NOTES OF EVIDENCE

Meeting	Policy Commission for Care Trust Delivery and Health Scrutiny
Ref	He.PC.26/10/05
Date	26 October 2005
Time	18.00hrs
Place	Committee Room 1, County Hall, Newport
Purpose of meeting	Formal public meeting
Attendance	Commission	Cllrs Erica Oulton (Chairman), Geoff Lumley, Roger Mazillius, Colin West, David Whittaker Co-opted Members Mr Robert Jones – Vice Chairman, Primary Care PPIF Mr David White – Vice Chairman, Healthcare PPIF
	Cabinet	Cllrs Dawn Cousins, Andy Sutton
	Secretariat	Cllr David Pugh
	Officers	Ms Louise Biggs - Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Team Mr Andrew Shorkey - O&S Team Ms Sandy Weller, Acting Director of Social Services
	Stake holders	Mr Kevin Dannatt and Mr Maurice Flux, SCIO Healthcare Mrs Jane Wilshaw, Director of Nursing and Patient Care, Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust (IWHNHST)
	Apologies	Cllrs Win McRobert, Margaret Webster
Agenda Items
1. To agree the notes of evidence arising at the extraordinary meeting held on 16 August 2005 and of the meeting held on 24 August 2005 (Papers A1 and A2)	The notes of evidence were agreed.
2. Declarations of Interest.	Cllr Roger Mazillius declared an interest with respect to discussions relating to the provision of affordable homes.
3. To receive a presentation from Mr Maurice Flux and Mr Kevin Dannatt on behalf of the Registered Nursing Homes Association RNHA) and on plans to develop a Continuing Care Community	1. Nursing homes were registered to provide nursing care. Standard care homes could not provide this facility. 2. Student nurses currently received core nursing care training on a 3 month secondment to RHNA nursing homes. 3. Intermediate care was provided by NHS staff coming into the home and working alongside PCT staff. 4. It was currently difficult to supply extra medical intervention (EMI) care due to a core skills deficiency. Approximately 7.5% of Scio Healthcare staff were from Eastern Europe. Two of Scio’s nurses were currently dedicated to the provision of training. 5. Scio were creating a high quality service that was possible through economies of scale. The employment of a catering manager ensures that the differing nutritional needs of residents were met more effectively. 6. To ensure high levels of staff retention it was essential to create a rewarding and stimulating environment for staff with clear advancement opportunities. 7. The uncertainty created by the health integration project was deterring private investment in nursing homes. 8. Forward planning was necessary to provide the mixed economy of care required on the Island. 9. Care at home could become solitary confinement with elderly residents becoming withdrawn from the community. 10. It takes 3 – 5 years to provide buildings once requirements were determined. 11. It was essential that homes were fit for purpose. 12. The care market needs to be managed effectively: nursing homes could not run at half capacity which would lead to closure and subsequently a loss of facilities. 13. The new care village in Godshill would admit residents that conform to prescribed criteria. To ensure appropriate tenancy was maintained properties would be leased under a fixed fee buy-back arrangement. 14. The extra care village would be more efficient than traditional nursing homes in terms of staffing. 15. Assistive technology was incorporated into the care village design. 16. Extra care would be cost neutral for self-funders provided that no more than 25 hours of extra care were required per week. 17. Joseph Rowntree Foundation figures suggest that approximately 140 bed nights could be saved in the local health economy due to the extra care facility. 18. The Nursing Home sector would help to sustain the Island in both care and economic terms. 19. Local barriers on the Island such as a lack of public transport for shift-workers hinder the nursing home industry. There was also a problem attracting young people into the profession due to employment regulations in the nursing care sector. 20. In the last 3 years registered nurse training has doubled. 21. Market reconfiguration will result in initial flexibility in the short-term.
4. To agree comments made to the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust and Primary Care Trust as part of each Trust’s Annual Health Check draft Declaration.	Agreed.
Further discussions	Commission Name 22. Housing was a significant factor in the health and wellbeing of local people. 23. The current name of the Policy Commission did not reflect its broader role with respect to care, health and housing and should be changed to the ‘Policy Commission for Care, Health and Housing’ to reflect this role. 24. Health Scrutiny must be treated separately from Policy Development. Draft Mental Health Bill 25. There was a need to be cautious with respect to legislation permitting the compulsory detention and sectioning of the mentally ill. 26. People with learning difficulties were being tied in with those with mental illness. 27. The Government rejected half of the recommendations made by the Joint Scrutiny Committee of Parliament. 28. The Commission needed to be briefed on the implications of the Draft Mental Health Bill.
Actions	1. Arrange visit to the Elms Nursing Home for Commission members. 2. Invite a representative from mental health to meet with members of the Commission to discuss the draft mental health bill. 3. To amend the name of the Policy Commission at the next meeting of the Full Council.	Overview and Scrutiny Team Overview and Scrutiny Team Overview and Scrutiny Team