Notes of SHA Wales Officers Meeting
4pm Thursday August 23rd 2018 : Cardiff
Present: Pip Ford, Alison Scouller, Tony Beddow (and by Webex, Dr Kathrn Thomas for items 2-5).
1. Notes of meeting 22nd June –These were agreed.
2. Arising
a) ABMU Arch project and private practice FOI’s : noted, a 60 minute meeting with the Chair and officers of ABMU had been arranged for 11th September at 1pm ; Chair and secretary to attend.
b) Letter from Cabinet Secretary: special measures regime: noted, a reply dated 22 August received from the Cabinet Secretary. This was considered and it was felt it inadequately addressed the many issues raised. Agreed: secretary to prepare a draft response for officers to consider and agree.
c) SHA : National issues: officers considered issues arising from the
last Central Council meeting and the forthcoming Central Council
meeting in Birmingham on 1st September.
3. September Central Council
Forthcoming business was discussed. It was felt that the health and well being of “Early years” should be added to the policy work.
4. Wales Work programme
a) N. Wales meeting 1st October, Abergele: progress with this event was
noted and an encouraging level of interest had been shown. The costs
involved were within an acceptable range and confirmation had been
received from national officers that these would be largely covered by
national funds.
b) West Wales consultation and Unison: contact with Unison was being maintained. The current position of the Health Board in regard to the many responses received was not known.
c) Changes in mortality indicators –UK and Wales: noted:: a recent
ONS report suggesting a death rate for the first two months of 2018 running 12% higher than normal. Noted also that life expectancy has fallen in the UK.. The figures were believed to be at the UK level. The comparative positions of England and Wales were not fully understood. Agreed: secretary to write to CMO and the Chef Executive of Public Health Wales to seek comments on i) the implications of the figures overall and ii) the comparative position of England and Wales. Dr Thomas to comment on the first draft of the letter.
d) All member meeting: agreed, the next All member meeting would be in
Swansea. possibly at the Environment Centre, and might repeat the topic
covered in North Wales. This could also be the Welsh AGM in January /
February. Agreed: secretary to consider further
e) UK AGM – 2019 : noted, this will be held in Cardiff
5. Labour Party matters
a) WEC nomination 2019: the current WEC representation of socialist
bodies was noted; agreed, secretary to sound out possible member
interest in seeking nomination should a vacancy occur.
b) Democracy review : meeting with Paul Murphy: noted, Chair and
Secretary are to meet with Paul Murphy on 29th August to present our
views on OMOV (and any other matters) as part of the Phase One
democracy review.
c) Recent issue in media: these were noted.
6. Treasurers report
a) The current position regarding access to national funds was noted; no
issues re this were likely to affect Wales. The current balance was £552-89
with an unpresented cheque for conference fees outstanding..
7. Legislation watch: Nothing to report.
8. A.O.B.
a) Since the agenda was prepared, correspondence from Mike Roberts
(London) had been received noting a number of tenders invited for
health and care services in Wales. Agreed: secretary to make further
enquiries about the status of these and the reasons behind the
advertisements.
b) Arising from the last Central Council meeting where the SHA
processes for developing policy were discussed, Dr Gibbons has commented that SHA Cymru Wales too should formalise its approach to developing policy within Wales – for example by contributing regularly to the Welsh Policy Forum process. Agreed: this tem would be placed on the agenda of the next officers meeting.
c) Dr Thomas raised the topic of ”vapping” and the status of current
evidence about its benefits and dis-benefits in terms of health gain. Noted: further discussion would be useful.
9. Next officers meeting
This was agreed as Friday 19th October at 4pm in Cardiff.