Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2021.

RESOLVED –

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 4 March 2021, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the Agenda

There were no declarations of a party whip.

LA total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee. Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public wishing to make a statement are asked to provide notice at least three working days in advance of the meeting.

There were no members of the public present who wished to speak.

To receive an update on the redevelopment plans for Leighton Hospital.

The committee considered a presentation on the Leighton Hospital Redevelopment Master Plan, which provided an overview of the major financial and resource challenges faced by the Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to upkeep and maintain the current hospital buildings, and the positive case for the proposed new development.

Members were advised that the government, in addition to the original promise of 40 new hospitals, had notified that a further bidding process for another 8 hospitals would be undertaken; Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would be bidding for Leighton Hospital to be one of these.

Members asked questions and put comments in relation to;

·           the clear long term benefits that the new proposed design would achieve for patients, staff and residents;

·           what extent the proposed development would improve efficiencies within services, reduce patient waiting times, and improve overall patient care and wellbeing;

·           whether the design proposals had taken into account future population growth and other potential changes in the future healthcare needs and demands of the local population;

·           the Trust’s relatively new A&E Department facility and how this would be used within the new hospital site; and

·           that it would be beneficial if the Trust secured support and commitment from Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – as the main provider of mental health services in Cheshire East – on the design implications for service users with mental health and wellbeing issues, learning disabilities and/or other sensory conditions.

RESOLVED –

That the committee support and endorse the proposed Leighton Hospital Redevelopment Masterplan, and a formal letter of support be provided by the committee to Mr J Sumner to confirm this in writing.

To consider a further (verbal) update on the development of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System, proposed to come into effect from April 2022.

The committee received an update on the development of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System, legislated by government to come into effect from April 2022.

Members asked questions and put comments in relation to;

·         concerns about the benefits and effectiveness of the Integrated Care System format, compared to the present set up and management of health authorities;

·         concerns about the fairness and equity of the funding to be distributed between the regions/areas of Cheshire and Merseyside;

·         how the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System would take decisions and determine proposals on financial and/or serve arrangements.

RESOLVED –

That the update be received and noted.

To receive a verbal update on the council’s response to and recovery from Covid-19.

The committee considered its standing update on the work undertaken by the council to respond to, and recover from, the Covid-19 pandemic. The update provided information on the vaccination programme, test and trace programme, and situation in care homes.

Members asked questions and put comments in relation to;

·         how the council had adapted its communications to continue the take up of vaccinations in Cheshire East;

·         what variants, if any, had been found in Cheshire East to date;

·         the work undertaken to support and engage with BAME and other underrepresented communities; and

·         the availability of the Moderna vaccine.

RESOLVED –

That the update be received and noted.

To receive an update on the work undertaken by the council and partners in relation to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding.

Report to follow.

The committee considered an update on the impact Covid-19 had placed on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding cases, and the forthcoming change to Liberty Protection Safeguarding and what this would change would mean in practice for the council and partners.

RESOLVED –

That the update be received and noted.

To discuss how the work of the committee will transition into the committee system and confirm how any outstanding items of business would be managed.

The Scrutiny Officer updated members on how this committee’s remit and scrutiny functions would be transferred into the incoming committee system.

The committee discussed its work programme and noted that no outstanding items of businesses remained to be transitioned to one of the new committees in the committee system.

RESOLVED –

That the update be noted and received.

To consider the council’s Forward Plan of key decisions.

The committee considered the council’s Forward Plan of key decisions.

RESOLVED –

That the Forward Plan be noted.

To review the work programme.

The committee reviewed its work programme and the outstanding business scheduled for its final meeting on 6 May 2021. It was noted that the annual Quality Accounts from the three Hospital Trusts would not be ready for this meeting and, as no other items of business were brought forward, the Chairman proposed that the meeting be cancelled due to a lack of business on the agenda.

Members also raised concern regarding the lack of updates provided by NHS England and Improvement in respect of the review and provision of specialist orthodontic and oral surgery services in Cheshire East.

RESOLVED –

1          That the committee’s meeting on 6 May 2021 be cancelled due to a lack of available business.

2          That the Scrutiny Officer contact NHS England and Improvement to raise the committee’s concerns regarding specialist orthodontic and oral surgery services in Cheshire East.