Board Secretary’s Report
Author:Keith Cox, Board Secretary/Director of Corporate Services
Date:29May 2012 / Version:1
Publication/ Distribution (on completion):
- Executive Team
- Public Health Wales Intranet
- Public Health Wales Internet
Purpose and Summary of Document:
The purpose of this paper is to provide the Executive Team with a report on Public Health Wales’ key governance issues, which includes Board, Committees, corporate, incidences, concerns and Audit Reports.
Date: June 2012 / Version: 1 / Page: 1 of 8
Public Health Wales / Board Secretary’s Report
1Board
The informal Board meeting took place on 24 May 2012. The board received an update on a number of items including Olympic Preparedness; the review of governance arrangements in Cwm Taf Health Board and how the recommendations relate to Public Health Wales; and an update from the Executive Team on the recent Joint Executive Team meeting with the Welsh Government. The Board discussed the National Health Improvement Review and provided their comments and advice on the terms of reference, structure and approach. When completed, the paper will be presented to David Sissling and the Welsh Government. The Board also received a presentation on the Early Years Pathfinder from Dr Shantini Paranjothy. The next step will be to move the project from a pathfinder and into the implementation stage. Dr Judith Greenacre, Nathan Lester and Hugo Cosh presented the ‘tobacco and health in Wales’ profiles which are being published on 27 June 2012. The report provides an update to information published by the Welsh Government and Wales Centre for Health in 2007 ‘Smoking in Wales: Current Facts’.
The next formal meeting will take place on 28 June 2012 and will be hosted by Aneurin Bevan Health Board.
A further Away Day will be held on 11 June where further discussions will take place following the ‘Away Day’s held on 19 January 2012 and 8 February 2012.
Dates of future Board meetings in 2012 are included on Page 8.
2Board Committees
The Audit Committee met on 10 May to sign off the draft annual accounts.
The next Audit and Information Governance Committees will take place on 6 June 2012. The final accounts will be signed off that the Audit Committee meeting.
The next Quality and Safety Committee will take place on 17 July 2012.
3Corporate
Policies
The following policies were approved at the Board meeting on the 26 April 2012:
- Redeployment policy
- Appeals policy (subject to a query raised by the Board)
A Partnership Forum meeting took place on the 21 May 2012 and the following polices were passed for approval:
- Health and Safety policy
- Process for the development and approval of Public Health Wales policies
- Information Governance policy
The following new or revised policies are currently moving through the consultation process:
- Display Screen Equipment
- Exit Interview policy
- Putting Things Right (NHS Redress Act) policy
- Asbestos policy
- Claims Management policy
- Procedure for handling requests for information
- NHS No compliance policy
- Lone working policy
- Recovery of salary overpayments
- Personal Protective Equipment policy
Claims – Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury Claims
Public Health Wales currently has 13 open cases (clinical negligence and personal injury claims only).
Service Level Agreement
A meeting with Velindre NHS Trust took place on the 11 May 2012 to discuss the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Velindre presented a slightly amended version of the SLA, but due to ongoing internal discussions they remained unable to provide feedback on the financial services schedule and agreed to send comments to Public Health Wales as soon as possible.
In terms of cost for the SLA, Velindre explained that they were unable to provide Public Health Wales with any costs until the costs schedule had been agreed by their Executive Team. Velindre indicated that some services would attract a higher cost this financial year; in particular the claims and DATIX service.
This lack of information from Velindre continues to present a risk to Public Health Wales, making it difficult to plan in terms of budget arrangements and difficult to put in place alternative arrangements, particularly for services which been brought in house. As a result, Public Health Wales still has not recruited an Infection Control nurse or an estates manager. This has resulted in delays to the establishment of the project to review Cardiff accommodation and the implementation of the estates strategy.
Velindre agreed that it was more appropriate for the radiation schedule to be dealt with via a separate agreement. This is a reciprocal arrangement and no longer fits with the nature of an SLA for corporate services.
Summary of latest position for SLA 2012-13
Functions/services / InformationHR (to include ESR, Recruitment) / Service no longer required. Director of Workforce and Organisational Development notified Director of Human Resources, Velindre.
Finance and Procurement / Service to reduce to minimum required
Infection Control / Service no longer required – Public Health Wales to recruit Infection Control nurse. Velindre notified on 23.12.11.
Research and Development / Service to continue at similar level
Datix/Risk Management / Service to continue at similar level.
Health & Safety / Service no longer required. Public health Wales to recruit a Health and Safety lead. Velindre notified on 23.12.11
Estates and capital planning / Velindre agreed revised schedule
Fire / Service to continue at similar level
Claims / Service to continue
Legal Services / Service to continue
Radiation Protection / To be dealt with via a separate agreement
Lone Worker Device Survey
Survey questionnaires have been forward to all staff that have a lone worker device. The timescale for the completion of the survey is early July 2012.
