Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2012/2013
Date: 07 November 2012
Venue: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
The meeting commenced at 11.02 a.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chair’s Business
The Committee noted that its next meeting would take place in the Royal Children’s Hospital and would be preceded by a visit to the Clark Clinic.
The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on a General Dental Council report on the dental school at Queen’s University.
The Committee agreed to write to the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust regarding sexual health services for prisoners.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting on Wednesday 24th October 2012 and Thursday 25th October 2012.
The minutes of the Committee meeting on Wednesday 24th October 2012 and Thursday 25th October 2012 were agreed.
4. Health Inequalities
The Committee agreed to write to the Institute for Public Health in Ireland for further information.
The Committee noted correspondence from Age NI regarding the Committee review on Health Inequalities and agreed a response.
The Committee noted correspondence from the British Heart Foundation regarding the Committee review on Health Inequalities and agreed a response.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions regarding the Committee review on Health Inequalities and agreed a response.
11.06 a.m. Mr Gordon Dunne joined the meeting.
The Committee noted responses from the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment regarding policies on health inequalities.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Family Nurse Partnership.
11.07 a.m. Mr Sam Gardiner joined the meeting.
Evidence session on the Triple P Project
The Committee took evidence from:
Mr Conor Owens Senior Psychologist, Health Service Executive
Mr Joseph Ruane Integrated Services Manager, Health Service Executive, Midlands Area
Mr Eamonn Farrell Family Support Services Manager Health Service Executive, Longford Westmeath
A question and answer session ensued.
Mr Roy Beggs made a declaration of interest that he is a Committee Member of Horizon Sure Start and a Member of Carrickfergus Children's Locality Group.
11.21 a.m. Ms Pam Brown joined the meeting.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
12.24 p.m. Mr Gordon Dunne left the meeting.
12.24 p.m. Ms Pam Brown left the meeting.
12.24 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
2.02 p.m. Meeting resumed.
5. Evidence session on Health Inequalities – Ballymun Project
The Committee took evidence from:
Ms Eleanor McClorey Chief Executive, Youngballymun
A question and answer session ensued.
3.11 p.m. Ms Paula Bradley joined the meeting.
The Chairperson thanked the witness for attending.
6. Statutory Rule. SR 2012/378. The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012.
The Committee considered SR 2012/378 The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
7. Proposed Statutory Rule. Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland).
The Committee considered the Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) and agreed that it was content for the Food Standards Agency to prepare the rule.
8. Forward Work Programme.
The Committee noted its Forward Work Programme.
9. Matters arising.
The Committee noted responses from the Minister and the Minister of Education regarding services for allergy sufferers and agreed to copy the responses to Allergy NI.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding delayed admission from A&E into wards and agreed to write to the Department requesting further information prior to taking evidence from the A&E Improvement Action Group.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Thalidomide Health Grant.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding tobacco legislation proposals and agreed to copy the response to the British Heart Foundation.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the provision of diabetic support.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding issues raised by the young people attending the Committee event to mark World Suicide Prevention Day and agreed to copy this to Hope for Youth.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding Memory Clinics.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Medical Secretary Pay Dispute and agreed to forward this to the Primary Care Liaison Team in the Western Trust who originally raised this issue with the Committee.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Marie Stopes Clinic.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding hip fracture pre-operative geriatric assessments.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the future of Care and Support in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding eye tests for Sarcoidosis sufferers and agreed to copy this to the Sarcoidosis Support Group.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding proposals for a Community Eye Health Service and agreed to copy this to Optometry NI.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Commissioning Plan.
10. Correspondence.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister providing a Seasonal Flu Update.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister regarding the rights of Older People in Nursing Homes.
The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding Gender Neutral Insurance Benefits and Premiums.
The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for Justice regarding Human Trafficking.
The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade & Investment regarding Delivering Prosperity Process Opportunities in North/South Public Services.
The Committee agreed to forward a letter from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding Disability Sports NI to the Minister.
The Committee noted correspondence from the General Medical Council regarding Revalidation of Doctors.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland regarding a consultation on Standards and Guidance for Pharmacist Prescribers.
The Committee noted correspondence from a nurse regarding a request for voluntary redundancy and agreed that the Chairperson would deal with this matter as a constituency MLA.
11. Any other Business.
No other business was discussed.
3.20 p.m. The Committee moved to closed session.
12. Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Reports.
The Committee agreed to take evidence on this matter from the Minister and the Permanent Secretary on the four reports published by the Minister on 16 October 2012, and on the further inquiry announced by the Minister on 5 November 2012 during Question Time. It was further agreed to write to the Department to request the terms of reference of the further inquiry and details of who would carry it out.
The Committee agreed to take evidence on all of these matters from the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive and the Chief Fire Officer of the NIFRS.
The Committee agreed to seek legal advice on a number of matters.
The Committee agreed to issue a press release.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next Committee meeting will be on Wednesday 14th November 2012 at 2.30pm in the Committee Room, Royal Children’s Hospital.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.39 p.m.
