55 p.m.