H&S Post
A total of 25 applications have been received for the H&S Professional Lead post. The interviews will be arranged for late June early July and Terry Rose has agreed to be a member of the interview panel.
Quality and Safety Annual Report
The Quality and Safety Annual Report is in the process of being drafted and will be forwarded to the July meeting of the Committee.
Putting Things Right – Handling Concerns Annual Report
The Putting Things Right – Handling Concern Annual Report is in the process of being drafted and will be forwarded to the July meeting of the Committee.
Incident Report for April 2012
At total of 93 incidents were reported in April 2012. Information Governance remains the highest percentage. However, work has been undertaken with the Screening Division and it has been agreed that unlabelled vials and labelling errors will be reported on Datix as an Error/Non Incident and all incidents occurring in GP Surgeries/colposcopy suites etc will be captured within this new Datix type code.
The Microbiology Division continue to have incident of reports being sent to the wrong location but it is anticipated that once the LIMS system comes on line this will be reduced due to improved links with local patient administration systems.
During April one critial incident was reported. A LYNX deodorant container found in the laboratory recycling which the Autoclave Technician was bagging after autoclaving. However, as this was a pressurised container it was very fortunate the container did not explode at some point during the cycle or when the load was removed.
Had this container exploded during the cycle the chamber/load would have been filled with small fragments of metal which would have been hazardous to the operator.
Had it exploded when the carrier was removed from the chamber on completion of the cycle this could have resulted in serious injury to the operator.
The Operations Manager was informed and the incident was discussed at both the Bacteriology staff meeting and the Cardiff Laboratory Health and Safety meetings.
Estates
Emergency accommodation pressures
Cardiff area
Public Health Wales has taken on the lease of the ground floor of 14 Cathedral Road. This letting will accommodate the reception for 14, an overflow from the 4th floor and any impending staff that Health Improvement will need to accommodate. The room, once occupied will house approximately 30 staff easily and will include a small kitchen and a large meeting room for general building use.
It will also include an upgrade to the telephone system at 14 to accommodate these additional users.
Asbestos
All Public Health Wales leased sites have now had their annual asbestos materials surveys completed. These reports are now being uploaded into an on line databases housed at Santia. This “Web system” will enable our locality accommodation staff and any contractors they employ access to plans and report detailing any areas containing asbestos, fulfilling our obligations under the law.
St David’s
The routine survey of the St David’s Park site that houses Public Health Wales has found asbestos containing materials in ducting that has the main building heating pipes in it. The area is behind a locked door, all staff have been made aware and the door suitably signed. We are waiting for a quotation for removal before passing this onto the landlords (council)
Asbestos Policy
This has been approved by the Public Health Wales health and safety committee and partnership forum, it will finish Public Health Wales full consultation on June 8th and will be approved as soon as possible after that.
Waste Management Policy
This has been approved by the Infection control group and has some changes suggested by the partnership forum. These mainly are that there should be a separate policy / procedure for laboratory type sites in Public Health Wales and a general policy / procedure for office type Public Health Wales sites. The Facilities Manager is in the process of amending the policy.
Fire Safety Managers Report
The Fire Safety Manager and Board Secretary will shortly be completing the annual Public Health Wales fire audit for shared services. There have been no significant changes since last years report.
There have been no fire incidents reported for this period.
Training
The Fire Safety Manager has started his round of training for this quarter, with sessions booked at Policy Management Unit and Screening sites in North Wales and Swansea. Training sessions are being organised by the POD team and will be published to the Public Health Wales intranet when details are complete.
Public Health Wales Board Meeting Dates 2012
Meeting type / Date / Venue / TimeInformal / 19 Jan 2012 / Unit 1 Charnwood Court, Public Health Wales, Nantgarw / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 23 Feb 2012 / Unit 1 Charnwood Court, Public Health Wales, Nantgarw / 09.30 – 16.30
Informal / 22 March 2012 / Training Room, Bowel Screening Wales, Llantrisant / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 26 April 2012 / Unit 1 Charnwood Court, Public Health Wales, Nantgarw / 09.30 – 16.30
Informal / 24 May 2012 / Council Chamber, Temple of Peace / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 28 June 2012 / Anuerin Bevan Health Board, Mamhilad / 09.30 – 16.30
Informal / 26 July 2012 / Council Chamber, Temple of Peace / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 23 Aug 2012 / TBC (Cardiff) / 09.30 – 16.30
AGM followed by informal meeting / 27 Sept 2012 / Council Chamber, Temple of Peace / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 25 Oct 2012 / Cardiff and Vale Health Board, Llandough / 09.30 – 16.30
Informal / 22 Nov 2012 / Council Chamber, Temple of Peace / 09.30 – 16.30
Formal / 20 Dec 2012 / Council Chamber, Temple of Peace / 09.30 – 16.30
Date: June 2012 / Version: 1 / Page: 1 of 8