Notes of Officers meeting 21st January 2015
Present: Alison Scouller, Pip Ford, Tony Beddow
- Issues arising from the AGM
- a) Agreed: submit motion to Wales Labour Conference re NHS Wales offering salaried option for GPs.
- b) Seek meeting with Andrew Goodall re making progress on salaried option.
- c) Secretary to amend original 10 steps document as an archive version .
- d) Seek meeting with Richard Lewis (BMA) re salaried option.
- e) Draft letter to go members re pursuing a more federal structure for SHA.
- Report back from Central Council
Alison reported on:
- a) A debate on a paper largely concerned with the English NHS; Wales suggested some amendments
- b) A change was agreed to the SHA Standing Financial Instructions re claiming expenses for meetings
- c) Some constitutional changes were considered – for example to reduce the number of vice chairs from 4 to 1; but it was recognised that these were a matter for the AGM
- d) There was a proposal to set up a working group to do some forward policy planning but this was opposed by the Director and did not go forward
- e) Brian Fisher and the Director were to produce 10 messages for use in the election campaign.
- f) The Chair reported back on the results of the teleconference to explore the use of mediation / consultancy to help address the discontent concerning the governance and management of the SHA. Noted; the Chair’s conclusion that the reasons for discontent had now been addressed and Barry Brown’s view that the officers were “on probation”.
- Forthcoming AGM
- a) Secretary to email all members re their right to seek office.
- b) Agreed: SHA Wales would submit constitutional amendments to: keep four vice chairs and clarify their roles; allow Wales, Scotland and England / UK to affiliate to any political party that offered the best route for creating a socialist NHS. Also, to propose that the AGM rotate between England, Scotland and Wales.
- c) Noted: SHA Wales had been advised that it could not submit evidence to the Assembly Health committee re primary care as it was seeking views of invited bodies only; Dr Gibbons had challenged this and a reply was awaited.
- Next Officers meeting
Agreed: this would be on March 11th in Cardiff and we will try to extend this to all members via Webex ; secretary to alert all members and seek topics for discussion.
- Finance report
The balance in the bank was £534-39p – with conference fee of £84 to be paid.
- Legislation report
Pip’s summary of legislation going through the Assembly was noted: agreed, it should be lodged on the main web site.
A future meeting (after the election) might include Ruth Hussey talking on the public health Bill
AOB