Members Meeting: December 2020

All members meeting

Wednesday 9 December 2020 7pm via ZOOM

Present: Alison Scouller (Chair), Linda Lewis, Sue Thomas, Tony Beddow (TB), Adrian Sharratt, Jim Rafferty, Brian Gibbons, Fran Griffiths, Judith Roberts, Christine Bryan, Ruth Sharratt, Kathrin Thomas, Hugh Pattrick, David Smith

Apologies: Mike Hedges, John Wilson, Sian Wilson, Uta Clay, Bob Clay, Pip Ford, David Ll Davies, Billie Hunter, Helen Taylor, Kait Duerden

  1. Chair introduced meeting
  2. Minutes of last meeting 9/11/20 agreed
  3. Matters Arising – regarding rule change for devolved matters, this needs to go to UK conference first and then Wales conference. TB suggested that a different motion to Wales conference in support of the principle may be an option.
  4. Treasurer explained that auditors have started auditing accounts. Some officers need to have credentials verified with HSBC before becoming signatories. Treasurer responded to SHA UK who sought some clarification about a payment. Treasurer to supply form for members to submit donations.
  5. Policy discussion. TB reported back on policy report discussed with Vaughan Gething’s special advisors. There are still some issues that need further clarification and discussion, and another meeting has been requested.

Discussion followed on draft Manifesto document.

  • Health Authority and Local Government need to agree regarding social care and include service users
  • Expand on domiciliary care in Local Government with reference to Learning Disability strategy model – possibly reintroduce it plus service model. (Involve Ruth Sharratt and Jim Rafferty)
  • There is guidance already in place about public involvement but need to ensure policies are implemented. CHC’s still have power in Wales – What is their involvement?
  • Use of technology needs to be aware of people being excluded, is evidence based, meets the needs of people, is safe and does not make the mistakes of UK. May be a barrier to care rather than meeting needs
  • NCP Wales conducting a survey on digital in/exclusion
  • Workforce – GP’s only segment of primary care workforce that has stood still over time. Language issues i.e., Welsh, while desirable does not trump the need for a Doctor. People in rural areas, not necessarily populated areas, need to be listened to and engaged with. Increase salaried GP’s
  • Working Together – change ‘Social Care Wales’ to ‘Welsh Social Care’.
  1. Food Strategy – need separate document supported by socialist societies
  2. Update on Working Groups. The three leads explained about progress so far with each group. This work is ongoing and is likely to continue in 2021. Inequalities group has co-opted person from Chinese community. Members are welcome to join any or all of the groups.
  3. Scotland – last meeting 1/12/20 planning a joint meeting 1/2/21 on Social Care. SHA UK, Northern Ireland, Labour members and trade union members to be invited. Julie Morgan MS has agreed to speak for Wales and Monica Lennon MSP to be asked to speak from Scotland. Scotland has Civic Assembly – how does that work?
  4. Alison Scouller and Tony Beddow gave an update on SHA UK all members meeting on December 5, 2020. Almost 100 members from across UK with every branch/ Nation represented. The IT worked well. Consensus that there should be more of these meetings. Confidence in UK officers was very low

Central Council meeting agenda for 12/12/20 shows a commissioned independent financial report – was this paid for?

Brian Gibbons explained re SGM

Sue Thomas highlighted the formation of a new branch in Bristol

SHA UK should be organised more on a federal basis and constitution needs to be amended to reflect this

AS attended Chair and Secretary meeting which was aimed more at networking in England

  1. Future SHAC all member meetings – need to have a mixture of business/learning/social.
  2. AOB – none