Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting commenced at 2.02 p.m. in public session.

1. Apologies

No apologies were received.

2. Chair’s Business

The Chairperson welcomed Maeve McLaughlin to the Committee.

Committee members agreed to continue receiving electronic copies of meeting packs.

The Chairperson informed members that the Committee event held on Monday10 September 2012 to mark World Suicide Prevention Day had been very successful and a report of the event would be produced in due course.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on dental services.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on the MRI scanner at the Royal Hospital.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding nursing home fees.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on the Independent Living Fund.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding changes to nursing bursaries.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on the Cancer Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital.

2.07 p.m. Mr Gordon Dunne joined the meeting.

The Committee agreed to write to the Public Health Agency regarding funding for Brook NI.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding access to medical appointments for people with hearing difficulties.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting on Wednesday 4 July 2012

The minutes of the Committee meeting on Wednesday 4 July 2012 were agreed.

4. Committee review on budget scrutiny.

The Committee agreed the terms of reference, methodology and timetable for a review on budget scrutiny.

5. Committee review on health inequalities.

The Committee agreed the terms of reference, methodology and timetable for a review on health inequalities.

The Committee noted an invitation to attend a conference on Cuban Public Health and agreed to obtain further information and consider this at its next meeting.

6. Proposed Committee motion on external review of paediatric congenital cardiac services in Northern Ireland.

The Committee agreed a motion on paediatric congenital cardiac services.

The Committee agreed to write to groups that had raised this matter with it regarding the motion.

7. Forward Work Programme.

The Committee agreed its forward work programme.

8. Informal meeting 27 September 2012.

The Committee noted details of the forthcoming informal meeting.

2.22 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.

9. Matters arising

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding a Serious Adverse Incident Report.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding IVF services andagreed to copy this to the Infertility Network.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding blood donor selection.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister providing an update on the UK National Screening Committee review of Group B Streptococcus screening andagreed to write a letter of congratulation to previous witnesses on this matter who had recently had a child.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Food Safety Promotion Board.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the fluoridation of water supplies.

The Committee noted responses from the Minister and the HSC Board regarding the Regional Out of Hours Social Work Service. The Committee noted a letter from NIPSA seeking a meeting regarding this issue and agreed to ask NIPSA to provide it with further information following a forthcoming meeting with the HSC Board.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Social Work Strategy and agreed to copy this to the NI Association of Social Workers.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding Community Pharmacy.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding a fine imposed on Belfast Health & Social Care Trust by the Information Commissioners Office.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Accident & Emergency Improvement Action Group and agreed to return to this issue at a later date.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding funding for the Northern Ireland Hospice and agreed to copy this to the Northern Ireland Hospice.

The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Minister regarding Special Educational Needs Provision to the Education Committee.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding translation services.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding unreported X-rays.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding plastic and bariatric surgery.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding access to inhalers in schools and agreed to copy this to Asthma UK.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding independent prescribing and agreed to copy this to the Allied Health Professions.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Trust and agreed to copy this to Ambulance Service Trade Unions.

The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the availability of specialist drugs.

The Committee noted response from the Health and Social Care Board and the public Health Agency regarding services for allergy sufferers and agreed to copy this to Allergy NI.

The Committee noted a response from the Health and Social Care Board regarding Transforming Your Care.

The Committee noted a response from the Public Health Agency regarding the Good Morning Network and agreed to copy this to the  Good Morning Network.

The Committee noted a response from the Consulate of St.Vincent and the Grenadines regarding blood donation.

The Committee noted a Research and Information Service supplementary briefing paper on waiting times.

10. Correspondence

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about the implementation of the recommendations in the Pseudomonas Final Report.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about a review of Regional Consultant-Led Hospital Dental Services.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about Brentuximab Medicine for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about Child-Minding and Day Care Services.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about a Review of Imaging Services.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about the draft NISCC (Social Care Workers) Prohibition and Fitness of Workers Regulations and agreed to take evidence from officials on this matter.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about HPV testing.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about Equality Commission Approval of the Department’s Equality Scheme.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about the draft Care and Support Bill and agreed to take evidence from officials on this matter.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about Guidance on Cleaning Provision and Management in Health & Social Care.

The Committee noted a letter from the Minister about the Health (2006 Act) (Commencement) Order (NI) 2012.

The Committee noted a Ministerial Written Statement regarding the removal of an individual from a Non-Executive Director Post in the Health & Social Care Board.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister & deputy First Minister regarding the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill and agreed to obtain further information on its relevance to the duties and powers of the Safeguarding Board NI.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister & deputy First Minister regarding legislative proposals for the Office of the Ombudsman and agreed a response.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice regarding attacks on healthcare staff.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice regarding the prevention of suicide and self-harm.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning regarding its review of careers education, information, advice and guidance.

The Committee agreed to visit the new Critical Care Building at the Royal Hospital.

The Committee noted a news release from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding changes to policy on desinewed meat.

The Committee noted a letter from NAPAC regarding a response from the Minister on services for survivors of abuse.

The Committee noted correspondence from the General Medical Council NI on a briefing document - ‘Protecting children and young people: the responsibilities of all doctors’.

The Committee noted correspondence from the General Medical Council NI on  fitness to practice hearings.

The Committee noted a letter from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding Transforming Your Care.

The Committee noted a briefing paper from the Association for Clinical Biochemistry.

The Committee noted a letter from Age NI regarding a proposed inquiry on social care. The Committee noted a letter from the Minister announcing a consultation on the future of social care. Given the Departmental consultation on the issue, the Committee agreed not to carry out an inquiry on social care at this time, and furtheragreed to schedule a briefing from departmental officials on the current consultation.

The Committee agreed to sponsor an event being organized by Action on Hearing Loss to launch its Hearing Matters report.

The Committee noted a letter from UKHCA .

The Committee noted a letter from Ms Black regarding Muckamore Abbey Hospital and agreed to forward this to the Department for a response.

The Committee noted a letter from Survivors of Thalidomide and agreed to forward this to the Department for its views.

The Committee noted an invitation to visit the Foyle Hospice and agreed to consider a visit at a later date. 

The Committee noted an invitation to visit the HIV Support Centre and agreed to consider a visit at a later date.

The Committee noted a letter from NIPEC seeking a meeting and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from the Dermatology Support Group seeking a meeting and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from Addiction NI seeking a meeting and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from the NI Coalition of Councils against Flouridation seeking a meeting and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from LASI seeking a meeting and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.

11. Any Other Business.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department about the provision of Diabetic Support Nurses and the current position on the administration of medication in schools.

Mr Conall McDevitt made a declaration of interest that he was the parent of a diabetic child.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on the implementation of Transforming Your Care.

12. Date, time and place of next meeting.

The next Committee meeting will be on Wednesday 19^th September 2012 at 2.00pm in the Board room, South West Acute Hospital.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.58 p.m.