Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting commenced at 2.02 p.m. in public session with the Deputy Chairperson in the Chair.

1. Apologies

Apologies were received as above.

2. Chairperson’s business

The Deputy Chairperson reminded members that the Committee would be holding informal meetings with healthcare related groups on Thursday 6 th October 2011.

2.06 p.m. Ms Michaela Boyle joined the meeting.
2.06 p.m. Ms Michelle Gildernew joined the meeting and took the Chair.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting on Wednesday 14 th September 2011

The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 14 th September 2011 were agreed.

4. Matters arising

The Committee noted a letter from the Chair of the Health Social Care Review Team and agreed to return to this matter at its next meeting.

5. Group B streptococcus

The Committee discussed the evidence it had taken on Group B Streptococcus at its previous meeting and agreed to write to the National Screening Committee about this matter. The Committee also agreed to write to the Department regarding previous policy on screening.

6. Departmental evidence session on 2010/2011 resource spend and 2011/2012 budget

The Committee took evidence from:

Ms Julie Thompson Head of Resources & Performance Management, DHSSPS
Mr Peter Toogood Director of Finance, DHSSPS
Mr Paul Gibson Financial Planning Unit, DHSSPS

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

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

3.31 p.m. Ms Paula Bradley left the meeting.
3.40 p.m. Ms Paula Bradley rejoined the meeting.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request further financial information on October monitoring, planned spend for 2011/2012 and the variances between planned and actual spend.

3.46 p.m. Mrs Pam Lewis left the meeting.
3.46 p.m. Mr Mark H Durkan left the meeting.
3.47 p.m. Mr Jim Wells left the meeting.

7. Proposed Statutory Rule - The Mental Health (Private Hospital) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

The Committee took evidence from:

Ms Christine Jendoubi Director of Mental Health, DHSSPS
Mr Colin McMinn Mental Health Unit, DHSSPS

3.48 p.m. Mr Mark H Durkan rejoined the meeting.
3.51 p.m. Mrs Pam Lewis rejoned the meeting.

Ms Paula Bradley made a declaration of interest that she was a councillor on Newtownabbey Borough Council.

4.09 p.m. Mr Jim Wells rejoined the meeting.
4.09 p.m. Mr Mark H Durkan left the meeting.

A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The Committee agreed to defer consideration of this proposed statutory rule and take evidence from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Children’s Law Centre on this matter.

8. Proposed Statutory Rule - the Health and Personal Social Services (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

The Committee took evidence from:

Ms Cathy Harrison Principal Pharmaceutical Officer, Pharmaceutical Directorate, DHSSPS
Ms Margaret Glass Pharmacy and Prescribing Unit, DHSSPS

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

4.19 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
4.22 p.m. Mr John McCallister rejoined the meeting.

The Committee considered the Health and Personal Social Services (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011and agreed that it was content for the Department to prepare the rule.

9. Statutory Instrument - the Medicines for Human Use (Wholesale Dealing) Regulations 2011

The Committee agreed it was content with the Medicines for Human Use (Wholesale Dealing) Regulations 2011.

10. Correspondence

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the monitoring of departmental efficiency plans.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the new Budget Flexibility Scheme and 2011-12 Monitoring Rounds.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the monitoring of Post Project Evaluations.

The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Committee for Education about the administration of medication to pupils in schools to the Minister.

The Committee noted a letter from Irish Congress of Trade Unions seeking a meeting with the Committee on the impact of budgetary cuts and the Health & Social Care Review and agreed to invite witnesses from Irish Congress of Trade Unions, UNISON and NIPSA to brief the Committee at its next meeting.

The Committee noted a letter from the Rainbow Project regarding the lifetime ban on men who have sex with men donating blood following the publication of a report from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs. The Department agreed to write to ascertain the Department’s position on the matter and to inquiry into the position in the Republic of Ireland.

The Committee noted a letter from Mr Gary McCann regarding proposals to set up a new charity providing therapy services for children and agreed write to the Department regarding this matter.

11. Any Other Business

No other business was discussed.

12. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next Committee meeting will be on Wednesday 28 th September 2011 at 2.00 p.m. in room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.47 p.m.