Officers’ Meeting 11 May 2018

Notes of SHA Wales Officers Meeting

4pm Friday 11thMay 2018 :    Cardiff

Present: Alison Scouller. Pip Forde Tony Beddow ( and Kathrin Thomas by Webex for items 2 and 4.

 

  1. Notes of last meeting

These were approved

 

  1. Arising
    1. ABMU Arch project and private practice FOI’s

The replies from ABMU LHB were noted. Rather than crafting further FOI’s on the ARCH project it was agreed to seek a meeting with the Chair and appropriate officers of the Board to pursue both matters. Secretary to action

  1. WEC nomination – outcome and implications for 2019

Noted: Mike Hedges had not been successful. Agreed: the next nomination should be a woman and possible candidates were discussed. Agreed: secretary to take soundings about timing and the willingness of those mentioned to be nominated.

  1. Major Trauma Centre (MTC) decision

Noted: The Cabinet Secretary had accepted the advice of the NHS appointed “Expert group” to locate the MTC at UHW. Noted; reports that the Cabinet Secretary was uneasy at the Swansea West motion coming to Conference. Noted: the SHA secretary spoke to the motion at the request of Swansea West.

  1. d) Special measures regime

Recent exchanges between officers re the status of the special measures regime in North Wales and ABMU were further discussed. Agreed:initially, secretary to seek a meeting of officers with Andrew Goodall to seek clarification on  who is responsible for ensuring progress is made; the Director NHS Wales, the Cabinet Secretary, the Chairs of both Boards or the external advisors.

 

  1. Central Council

The Chair reported on matters from the AGM picked up by officers who had met by skype. These included the role of  vice chairs’ roles and SHA’s work programme which would be taken back to Central Council. .

 

  1. Wales Work programme
  2. a) Wales: Kathrin outlined the current position reached’ she will discuss further with local members and come back to officers with proposals.

 

  1. b) Collaboration with Unison or Momentum on Hywel Dda consultation:The secretary reported approaches from both Momentum and Unison members for assistance with involving the public in the Health Board’s consultation about service changes in West Wales. Noted: there was agreement that the Board’s approach seemed to commence with a hospital-centric view of needed changes.

Agreed: i)SHA Cymru Wales to assist both Unison and Momentum in designing or delivering events aimed at informing the public and seeking their views. ii) If the events were “jointly badged” allowing SHA to raise its profile, then SHA would contribute £50 to the costs of room hire. iii) Secretary to contact event organisers to make progress.                   

 

 

  1. c) All member meetings

Agreed:these were needed in 2018; the West Wales event might be one; another might be in Swansea .

 

  1. NHS 70thBirthday

Requests for SHA  involvement had been received from Montgomery CLP (and also the Merthyr Rising event in May). Agreed: secretary to seek further details of both events.

 

  1. Labour Party matters

Welsh Conference report  

The Chair reported on the Welsh Conference. Noted: the SHA motion to reduce the affiliation fees  Welsh Labour charged to socialist societies was successful. The rate from 2019 would be £77. Motions were passed on nursing bursaries and the Independent Living Grant. Conference had agreed to carry out a “democracy review” that would include a re-consideration of OMOV; however the timetable for thiswas imprecise and the leadership contest unleashed by Carwyn Jones decision to step down in the Autumn may be conducted under the electoral college system.  The chair’s full report will be circulated to members and put on the website.

 

  1. Treasurers report: Current position : bank balance of £368 – 89p

 

  1. Legislation watch: nothing to report

 

  1. O.B.

Noted: a) Chair invited to speak at Cardiff Central CLP alongside Vaughan Gething;

  1. b) Rob Poole had been directed towards us by the Director, with his interest and work on mental health. The secretary had followed up the contact, especially in relation to current policy issues related to “parity of esteem”.
  2. c) Officers have been contacted by an MSc student at Cardiff University, about participating in a research study on views on how the Welsh NHS is discussed publicly and how they think this political discourse may be influencing the direction the NHS is heading in. Officers have indicated a willingness to take part.

 

  1. Next officers meeting

June 22nd at 4pm in Cardiff