Agenda, decisions and minutes

Purpose: To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

No declarations of interest were made.

No declarations of interest were made.

To receive a presentation from representatives of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

A representative of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust will also be in attendance.

That the verbal update be received. 

The Chair welcomed the representatives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and asked them to introduce themselves to the Committee. 

            Geoff Lang,   Executive Director of Strategy, provided background information and context and gave an update from a Health Board perspective, on some of the issues in terms of special measures and the process and progress made so far.  He referred to a detailed report which had been submitted to the Health Board last month, and said this may be of interest to Members,  and gave an outline of what had been done to date and the challenges which lay ahead.  He said there was a lot of ongoing work around special measures and reported on a  number of new and renewed  appointments which had been made to the Health Board. 

            Mr. Lang invited Rob Smith, Area Director (East), to give an update on developments in terms of the local health services provision.  Mr. Smith referred to the need to ensure that the Health Board felt ‘safer’ and more engaged with the local community.  He commented on the need to focus on the development of community services and health and explained that following recent appointments a strong clinically led management team was in place. 

Mr. Smith commented on the partnership work taking place in Flintshire and the  broader objectives around social care in the community.  He referred to the need to ensure that people were not admitted to hospital unnecessarily or stayed longer than necessary and said that the problems of capacity and demand on hospital services were issues  which the Health Board was looking to address.   He commented on the need to treat and care for people either in or as close to their home as possible and referred to the overall care close to home agenda. He emphasised the need for people to be able to receive emergency care immediately when required.   Referring to GP services, Mr. Smith said there was a need for high quality care and greater access to services and commented on the general improvement in primary care to change how services were being provided.

            Karl Hughes provided an update from the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust perspective concerning special measures.

                        The Chair thanked Mr. Lang, Mr. Smith and Mr. Hughes for their presentations and welcomed the improvements that had already been made.  She referred to the questions that had been submitted to the representatives prior to the meeting and the responses that had been provided and suggested that the questions and responses be considered again to allow Members to ask additional questions or make comments. 

                        The comments and questions which were raised by Members of the Committee on the presentation, together with the responses given, are detailed in Appendix 1 (attached). 

RESOLVED:

That the verbal update be received. 

            There were no members of the press or public in attendance.

            There were no members of the press or public in attendance.