Issue - meetings

To receive a presentation from Carol Williams, the Deputy Chief Officer, and Linda Harper, Chair of the Flintshire Local Committee.   

That the presentation be received.

The Chair welcomed and introduced Carol Williams, Deputy Chief Officer, Community Health Council, and Linda Harper, Chair Flintshire Local Committee, to the meeting.  She invited them to give a presentation on The Community Health Council (CHC): Improving health service for people in North Wales.  The main points of the presentation were:

·         North Wales CHC

·         what the CHC does

·         how the CHC works

·         Flintshire examples of CHC work

·         CHC key points

The Chair thanked the Deputy Chief Officer and Chair of Flintshire Local Committee for their presentation and invited Members to raise questions.

The Deputy Chief Officer raised awareness of the campaign for MRi scans for prostate and said a number of patients had had to fund scans themselves. She advised that the CHC had made representations and people  now had their costs reimbursed.  She added that the CHC continued to support families affected by the Tawel Fan ward.  The Deputy Chief Officer commented on the need for car parking charges at hospitals to be reasonable and the importance of keeping town centres active. Following a suggestion by the Chair of the Committee it was agreed that a letter be sent to the Assembly Members in North Wales prior to the e-petition being considered by the Welsh Government on 13 February urging Welsh Government to intervene to ensure prostate cancer scanning was not subject to a postcode lottery in Wales.

Councillor David Healey commented on the provision of mental health in Flintshire and said it was difficult to form a view.  He felt that either there was a greater awareness or there was a sharp increase in the demand for mental health services.    He asked how the provision for mental health in Flintshire compared with mental health services provided by other local authorities as mental health waiting lists for face to face services were a concern.  Councillor Healey also referred to Parabl and commented that there seemed to be doubt as to whether this organization would continue. 

The Deputy Chief Officer referred to the joint mental health team meeting which had been held between Flintshire County Council  and BCUHB and added that Parabl was a third sector organization which offered talking therapies for people with mild to moderate mental health problems.  She acknowledged there was a long waiting list for some mental health services and said this was an ongoing issue.  She added that following discussions between the Chair of the Health Board and the CHC, the Chair of the Health Board had agreed to provide more information regarding Mental Health Services within BCUHB.

The Chair of the Flintshire Local Committee referred to the special measures imposed on the Health Board and said mental health was a contributing reason.  She agreed that the description “patchy” in terms of mental health provision in Flintshire  was relevant at both primary and community level.  She reported that the Vice Chair of the Community Health Council was leading on Mental Health and anticipated that more positive news would be reported in the next 12 months.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51