Minutes:
The Chair noted the need to pursue the issues raised during the meeting. The Chair commented that there are matters that need to be dealt with that may not be directly linked to West Herts Hospital Trust and that they need to consider how, going forward, they receive information from other bodies.
Cllr Guest commented that today's meeting had highlighted that there are other issues away from West Herts Hospital Trust and Herts Valley CCG and that these items can be addressed in other ways away from the Committee. Cllr Guest noted that items can be raised at the HCC Health Scrutiny Committee and that all members can raise issues with the relevant portfolio holder. Cllr Guest commented on the officer time that is taken up with scrutiny, which also comes at a cost, and suggested that a message could be sent to DBC members regarding how issues not related to West Herts Hospital Trust or Herts Valley CCG can be raised.
Cllr Guest noted that West Herts Hospital Trust and Herts Valley CCG representatives were not in attendance and asked if the Committee had outlived its usefulness given that the relevant people that they wish to scrutinise had not attended.
The Chair referred to the approach that the Committee had agreed upon regarding the branch surgery closures and queried how this would have been reached without the Committee, adding that Cllr Maddern formally reporting the damp issues in Gade Tower ensured that this was noted and will be reported back on.
Cllr Hollinghurst noted the importance of the Health Scrutiny Committee and advised that they need to acknowledge that it doesn't have any statutory powers. Cllr Hollinghurst commented that there is a willingness for public health professionals to liaise in a formal manner with the borough, adding that the Committee remains a formal channel of communication and continues to be valuable.
Cllr Maddern agreed with Cllr Hollinghurst's comments, noting the importance of continuing with the Committee and the need to explore other areas within health, such as pharmacies and dentists.
E Glatter suggested that closing the Committee would be detrimental and that they need to continue to have a presence. E Glatter noted the importance of having a strong voice and suggested that this can be provided by the Committee, adding that they need to be clear with representatives what the Committee requires of them.
The Chair commented that the Committee has no statutory rights and suggested that it can only note issues. E Glatter stated that they can lobby and raise issues to HCC. The Chair suggested that they will need to consider a way forward for issues such as West Herts Hospital Trust. The Chair referred to Cllr Guest's comment regarding the use of resources to run Committee meetings, stating that they appear to have now gone backwards as no representatives are speaking to them, though it remains a Committee to bring issues to and formalise them. E Glatter commented that there are a number of other areas to comment on, such as mental health and community health, and that the population of Dacorum would want the Committee to continue given the importance of the subject.
Cllr Maddern referred to E Glatter's comments, stating that they owe it to the people of Dacorum to continue with the Committee and scrutinise what is happening with health in the borough. Cllr Maddern stated that if people are refusing to talk to them then they can still put out statements to highlight that representatives declined to comment or refused to attend the meeting.
Cllr Beauchamp noted that the Committee has a duty of care to its residents. On the use of resources, Cllr Beauchamp suggested that meetings continue to be held virtually as this may also encourage representatives to attend.
Cllr Allen commented on the steady closure of West Herts Hospital and how prevalent an issue this is within the community, noting that the Committee needs to fight to preserve any health services that remain at the hospital. Cllr Allen suggested that they would need to accept that the hospital has gone and they should therefore focus on which services they are able to maintain.
Cllr Allen agreed with Cllr Beauchamp's comment regarding online meetings and suggested that this would remove a barrier to engagement. The Chair suggested that scrutiny committees can continue to meet virtually. Cllr Beauchamp agreed that the Committee can continue to meet online as it is not a statutory committee.
Cllr Guest commented that representatives had been given the opportunity to join virtually and had chosen not to.
The Chair stated that he was in favour of noting that representatives had been invited to attend and had chosen not to be in attendance.
E Glatter asked if representatives could be invited to the meetings to discuss a specific item rather than to attend on a general basis. The Chair suggested that he had heard they would not be attending well before it was decided what they would discuss with them.
Cllr Maddern noted that David Evans is now an Executive Director at Hertfordshire Partnership University Trust and suggested that they invite him as he has attended in the past.
Cllr Beauchamp commented that the ICB is the overarching authority and agreed that they need to have specific items to discuss so they can look at who is within the localised Integrated Care Partnership who could answer the Committee's queries and concerns. Cllr Beauchamp noted that he now has the names of particular individuals for the HCC Health Scrutiny Committee agenda and that he would ask Dee if the slides could be provided to the Committee so they can approach representatives directly.
The Chair referred to E Glatter's previous presentation regarding the provision of healthcare in Hemel Hempstead and suggested that a document should be set up to set out what the Committee feels should be done. The Chair recommended that E Glatter set up the document and that the Committee would then provide scrutiny.
Cllr Beauchamp commented on the lack of budget and suggested that little money would come out to meet requirements. The Chair stated that they needed to make a start on this and consider what the Committee wants to see in Hemel Hempstead by setting out realistic objectives.
Cllr Guest agreed that E Glatter should work with colleagues to put together a vision for healthcare in Dacorum and that this then be brought back to the Committee for scrutiny. Cllr Guest suggested that this would be a positive vision and stated that the vision would need to strategic, measurable, achievable, realistic and within a set timescale. It was stated that the vision should be brought back to the Committee at various stages for scrutiny.
E Glatter advised that a vision was provided to the Committee and noted the number of services that are being outsourced, stating that the ICB are now looking at how to handle these as the contracts will come up in 2024. E Glatter advised that she would circulate the slides to allow the Committee to consider further.
The Chair asked JWebb to recirculate E Glatter's presentation. The Chair suggested that E Glatter resend this to JWebb for circulation.
The Chair apologised for the shortness of the meeting, though he noted the importance of the discussions regarding the Gadebridge and Boxmoor branch closures and damp issues in Gade Tower and that he was pleased they had been brought to the attention of the Committee.
Cllr Hollinghurst commented on the strength of the discussion and thanked members for their support.
Cllr Maddern confirmed that she would be putting together a folder of all problems in individual flats and the whole of Gade Tower and asked if a copy should be sent to the Committee. The Chair asked that this be shared.
The members thanked Cllr Hollinghurst for his contribution over the years.
Actions:
- JWebb to invite David Evans to attend meetings.
- E Glatter to circulate slides from ICB.
- JWebb to recirculate E Glatter's presentation.