URGENT BUSINESS AGENDA ITEM 11A

BOROUGH OF POOLE

HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

11TH OCTOBER 2005

PROPOSED COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THE ANNUAL HEALTH CHECK RELATING TO POOLE PRIMARY CARE TRUST, DORSET HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST, DORSET AMBULANCE NHS TRUST, POOLE HOSPITAL NHS TRUST

1.PURPOSE

1.1To propose formal comments from the Borough of Poole Health Scrutiny Committee for inclusion in the Draft Declaration relevant Health Trusts which must be submitted by the 31st October 2005.

2.DECISION REQUIRED

2.1That the Committee endorse the proposed comments which were drafted by members of Health Scrutiny Committee following presentations by the Poole PCT, Poole Hospital NHS Trust, Dorset NHS Healthcare Trust and Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust (written information considered only no presentation) on 7th October as follows:-

1.Poole Primary Care Trust

Poole Primary Care Trust works proactively and effectively to improve health outcomes and services through its joint work with the Borough of Poole and other Partners.

As part of its programme, the Health Scrutiny Committee has been involved with Poole Primary Care Trust in a series of initiatives designed to promote health and particularly to reduce health inequalities. This work has been underpinned by the appointment of a joint Director of Public Health for the Borough of Poole and the Poole Primary Care Trust and the development of effective data sharing between these two organisations and other partners. Major initiatives include reducing the harm caused by smoking and tackling childhood obesity.

The Poole Primary Care Trust is working actively with the Local Authority to progress patient and public involvement and to ensure consultation with local residents leads to service improvements. There being good examples of joint work on both the children and Young People’s agenda and Older People’s issues.

2.Dorset Health Care NHS Trust

The Borough of Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee has appreciated Dorset Healthcare Trust bringing forward its proposals for service change and redesign and there is continuing consultation in relation to one specific service.

3.Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust

Dorset Ambulance NH Trust has shared its self-assessment with Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee. At this stage there are no comments to make as the Committee has not covered any of the Trust work in its Programme but plans to do so in the coming months.

4.Poole Hospital NHS Trust

Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee welcomes Poole’s Hospital’s pro-active approach to reducing the harmful effects of smoking. Poole Hospital has presented its self-assessment to Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee and plans are in hand to include more issues of particular relevance to Poole Hospital Trust in the Committee’s work programme in the coming months.

3.BACKGROUND/INFORMATION

3.1Members are aware that the Health Care Commission has created an entirely new approach to assessing and reporting on the performance of NHS Trusts.. The Annual Health Check replaces star ratings from this year and requires NHS Trust to produce yearly self-assessments. As part of the Annual Health Check, performance will be measured by reference to 24 Core Standards identified by the Government.

3.2Under this new approach PCTs and Trusts will be asked to inform the Health Care Commission of its assessment of how it is performing against those standards over the period the 1st April 2005 until the 31st March 2006.

3.3As it is a new system, the Health Care Commission is conducting an early process in October 2005 where Health Trusts are required to give an early version of their statement about how they are performing (a Draft Declaration) for the period 1st April 2005 and 30th September 2005. In addition Patient and Public Involvement Forums, Strategic Health Authorities and Local Authority Scrutiny Committees are being invited to make comments on the performance of relevant Trusts at both the draft stage in October 2005 and the final declaration in April 2006.

3.4At its meeting on the 7th October 2005, Members of Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee received presentations from Poole PCT, Poole Hospital NH Trust, and Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust and written information only on Dorset Ambulance NH Trust to assist the Committee in making comments for inclusion at the draft stage of each Trust’s declaration. The proposals for formal comments are set out for consideration in paragraph 2.1 above.

3.5Health Scrutiny Committees are asked to make comments only in relation to the work they have undertaken from April to September 2005. The following sets out the items considered by Poole’s Committee in relation to each Trust:-

(a)Poole Primary Care Trust

The Committee has considered the following areas since April 2005:-

  • Smoking in enclosed places
  • Health Inequalities
  • Local Heath Plan
  • New community pharmacy contract
  • Dentistry
  • Patient and Public Involvement in health and health services

This relates to the Government’s Core Standards of C22, C23, C14, C16, C17 and C23.

(b)Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust

The Committee has considered the following areas since April 2005:-

  • Older People’s Mental Health Services
  • Redesign of Treatment, Outreach and Rehabilitation Services (TORCH)

This relates to the Government’s Core Standards of C17.

(c)Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust

The Committee has not considered any of the Trust’s areas since April 2005.

(d)Poole Hospital NHS Trust

The Committee has considered smoking in public places since April 2005.

This relates to the Government’s Core Standard C22.

3.6In the case of the presentations on 7 October, a number of issues were identified for inclusion in the Committee’s work programme as follows:

  • Infection control
  • Privacy and dignity on hospital wards
  • Guidelines for pre-scrutiny
  • Emergency admissions to General and Psychiatric Hospitals

It was considered that the inclusion of these items would lead the Committee to be able to comment further in March 2006 as Trusts complete their final declaration for 2005/6.

Tim Martin

Head of Legal and Democratic Services

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