Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Ms L Collinge (Ms E Lewis substituting), Mr E Pope and Mr F Cassidy.

There were no changes to membership to note.

Members are invited to disclose any disclosable pecuniary interest they have in any item on the agenda which comprises

1          Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

2          Details of any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses.  (This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

3          Details of any contract which is made between you (or a body in which you have a beneficial interest) and the authority

            (a)     Under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and

            (b)     Which has not been fully discharged.

4          Details of any beneficial interest in land which is within the area of the authority. 

5          Details of any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the authority for a month or longer. 

6          Details of any tenancy where (to your knowledge)

            (a)     The landlord is the authority; and

            (b)     The tenant is a body in which you have a beneficial interest.

7          Details of any beneficial interest in securities of a body where

            (a)     That body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of the authority; and

            (b)       Either –

(i)        The total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or

(ii)       If that share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which the relevant person has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.

In addition, you must also disclose other non-pecuniary interests set out in the Code of Conduct where these have not already been registered.

Note

A “disclosable pecuniary interest” is an interest of a councillor or their partner (which means spouse or civil partner, a person with whom they are living as husband or wife, or a person with whom they are living as if they are civil partners).

There were no disclosures of interest made for this meeting.

RESOLVED,that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting during consideration of any items on the agenda.

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 November 2021 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2021 be agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

To consider a report by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (copy enclosed).

Members received update reports and a presentation to examine the progress which had been made in relation to the Trust CQC Improvement Plan following the outcome of the CQC Inspection that took place in April 2021.  The presentation given to members focused on the Recovery Support Programme (RSP) Improvement Programme.

The Director of Communication gave an update on the Trust’s position with regards to the New Hospital Programme, the latest Covid figures and the effect of the pandemic on the hospitals and staff absence, and outlined the latest No Right to Reside figures.  Members were informed that the Trust had declared a Critical Incident Level 4 in order to get the help and support needed but were advised that this had been stepped down recently to Level 3. 

To conclude the Director of Communication advised additional investment had been made to Cumbria’s Adult Social Care capacity, allowing agency involvement, but warned that this would be a challenge when the funding stopped.  Partnership working was taking place to mitigate this.  It was agreed that this issue be picked up by the re-formed, re-scoped Cumbria Health and Adult Task and Finish Group.

The Director of Governance outlined the context of the papers, explaining the robust reporting processes that were in place and the various governance arrangements to check and challenge, expressing confidence there was due diligence in place.  A member expressed concern on delays caused by the audit regime but was assured that this was not the case and the right governance infrastructure was in place.  The Trust were currently customising the Good Governance Institute Model, making it bespoke to their organisation. 

The Executive Chief Nurse updated members on nursing staff and arrangements in place.  A member raised concerns on staff recruitment and retention and whether there was scope to do more to assist with this.  The Executive Chief Nurse outlined the Workforce Plan, attracting as many people to the system as possible and highlighted the work that was taking place with other Trusts and partners on this. 

The Programme Direct - Recovery Support Programme then took members through the presentation.  The presentation included progress made with plans and workbooks with all work streams, the updated RSP Programme Dashboard, management and reporting of the Exit Criteria, developments with the communication strategy, deployment of additional resource and next steps to be taken.

Members, in discussion, asked for confidence that the Trust was on target to meet the deadlines as there was timescale slippage between the reports that had been submitted to the Improvement Board in December 2021 and February 2022.  Members also questioned whether a through lesson learned exercise had been undertaken to avoid old practices re-emerging.  The Director of Governance acknowledged the slippage over the winter period, reported that some of the target deadlines had not been realistic but these had now been corrected and that the Trust was on target to meet the October deadline.  The Director of Governance said the whole exercise was a “journey not a destination” and had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

To receive a report by Senior Manager, Integrated Care Communities and Community Services Development, Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group (copy enclosed).

Members received a presentation that provided a progress update of Morecambe Bay CCG’s and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust’s consultation on service change for the Service re-design for South Lakeland which took place across the south Cumbria footprint from 15^th November – 31st December 2021.

The Senior Manager, Community Services Development and ICCs and the Associate Director for Nursing and Rehabilitation Therapies for the Integrated Community Care Group outlined the case for change, the consultation options and the rationale for option 3 (redistribution of resource into community staffing and a range of complimentary services with no Langdale Unit beds at Westmorland General Hospital) and the approximate cost of this. 

In discussion, members spoke in support of option 3.  The officers outlined work taking place around falls prevention encouraging delay and prevention and were encouraging a Champion Role to take this work forward.  Involvement at community level was discussed with a suggestion of partnership working with other organisations for monitoring purposes.  It was further suggested to utilise community networks in existence due to Covid, volunteers and social care students.  The Chair advised on a neighbour scheme being considered in Cumbria.

Members thanked the officers for their report.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

To be confirmed.

The next meeting of the Cumbria and Lancashire Joint Health Scrutiny Committee was to be held in September 2022 – exact date to be confirmed.