Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2012/2013
Date: 22 May 2013
Venue: The Senate Chamber
The meeting commenced at 2.07 p.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chair’s Business
The Committee agreed to host a visit to Parliament Buildings by the Oireachtas Joint Committee for Health & Children on Thursday 20 June.
The Committee noted correspondence from NIPSA seeking a meeting regarding shared services and agreed to invite the union to an informal meeting. The Committee also agreed to write to the Department on this matter.
The Committee agreed a press release on Transforming Your Care.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting on Wednesday 15th May 2013.
The minutes of the Committee meeting on Wednesday 15th May 2013 were agreed.
4. Tobacco Retailers Bill. Evidence session with NILGA & CEHOG
The Committee agreed to take oral evidence from Cancer Focus, Cancer Research UK, ASH, NI Chest Heart and Stroke, JTI, and officials from Scotland and ROI who are involved in tobacco registration schemes in those jurisdictions.
The Committee took evidence from:
Ms Jenny Palmer, Waste and Environment working Group, NILGA
Ms Karen Smyth, Head of Policy, NILGA
Mr Sean Martin, Chief Environmental Health Officers Group
Ms Patricia Allen, Chief Environmental Health Officers Group
A question and answer session ensued.
2.24 p.m. Mr Kieran McCarthy joined the meeting.
2.30 p.m. Mr Jim Wells joined the meeting.
Mr Roy Beggs made a Declaration of Interest that his father is a local councillor.
Mr Gordon Dunne made a Declaration of Interest that he is a local councillor.
Mr Kieran McCarthy made a Declaration of Interest that he is a local councillor.
2.54 p.m. Ms Paula Bradley joined the meeting.
The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
3.34 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
3.34 p.m. Mr Mickey Brady left the meeting.
3.46 p.m. Meeting resumed.
5. Evidence session on the Accident & Emergency Improvement Group and Turn Around Support Team
The Committee took evidence from:
Dr Andrew McCormick, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
Mr John Compton, Chief Executive, Health and Social Care Board
Mr Jackie Johnston, Director of Secondary Care, Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety
A question and answer session ensued.
4.12 p.m. Mr Jim Wells rejoined the meeting.
4.49 p.m. Mr Sam Gardiner left the meeting.
5.00 p.m. Ms Maeve McLaughlin left the meeting.
The witnesses agreed to provide the Committee with additional information. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
6. Proposed Statutory Rule. The Food Additives, Flavourings, Enzymes and Extraction Solvents Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013
The Committee considered the Food Additives, Flavourings, Enzymes and Extraction Solvents Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 and agreed that it was content for the Food Standards Agency to prepare the statutory rule.
7. Proposed Statutory Rule. The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (Continuing Professional Development) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013
The Committee considered the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (Continuing Professional Development) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 and agreed to write to the Pharmaceutical Society Northern Ireland seeking its views on the legislation.
8. Proposed Statutory Rule. The Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) (Injury Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013
The Committee considered the Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) (Injury Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 and agreed that it was content for the Department to prepare the statutory rule.
9. Matters rising
The Committee noted an update from the Food Standards Agency on the contamination of beef with horsemeat and agreed to forward this to the Committee for Agriculture & Rural Development.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding action taken by Health & Social Care Trusts to ensure hospital patients do not miss meals.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the MMR Vaccine.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the promotion of the MMR Vaccine.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding new Health Centres in Lisburn and Newry and a report of an informal meeting with trade union officials on 1 May 2013. The Committee agreed to write to the Department for further information. The Committee also agreed to write to trade unions on this matter.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister to the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee regarding the World Police and Fire Games.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding Post Project Evaluations and agreed to seek further information on this matter.
The Committee noted a response from the Health and Social Care Board regarding cancelled hospital appointments.
10. Correspondence
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister regarding ovarian cancer and agreed to copy this to Ms Una Crudden.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to the Minister regarding a Third Sector Mapping Exercise.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to the Minister regarding a Consumer Council Northern Ireland review.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Minister regarding the Efficiency Delivery Programme.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding an event that it is co-sponsoring.
The Committee noted correspondence from Unison regarding Emergency Department Services in Belfast.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland .
The Committee noted correspondence from the National Osteoporosis Society regarding funding for Fracture Liaison Services and agreed to forward this to the Department for a response.
The Committee noted a briefing paper from the Privacy Advisory Committee (Northern Ireland) regarding the use of service user information.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Big Lottery Fund.
The Committee noted correspondence from PlayBoard regarding its Annual Conference.
The Committee noted a report on housing an elderly population.
The Committee noted correspondence from Derry Healthy Cities seeking a meeting with the Committee and agreed to invite the group to an informal meeting.
The Committee noted a letter from Save the Mid regarding Antrim Area Hospital.
The Committee noted correspondence regarding the appointment of a neuromuscular nurse specialist and agreed to forward the letter to the Department seeking its views.
The Committee noted correspondence about student housing and agreed to refer the correspondent to constituency representatives for support.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted its Forward Work Programme.
12. Any other Business
No other business was discussed.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be on Wednesday 29th May 2013 at 2.00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.21 p.m.
