Minutes of the first LEHN meeting held on 17thOctober 2013 at City of Coventry NHS Walk in and Healthcare Centre, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry
The meeting opened formally at 6.45pm by a welcome from the Interim Local Eye Health Network Chairman Suresh Munyal (SM)
Present were:
Jag Tomlinson / Area TeamDenise Goddard / Area Team
Harpreet Ahluwalia / Consultant ophthalmologist uhcw
Rosemary Robinson / Consultant ophthalmologist uhcw
Nonavinakere Manjunatha / Consultant ophthalmologist uhcw
Dr Dan Todkill / Cov public health
Nick Cook / Coventry / Rugby CCG
Bob Wright / Coventry Vision Group
Alison Price / Head Orthoptists S Warks
Suresh Munyal / LEHN Chair
Susan Bowers / LOC Coventry
Jason Rice / LOC Coventry
Joy Elwell / LOC Warwickshire
John Breakwell / LOC Warwickshire
Jayne Dunn / LOC Warwickshire chair
Dashak Shah / MD New Medica
Carl Hall / Operations Director New Medica
Ashif Dhanani / Optometric advisor
Jane Kempton / Optometry uhcw
Kaushik Shah / Optometry/Orthoptics principle uchw
Dr Kathryn Millard / Public Health Warwickshire
Anita Munyal
Apologies were received from:
John Linnane / Pub Health WarksMatt Gilks / Coventry and Rugby CCG
Izzi Seccombe / Warwickshire County Council
Linda Collins / Ophthalmology manager - S Warks
Laura Gibson / Head of Elective Care and Cancer Services
Janet Hayes-Hall / Dental LPN
Janette / Area Team
Michael Harris / LOC Coventry Chair
SM presented using a power point slide show and these notes supplement that and the discussion after.
SM explained that we shouldn’t have one person dictating how a service is led in an area and that we need to have a network of stakeholders working towards a common goal.
There are National, Local and Place policies- the latter being more suitable for a specific locality.
The patient must be the centre or core of the service.
If a plan is good, then the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) should take it on and must be part of the process.
John Breakwell (JB) asked if we should join Herefordshire and Worcestershire LEHN.
SM stated that it would be better to work locally initially and then amalgamate when the services were more similar.
Within the area of Arden and Herefordshire and Worcestershire there are 7 CCGs, 6-7 hospitals. The patient demographics are different across this wide area.
Rosemary Robinson (RR) asked whether ideas could be shared across the groups.
SM replied that this was already happening within Local Optical Committees across the area and was a positive move.
Nick Cook (NC) asked how we could stop neighbouring CCGs making a poor decision.
SM replied that it is certainly easier if protocols were similar across several CCGs.
SM stated that we need to raise the profile of eye services within the CCG as currently other priorities are higher.
NC emphasized that it was essential that CCG senior commissioning manager was present at each LEPN meeting.
JB asked why there was no GP on the suggested ideal list of members.
SM replied that this was a good idea although the CCG commissioner would represent GPs. Also, NC is a GP. GP input is highly valued.
RNIB claims that 50% sight loss may be preventable: it’s important to concentrate on avoidable visual impairment e.g. glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, cataract and diabetic retinopathy. Many different groups are involved in eye health as opposed to dental and pharmacy LPNs.
Harpreet Ahluwalia (HA) stated that the impact to trainees needs to be considered when taking new policies forward.
Jag Tomlinson (JT) stated that the LETB should have some input to safeguard the needs of trainees.
RR stated that all training does not have to be done in hospitals.
Denise Goddard (DG) asked whether we could recommend others to the LEPN
SM replied that we could and especially CCG commissioners
NC asked if we could have one CCG commissioner from each of the 3 CCG in the area.
SM replied that this may not be possible but is ideal. It may be better to have a discussion initially and have representation from each.
JB asked what size of group was being suggested
SM replied that we should have representative from each hospital ophthalmology dept, optometrist, CCG from each area and others
Discussion was had about what time to stage future meetings and the consensus was 6.15pm.
HA suggested that the day of the week should be varied.
RR stated that the proposed date of the next meeting was difficult for UHCW ophthalmology.
It was agreed to change the date of the next meeting to 28thNovember at 6.15pm same place as today.
SM will set a small agenda.
RR requested that the agenda be circulated well in advance so that members who will find the agenda relevant can come.
SM agreed.
Agenda ideas on paperwork tonight or email:
Bob Wright (BW) suggested either himself or a proxy could come to future meetings
JT suggested that we should also have patient representatives from other areas/specialities.
Kathryn Millard (KM) asked whether we would consider the whole pathway covered e.g. AMD prevention with smoking cessation advice. She advocated “Make every contact count”
KM stated that it was effective if a professional made the link between AMD and smoking.
RR stated that hospital professionals can help to make the link between eye drops, disease management and adverse consequences if not adhered to such as losing a driving licence.
Nonavinakere Manju (MN) stated that anti smoking clinics can work well in hospitals.
Dan Todkill (DT) stated that a single service pathway from prevention to end can be extremely large and that it may be advisable to divide up the pathway into sections.
SM agreed- different groups can become involved in different pathways that they are more specialised in.
SM requested that the forms regarding expressing interest in becoming future members of the LEPN issued tonight are returned or contact is made via email as above.
Meeting closed.