PHW 4:1
Public Health Wales
Second Meeting of the Public Health Wales Board
Friday 11 December
Ground Floor, 14 Cathedral Road, Cardiff
11.00am – 5.00pm
Present:
Prof Mansel Aylward / Chair, Public Health WalesDr Carl Clowes
Dr Jo Farrar
Mr Bob Hudson
Professor Simon Smail
Mr John Spence
Professor Gareth Williams / Board Member, Public Health Wales
Board Member, Public Health Wales
Chief Executive, Public Health Wales
Board Member, Public Health Wales
Board Member, Public Health Wales
Board Member, Public Health Wales
Mr Keith Cox
Mr Steve Ham
Ms Eleanor Higgins
Dr Cerilan Rogers
Ms Karen Wright
Ms Julie Lake / Acting Board Secretary, Public Health Wales
Interim Financial Advisor, Velindre NHS Trust
Executive Administrative Manager, Public Health Wales (Secretariat)
Professional Advisor, Public Health Wales
Associate Director, Workforce and Organisational Development
PA to Chief Executive, Public Health Wales
Mr Chris Lines
Dr Tony Jewell
Dr Hiliary Fielder
Mr Mark Dickinson / Director of Communications, Public Health Wales
CMO, Welsh Assembly Government
Director, Screening Services, Public Health Wales
Director of Planning and Service Development, Public Health Wales
Apologies:
Mr Nathan Jones / Planning and Performance Manager, Public Health Wales (Secretariat)1. / Welcome & Apologies for Absence
1.1. The Chair welcomed all those in attendance to the second Public Health Wales Board meeting.
1.2. Apologies were received from Nathan Jones.
2. / Declarations of Interest
2.1. There were no additional declarations of interest by the Non-Executive Directors from last meeting.
2.2. Steve Ham and Karen Wright declared an interest for Velindre. The Board agreed this would be taken as standard for each meeting.
3. / Minutes from Public Health Wales Board meeting held on 26 October 2009 (PHW 2:1)
a) Approval of Minutes
3.1. The Minutes were approved as an accurate record of the meeting.
b) Actions Arising
3.2. There were action points arising from the meeting on 4 August 2009
PHW 1:1 - Heads of Agreement wording to be amended.
· Completed. The final version to be circulated to Board members.
PHW 1:2 - Terms of reference for safeguarding/ child protection to be included in future Board meeting papers.
· The TOR are in the process of being finalised. They will be included in future papers.
PHW 1:3 - Chair to provide detailed briefing to Board at subsequent meeting on child protection work.
· An update will be provided under agenda item 4 and a draft scoping document will be tabled at the February meeting.
PHW 1:4 - Mike Usher to send Wales Audit Office report on sickness absence management and details of mental health services review to the Chair.
· The Chair confirmed he has received these documents.
PHW 1:5 - Paper on how Public Health Wales will engage with stakeholders to be presented at future Board meeting.
· A paper is in the process of being drafted and will be presented to the Board at a future meeting.
PHW 1:6 & 1:13 - Public Health Wales Board meeting venues to be proposed.
· Board members to note paper PHW 2:10, which proposes that future Public Health Wales Board meetings are to be held across Wales in LHB premises.
PHW 1:7 - Indemnity letter to be sent to Non Executive Board members.
· An indemnity letter is in the process of being drafted and will be sent to Board members shortly.
PHW 1:8 - Public Health Wales to adopt all Wales HR policies once finalised.
· These policies will be presented to the Board for approval once they have been finalised.
PHW 1:9 - Informal Board meeting dates to be proposed.
· Paper 2:11 proposes the dates and venues of future informal Board meetings.
PHW 1:10 - Amend Naming and Branding Strategy target audience section to include GP’s and other primary care workers.
· The Naming and Branding Strategy, which has been tabled under item 13, includes the above amendments.
PHW 1:11 - Second Board meeting to begin at 1.00pm.
· Due to the agenda it had been agreed to begin today’s meeting at 11.00am.
PHW 1:12 - Interim Financial Advisor to confirm date that accounts need to be signed off.
· The accounts timetable is still not clear. The interim Financial Advisor will report back at the February Board meeting.
PHW 1:14 - Date of Public Health Wales AGM to be proposed.
