Committee for Health
minutes of proceedings 17 February 2022
Committee for Health minutes 17 February 2022.pdf (171.3 kb)
Meeting Location:
virtual meeting
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson)
Pam Cameron MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Gerry Carroll MLA
Alan Chambers MLA
Deborah Erskine MLA
Órlaithí Flynn MLA
Colin McGrath MLA
Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance by Video or Teleconference:
Keith McBride (Clerk)
Roisin Donnelly (Assistant Clerk)
Deirdre Farry (Assistant Clerk)
Brendan Miskelly (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McAfee (Clerical Officer)
Ellen Wilson (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 9.31 am in public session.
1. Apologies
None.
2. Chairperson’s Business
i. The Chairperson referred to the VOYPIC event held in the Long Gallery on 16 February to launch its report on the co-design of standards for care planning and review meetings.
ii. The Chairperson advised that the Autism (Amendment) Bill passed Consideration Stage on 15 February and that Further Consideration Stage has been scheduled to take place on 23 February 2022.
iii. The Chairperson advised that the Adoption and Children Bill passed Consideration Stage on 14 February and that Further Consideration Stage has not yet been scheduled.
3. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2022.
4. Matters Arising
i. The Chairperson advised that a technical issue has been identified in relation to the Committee’s amendment to the Autism (Amendment) Bill on the Autism Reviewer role.
Pam Cameron declared an interest as Bill Sponsor for the Autism (Amendment) Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would move an amendment on behalf of the Committee at Further Consideration Stage to rectify the technical issue identified.
ii. The Committee considered proposed amendments to the Adoption and Children Bill to provide that Clauses 24, 52 and 77 would be subject to the draft affirmative procedure rather than the negative resolution procedure.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this matter further at its meeting on 24 February.
iii. Pam Cameron referred to the Department of Health’s proposed new clauses to the Adoption and Children Bill to give effect to the recommendation from the report of the Truth Recovery Design Panel relating to the preservation of records which have been ruled out of scope by the Speaker.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Clerk to explore options for the Committee to progress the recommendations from the report of the Truth Recovery Design Panel relating to the preservation of records.
iv. Deborah Erskine raised the matter of access to GP and GP out of hours’ services, particularly in rural areas and Committee Members discussed the impact of the delay in the implementation of a 3-year budget on health and social care services more widely.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Minister of Health and the Department of Health Permanent Secretary brief the Committee on these matters.
5. Framework for Future Planning Model - Briefing from the Department of Health
The following officials from the Department of Health joined the meeting by video conference at 10.04 am:
Martina Moore, Director of Organisational Change;
Vincent Ramirez, Future Planning Project Manager; and
Alan Marsden, Future Planning Project Manager.
The officials briefed the Committee on the framework for the future planning and management of health and social care services.
A question and answer session followed.
The officials agreed to provide the Committee with further information on issues raised.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their attendance.
The meeting was suspended at 11.13 am and resumed at 11.26 am.
Gerry Carroll joined the meeting at 11.28 am.
The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 7 to hear briefing from RaISe on the Hospital Parking Charges Bill and agenda item 8 to carry out the formal clause by clause consideration of the Bill.
6. Hospital Parking Charges Bill – Briefing from RaISe
Assembly Research Officer, Sinéad McMurray joined the meeting at 11.33 pm.
The Research Officer briefed the Committee on the practicalities of implementing free parking at hospital sites in Northern Ireland and how other regions in the UK have introduced this policy.
A question and answer session followed.
The Chairperson thanked the Research Officer for her attendance.
The briefing session was reported by Hansard.
7. Hospital Parking Charges Bill – formal clause by clause
The Committee commenced its formal clause by clause consideration of the Hospital Parking Charges Bill.
The Deputy Chairperson, Pam Cameron and Committee Members, Paula Bradshaw, Alan Chambers and Deborah Erskine confirmed they would not be taking part in the clause by clause consideration of the Bill.
Clause 1: Hospitals not to charge for car parking
The Committee considered Clause 1 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 1 as drafted.
Clause 2: Commencement
The Committee considered Clause 2 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 2 as drafted.
Clause 3: Short title
The Committee considered Clause 3 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 3 as drafted.
Long Title
The Committee considered the Long Title as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the Long Title as drafted.
The Chairperson advised that the formal clause by clause scrutiny of the Hospital Parking Charges Bill had concluded.
The clause by clause consideration of the Bill was reported by Hansard.
The Committee returned to agenda item 6.
8. Transformation - Briefing from the Department of Health
Patricia Quinn-Duffy, Director of Transformation, Department of Health joined the meeting by video conference at 12.32 am.
Ms Quinn-Duffy provided an update on the Department’s Transformation programme of work.
A question and answer session followed.
Ms Quinn-Duffy agreed to provide the Committee with further information on a number of issues raised.
The Chairperson thanked Ms Quinn-Duffy for her attendance.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Minister of Health to provide briefing to the Committee on the Department’s programme of work relating to transformation when he next attended the Committee.
The meeting moved into closed session at 1.25 pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to express its disappointment to the Department of Health that the Director of Transformation had not been accompanied and supported by additional officials during the Transformation briefing, given Ms Quinn-Duffy’s very recent appointment to this role.
9. Hospital Parking Charges Bill – Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee discussed the content it wished to see reflected in its draft report on the Hospital Parking Charges Bill.
The Clerk advised that a draft report would be circulated to Members for formal consideration and agreement at the meeting on 24 February 2022.
Paula Bradshaw left the meeting at 1.35 pm.
10. SR 2022/31 The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer its consideration of SR 2022/31 The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022.
11. Draft UK SI The Human Medicines Regulations 2021 – Early Access to Medicines Scheme
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer its consideration of the UK SI to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to regulate for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme.
12. Draft UK SI The Human Medicines (Coronavirus and Influenza) Amendment (Regulations) 2022
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer its consideration of UK SI The Human Medicines (Coronavirus and Influenza) Amendment (Regulations) 2022 which will amend The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 which govern the arrangements for the licensing, manufacture, wholesale dealing and sale or supply of human medicines for human use.
13. Correspondence
The Committee agreed to consider and agree actions relating to correspondence by email.
14. Forward Work Programme
The Committee discussed its Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Clerk would explore opportunities for the Committee to be updated on Dental Services and GP Services before the end of the mandate.
15. Any Other Business
There was no other business.
16. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Health was scheduled to take place at 9.30 am on Thursday, 24 February 2022.
The meeting was adjourned at 1.45 pm.
Colm Gildernew MLA,
Chairperson, Committee for Health
