Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes from the previous meeting

E Glatter questioned the production of written minutes.

Chair questioned the possibility of producing written minutes for EGlatter

Action: JWebb to raise with democratic services.

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies received from Kevin Minier, Councillllor Bhinder, Maddern, Elliot and Smith- Wright.

Councillor Greenfield substituted on behalf of Councillor Hannell.

Councillor Weston and Pringle were absent

To receive any declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered -

(i)            must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent

and, if the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest, or a personal interest which is also prejudicial

(ii)           may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter (and must withdraw to the public seating area) unless they have been granted a dispensation.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests, or is not the subject of a pending notification, must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and prejudicial interests are defined in Part 2 of the Code of Conduct For Members

[If a member is in any doubt as to whether they have an interest which should be declared they should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer before the start of the meeting]

The chair delcared that she is a nurse at the Hertfordshire NHS Trust

An opportunity for members of the public to make statements or ask questions in accordance with the rules as to public participation

The following question was read out by Philip Aylett:

Question

What is the target date for the NHS to publish its clinical strategy in respect of the proposed Hemel Health Campus, and what arrangements have been made for engagement on that strategy and the Strategic Outline Case for the Campus?

Answer

Toby Hyde informed the committee that in line with previous commitments the plan is to consider the clinical model for the facility as part of the strategic outline case – which will be completed by December 2025. 

The new programme director has now been appointed to lead this work and will commence in April. 

The following questions were submitted by Steve Day

1 A letter is written to the person in charge of Wes Streetings New Hospital program review putting across Dacorum councils objection to the current scheme in Watford instead of a clear site elsewhere.

2 To give the voting electorate a clear view of where their elected officials stand for the committee (or maybe full council) to run a survey asking district, county and MP's to clearly respond to one of these 3 options.

   1 Who today supports ONLY a market square "health centre" in Hemel Hempstead

   2 Who today supports a market square "health centre" in Hemel Hempstead PLUS an acute Hospital re-build in Watford

   3 Who today supports a market square "Health centre" in Hemel Hempstead PLUS an acute hospital and other facilities on a centrally located site NOT in Watford.

3 The leader of the council stated that the NHS "made a strategic business case AND an outline business case" and that the NHS came to a decision (relating to proceeding with a re-build of Watford hospital) in May 2022. This is the link to that statement https://youtu.be/zc-A7kY2VVc?t=3499

This is factually incorrect. To date the trust has NOT completed an outline business case. This is evidenced here https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/our-hospitals/investing-in-our-hospitals/background where the board meeting papers for the 31st of May 2022 states " Clarity on preferred options is needed to be able to complete the outline business case which is due to be submitted for a decision on funding later this year or in early 2023"

This outline business case has to my knowledge never been completed and if it exists has not been published.

I would like the chair of the health committee to recognise that the leader of the council misspoke / or misled the full council and that the minutes for the full council meeting are updated to show that the NHS has NOT completed an outline business case.

The chair read out the questions and a discussion took place among the committee members concluding with the following points noted.

Answer: The chair responded. A written question submitted by Steve Day on 2^nd December was read out in full by the chair to the committee. The committee were given the opportunity to respond. The chair indicated that she had received one written response. The question required responses from all district, county and MP's.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report as published with agenda.

Chris Fennell introduced the item and discussion took place around the contents of the report as published with the agenda.

DSoutham confirmed that the HCC Prevention Investment Programme(PIP) allocated a grant of 1.2 million per year for the next three years are available for all Hertfordshire district and borough councils to bid for and the amount of the bids are not yet known. 

Dacorum will be submitting bids as part of the collaborative bid approach with delivery partners including the, Pricmary care Network (PCN), Voluntary and Community Sector and Everyone Active as part of their community outreach programme.

Diane Southam said that as far as the purpose of the report and the Council is concerned this is about health and wellbeing being embedded across Council services, from the Active Wellbeing Strategy to the Arts Wellbeing programme and all council activity that supports residents health and wellbeing.

Chair informed committee that the new director of public health will be attending the next meeting.

Chair reiterated that Health and Wellbeing is embedded into all services.

Cllr Patterson raised a query about the Healthy hub services being across Dacorum.

CFennell informed the committee that there are plans for some of the services to visit the small villages in the future.

As published with agenda

No discussion under this item.

Chair asked committee to share any ideas for potential working groups that could be established in relation to any areas of Health and Equalities across Dacorum.

Action: Chair to research the possibility of a ‘Health and wellbeing open day’ 

Toby Hyde provided details that Mount Vernon Cancer Hospital – which provides specialist cancer service to approx.2.2 million people, is currently facing issues with infrastructure and is not currently supported by a tertiary cancer hospital.  

A consultation is expected to launch later in 2025 which will propose the relocation of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to the Watford General Hospital site.  The consultation is expected to include a number of options for locating the LINAC radiotherapy machines, which could be located at Watford, Stevenage or Luton.  The main facility under all options will be based at Watford General Hospital. 

Co locating to the Watford site creates positive opportunities to share services and infrastructure with the main hospital.  University College London Hospitals are due to take over running the service.

Toby Hyde offered to feedback to the next committee on progress.

No report received.

Acrion: Chair to follow up with Cllr Smith-Wright about report

No report recieved

Action: Diane Southam to liaise with chair regarding future agenda items.

Another Healthy hub update will be bought to the meeting.

The director of public should be attending the next meeting

Next meeting is scheduled for the 18^th June