· Dates for the AGM are currently being sought.
PHW 1:15 - Board members to complete disclosure of interest and new starter forms and return to Board Secretary.
· Board members were reminded to complete the forms.
PHW 1:16 - Further information on travel and subsistence to be provided to Board members.
· Will be addressed at item 9.
PHW 1:17 - Chair to provide Board members with copies of papers being drafted for National Advisory Board.
· Paper that went to National Advisory Board on 1000 Lives Campaign is included in today’s papers – PHW 2:18
PHW 1:18 - Clarification to be sought on what information Public Health Wales should provide in the Healthcare Standards Improvement Plan.
· Bob Hudson and John Spence attended a meeting about the new standards and found that the proposals for next year are more generic and will allow Public Health Wales to apply them more easily.
4. / Chair Update
4.1. The Chair tabled a paper detailing the new Cabinet, as chosen by the new First Minister (PHW 1:21)
4.2. The Chair noted that he was pleased Edwina Hart and Gwenda Thomas retained their Ministerial positions.
a) Child Protection
4.3. The chair provided an update on the work he is doing looking into the arrangements that support safeguarding children within the NHS.
4.4. The Chair has attended the last two meetings of the Safeguarding Senior Officials Strategy Group, in his capacity as advisor to the Minister
4.5. The Chair confirmed he will be meeting with a cross section of children’s charities, to discuss their concerns regarding the structure of the NPHS/Public Health Wales and its ability to provide the strategic lead for safeguarding children within the new NHS.
4.6. He also confirmed he will be meeting with the Children’s Commissioner, to hear his concerns and brief him on Public Health Wales’ role.
4.7. Following the recent HIW report, ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Wales’, Public Health Wales is required to produce an action plan for presentation to HIW. The deadline for this is 20 December 2009.
4.8. The chair emphasised the need for the Welsh Assembly Government to nominate a lead to co-ordinate the responses.
4.9. A Non-Executive Director must be nominated as responsible for Child Protection issues. The Board agreed to discuss this during lunch.
4.10. Professor Simon Smail expressed concern over Public Health Wales taking on a bigger role following the review. He asked for clarity over the role of Public Health Wales.
4.11. A scoping paper is being prepared to detail the Terms of Reference and the extent of the review.
4.12. The Chair confirmed that Dr Cerilan Rogers will be taking the lead on the Child Protection Service and Safeguarding in Public Health Wales
ACTION: Forward scoping paper to Board members for their information.1
b) Occupational Health and Primary Care Services
4.13. The chair informed the Board that the Minister for Health and Social Services has asked him to lead a review into Occupational Health Services in Wales in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Welsh Assembly Government.
4.14. This review follows the report of a previous Task and Finish Group which the Minister convened to take forward the One Wales commitment to “explore opportunities to place occupational health services on a statutory basis in Wales”.
4.15. The review will look at how best to provide a national occupational health service in Wales and what one should the look like.
4.16. The report defined occupational health as Occupational health aims to maximise the health gains of being in work, ensures a safe environment for work and removes barriers to allow individuals to realise their potential whilst at and, on returning to work.
4.17. The Chair noted the completion of the NHS Health and Wellbeing review in England by Dr Steve Boorman. The UK Government has endorsed this review.
4.18. The Minister has also asked the chair to include in the review the Primary Care Support Service (PCSS).
4.19. The PCSS provides counselling and support services for healthcare professionals (excluding optometrists) and is hosted by Public Health Wales. It receives a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government which has been agreed annually. The review will consider funding issues.
4.20. The Minister has agreed to fund the PCSS for one further year from April 2010 pending the outcome of the review into Occupational Health services in Wales.
c) Self Care Board
4.21. The Chair informed the Board that the Minister has also asked him to Chair an Expert Advisory Board on Self Care.
4.22. Nominees to be on the Board are being considered and TOR are being agreed.
4.23. The first meeting will be in January 2010.
d) Review of Supporting People (Housing Related Support)
4.24. The Chair informed the Board that the Minister for Housing has asked him to conduct a review of the Supporting People initiative.
4.25. The Supporting People programme seeks to enable vulnerable and disadvantaged people to gain and retain independence by remaining in their own home.
