Officers’ Meeting 28th August 2012

Notes of SHA Wales Officers MeetingTuesday August 28th 2012  

 

  1. Notes of last meeting – July 2012

These were agreed

  1. Arising
    1. Review of Cardiff meeting and drafting of SHA response to WAG approach

It was felt that this had been a worthwhile event. Several key issues had emerged which could usefully be shared with the Minister. These included:

  • the need to see care system in the round
  • acceptance that the evidence supported the further centralisation of major trauma, (but needs to have air ambulance cover incorporated within NHS) and complex surgery (but requires the Welsh Government to ensure adequate transport arrangements to service these new centres
  • service changes forced largely through medical staff shortages could not be justified; instead there is a need to have in place robust training and retention policies that are geared to service need, aggressive approaches to the planning for staff, and a flexible reward strategy that recognises the need to fill posts. The wider issues to do with European-wide supply of clinical staff also need further attention
  • the wider use of non medical staff to lessen the pressure on doctors has a part to play, as has the fresh look at the extent to which non training medical grades should be further developed
  • the need to understand that the public cannot as easily compute the benefits of any centralisation driven by arguments based on increased/maintained quality as they can the dis-benefits or reduced access/increased travel time and costs
  • the need to ensure that primary and social care are both able to support the revisions suggested?
    1. Proposed West Wales event

It was agreed not to proceed with this. Instead, we should contact all members

  • especially those currently working in the NHS – to seek feedback on the way re-configuration was proceeding in the different parts of Wales

In terms of future events, forthcoming legislation on Social Care and Public

Health was noted. The interest in inequalities in the City and County of

Swansea might also merit discussion.

 

Action: Alison agreed to sift through the current membership list to seek to update it and identify members by Health Authority area. Philippa to research further information about the legislative timetable; Tony to discuss with Swansea councillors any interest in having a meeting re “Spirit level” issues.

 

  1. National Council

Tony reported on the last national Council and the policy document that had emerged from this meeting (now on the SHA web site). Alison would attend the Manchester Council meeting.

  1. Co-ops

David Smith had asked for the officers to consider the role that co-operatives could play in the refashioning of health and social care and Tony reported on work done since the last meeting in this regard. It was agreed that in principle the cooperative approach had much to offer, but that it was sometimes seen as an easy option for outsourcing by those who knew little of its history and philosophy. It was agreed that a short paper on key issues be requested.

  1. Meeting with Minister

The meeting was now fixed for 1530hrs Thursday next with three issues to be discussed:

  1. ensuring Wales: England NHS performance data was not wrongly compared to Wales disadvantage
  2. ensuring clinical skills and professionalism was not lost during service reconfigurations
  3. exploring the rationale for the use of the private and voluntary sectors in delivering direct patient/client services.
  1. AGM arrangements

It was agreed to hold the AGM in March.

  1. AOB
  2. a) The treasurer reported on current finances: £26.50 had been raised at the Cardiff event
  3. Next meeting

October 18th 4pm at Sarne