Agenda and draft minutes

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To consider the scope, terms of reference and workplan for the review.

(TO FOLLOW)

Scope, Aims & Objectives: It was highlighted that this review was being undertaken in the context of a ‘substantial variation in service’.  This would therefore require the Panel to assess the consultation processes employed by Haringey TPCT in developing the Primary Care Strategy together with the substantive changes actually proposed within the strategy itself.

Agreed:

·        Scope, aims and objectives agreed by the Panel and recommended to Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Panel Co-option:  It was agreed that Maureen Dewar from Haringey PCT Patient & Public Involvement Forum would work closely with the Panel but not formally co-opted so as not to preclude the Patient and Public Involvement Forum from directly giving evidence to the Panel. 

Independent Adviser: The possibility of retaining a specialist independent adviser was discussed by the Panel.  Such a role was considered useful in that it may provide impartial but expert advice that would help to guide and inform Panel decisions.  The Panel has a small budget which it can use for such purposes. A number of individuals are being considered for this role and one could be appointed, with the consent of the Chair, in readiness for the next meeting.

Agreed: 

·        To appoint an independent adviser (with approval of the Chair) and to inform Panel Members.

Member Attendance at Area Assemblies and Public Meetings: It was noted that the PCT have a consultation programme for the Primary Care Strategy which include public presentations at dedicated events and Area Assemblies.  The full consultation programme has yet to be finalised and published, but will include all Area Assemblies and an Equalities Impact Assessment event.  Members were invited to attend these public events to gauge public responses to the Primary Care Strategy and feedback to the main Panel.

Agreed:        

·        Cllr Kober to attend Muswell Hill Area Assembly 23^rd July 7.30

·        Cllr Mallett to attend PCT Public Meeting 23^rd July 2.30pm (Cypriot Community Centre)

·        Cllr Baker to attend PCT Public Meeting 24^th July 6.00pm (Cypriot Community Centre)

·        Members to be informed of other Public Presentations at Area Assemblies and Equalities Impact Assessment Day.

Member Visits to Polyclinic Sites: The Panel discussed opportunities to visit polyclinic sites in Newham and Wandsworth. Possible dates have been agreed with the Newham site (4/5 September) and Wandsworth will be approached also.  It was also suggested that the Panel would like to visit Lordship Lane, this being a proposed ‘super health centre’ site.

Agreed:

·        Dates of polyclinic visit to Newham circulated.

·        Arrange possible visits to Wandsworth and Lordship Lane.

Dates of future meetings:  There was some concern that some Panel Members would not be able to make future planned meetings as these coincided with the Planning Committee meeting.  It was Agreed that the two future meetings (Monday September 3^rd and Monday October 1^st) would start at 5.30 to allow Members to attend both meetings.

Agreed: Time of future meetings 5.30pm instead of 6.30pm.

To receive evidence in relation to the Primary Care Strategy from the following officer from Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust:

·        James Slater, Director of Performance and Primary Care, Haringey TPCT

The strategy plus appendices is attached.

After a brief presentation of the main points of the Primary Care Strategy the following responses were provided to the Panel.

Super health centre/ polyclinic:

·        The term polyclinic has been replaced by super health centre within the Primary Care Strategy for legal purposes on the advice of Department of Health.

Location of super health centre sites:

·        The PCT is close to agreeing financial terms for the development of the Hornsey Hospital site, which will form one of the planned super health centres in Haringey.  It is anticipated that construction will start in September 2007 and services open to the public in 2009.  The Hornsey Hospital site may eventually come closest to representing the polyclinic model as presented in the Primary Care Strategy (in terms of the range of services that will be available).

·        Further developments are planned at The Laurels (clinic) to further integrate primary and community services provided there and to hopefully step the service up to becoming a possible super health centre site (maybe in conjunction with St Ann’s).  Lordship Lane has opened and the PCT are negotiating with services to operate from this site.

·        The physical location of super health centres is one of the key questions within the patient and public consultation process and as such, nothing has yet been finalised.  This being said, the TPCT did have some limitations in the availability of physical sites at its disposal to develop super health centres.  The PCT would look at feedback from the consultation exercise and develop more specific proposals from those.

·        There were some concerns among the Panel that the proposed location of super health centres on current A & E sites would not develop access to primary care services.  Whilst this was acknowledged, this approach was felt to be practicable given that many people would still probably go to these sites in the first instance, irrespective of what services are provide there.

Access to primary care services (GPs)

·        It is not anticipated that further GPs will be recruited as a direct result of the Primary Care Strategy.  It is intended that deployment of further support staff (Nurse Practitioners & Practice Nurses) will develop access to GPs and help to increase capacity of primary care services.

·        The number of compulsory allocations of patients to GPs by the PCT is falling (i.e. where patients cannot register as lists are full).  A fivefold decrease has been reported in recent years. Technically, there are no closed GP lists in Haringey, though some practices operate a British Medical Association formulated policy of “open but full”. 

·        As GPs are independent contractors, the PCT has limited tools available to direct the work of GPs locally.  The PCT did however have a range of commissioning tools/ incentives to that can influence where GPs locate (provision of various practice allowances) and improve the quality of services offered (financial incentives offered to practices within the Quality and Outcomes Framework).

·        Currently no GP practices are open to patients on a Saturday.  It is anticipated that ‘super health centres’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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Monday September 3^rd 5.30pm (Committee Room 3, Haringey Civic Centre)