4.26. Terms of Reference and support arrangements are being discussed. The Chair will report to Board members in more detail at the next Board meeting.
4.27. The Board all agreed this was an important area of work which links into Our Healthy Future.
4.28. Gareth Williams declared an interest through WHIASU.
e) Health Literacy
4.29. The Minister for Health and Social Services has requested that work should be undertaken to scope the issue of health literacy.
4.30. There is evidence that a health literate population is key to improving health and well being and in helping people to access and use health services effectively.
4.31. The Chair is conducting some initial scoping work and will report back following the conclusion of this.
f) Meetings with staff
4.32. The Chair and Chief Executive are continuing to visit staff in all parts of Wales and are struck by the level of expertise within the organisation and the calibre and commitment of staff.
g) BMA Transfer of Staff
4.33. The BMA are continuing to investigate whether there is a legal basis for the transfer of staff from Velindre NHS Trust to Public Health Wales NHS Trust.
4.34. They are pursuing this issue with the Welsh Assembly Government.
4.35. The BMA have issued a letter to their members explaining the investigation and the issues they have.
4.36. John Spence questioned what practical implications this could have. The Chair clarified there would only be an issue if it went to judicial review and an injunction was enforced. It could also possibly impact on negotiations of changes in job descriptions.
h) Primary and Community Services Strategy (PHW 2:2)
4.37. Document PHW 2:2 was included for information. This has been approved by the Ministerial Advisory Board, National Advisory Board, Bevan Commission and the Cabinet.
4.38. The strategy brings a closer focus to locality based thinking.
4.39. The Board requested more practical information.
ACTION: Circulate further documents on Primary and Community Services Strategy to give more practical information.2
4.40. The Board had many questions about this document and requested it be looked at in further detail at a future meeting.
ACTION: Include agenda item at future meeting on the Primary and Community Services Strategy. 3
ACTION: Invite Dr Chris Jones to present to the Board.4 / EH
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5. / Swine Flu Update
5.1. Due to the overrun of the previous agenda items Cerilan Rogers will prepare a paper giving an update on Swine Flu in the next week.
ACTION: Provide a paper on the update for Swine Flu5 / CR
6. / Outline Business Case for the Modernisation of Mammography Services (PHW 2:3)
6.1. Hiliary Fielder presented on the Outline Business Case for the Modernisation of Mammography Services.
6.2. The Board agreed to support the Outline Business Case in principle.
6.3. The Board were invited to ask questions about briefing papers 2:19 (AAA) & 2:20 (Newborn Bloodspot) potential new screening programmes.
6.4. Set up funding has been indentified for these new screening programmes.
7. / Our Healthy Future (PHW 2:4 and 2:5)
7.1. Dr Tony Jewell presented on Our Healthy Future and the CMO report for 2008, which is now available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.
7.2. Following the presentation the Board raised the following:
7.2.1. There is a need to empower people within their communities. Local and national institutions need to engage with localities and empower people.
7.2.2. Public health can make a difference by working closely with minority groups.
7.2.3. Public Health Wales can lead a national programme of leadership over a longer-term period.
7.2.4. Social marketing can get people convinced about what can be done.
7.3. The Board noted Our Healthy Future and expressed very strong support of the work the CMO is taking forward.
8. / Transitional Programme Framework & Business/Operational Planning
8.1. Mark Dickinson discussed the Transitional Programme Framework (PHW 2:16) and the Business/Operational Planning (PHW 2:17).
8.2. The papers are for information and the next step is for the Chair and Chief Executive to agree how these will be led and discussed further with the Board.
8.3. The paper on Business / Operational Planning (PHW 2:17 was agreed and approved by the Board.
8.4. The Board need to develop a mission and a strategy as a whole, working with the Executive Directors. The whole organisation should be consulted.
8.5. The Board requested a timetable for paper 2:17.
8.6. Carl Clowes asked how the Welsh Language Plan and Scheme will be prepared and implemented in the absence of a Welsh Language Officer.
8.7. The Board agreed the importance of Public Health Wales appointing their own Welsh Language Officer.
ACTION: Take forward the development of a Welsh Language Scheme and ensure funding is retained for a Welsh Language Officer.6 / KC