DRAFT

WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICES NHS TRUST

MINUTES OF THE CLOSED MEETING OF THE TRUST BOARD HELD ON

15 MAY 2014 AT VPH CWMBRAN

MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mick Giannasi
Mike Collins
Mike Coupe
Emrys Davies
Pam Hall
Judith Hardisty
Sara Jones
James Mycroft
Elwyn Price-Morris
Patsy Roseblade
David Scott
Jonathan Whelan
Martin Woodford
/ Non Executive Director and Chairman of the Board
Director of Service Delivery
Director of Strategy, Planning and Performance
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Director of Workforce and Organisational Development (OD)
Director of Quality and Nursing
Non Executive Director
Chief Executive
Director of Finance and ICT
Non Executive Director
Interim Director of Medical and Clinical Services
Non Executive Director
TRUST BOARD REPRESENTATIVES:
Sally Bruce
Nigel Heal
Nathan Holman
Mick Jose
Steve Owen
Dawn Sharp / Corporate Communications Manager
Staff Side Representative (RCN)
Staff Side Representative (GMB)
Staff Side Representative (UNISON)
Corporate Governance Officer
Corporate Secretary
APOLOGIES
John Morgan
Bernardine Rees
Bleddyn Roberts / Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Staff Side Representative (UNITE)
20/14 / PROCEDURAL MATTERS
The Interim Director of Medical and Clinical Services informed Members that It should be noted that he also worked for ABM HB and the Chairman asked for it to be noted.
The Chief Executive provided Members with an update on an issue that concerned a number of the Trust’s Community First Responders (CFR) in terms of the recording of disclosure checks. The Trust had arranged for this issue to be risk assessed and scrutinised with regard to the governance arrangements surrounding the procedure for safeguarding records. The Board was given assurance that appropriate steps had now been taken to ensure that any CFR volunteers whose Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks could not be verified would not be deployed pending verification of the required documentation.
The Director of Workforce and OD Judith Hardisty, informed Members of the procedure the Trust followed regarding the completion of documentation in terms of the Disclosure Barring Service.
RESOLVED: That
(1)  the standing declaration of Mr Emrys Davies be noted; and
(2)  the assurances provided by the Executive Team in respect of the CFR DBS checks going forward be supported.
21/14 / HIGH RISK VALUE CLAIMS
It was agreed that due to a technical issue and inability to secure an effective communication link for the Trust’s Claims Manager to present the report it was not possible for this paper to be discussed.
The Director of Workforce and OD, Judith Hardisty added that the documents should not be patient identifiable and clarification should be made with regards to the details surrounding employment of staff within the Wales Air Ambulance.
RESOLVED:
That the consideration of the High Risk Value Claims report be deferred.
22/14 / NATO SUMMIT MEETING UPDATE
The Director of Service Delivery Mike Collins, provided Members with an overview of the significant demand that was to be placed upon the Trust in terms of the provision of services during the period of the Summit. In order for this to be planned effectively he asked that the Board consider placing a restriction on annual leave for a two week period commencing 26 August 2014 and the possibility of training to be postponed.
He further added that following discussions with the Scottish Ambulance Service they had agreed to provide additional support. Further details in terms of the logistics would be provided to Members at the next meeting.
Members further discussed the financial implications involved in terms of the funding, governance and the issues surrounding the significant resource implications.
RESOLVED: That
(1)  the current progress and the future requirements and expectations of the Trust be noted;
(2)  discussions take place with Welsh Government (WG) to determine if additional funding will be made available to support additional activities;
(3)  an internal review of the Clinical Contact Centre (CCC) & ICT business continuity plans to address concerns regarding potential cyber attacks on critical systems (as seen in Chicago in 2012) be approved; and
(4)  the offer from Scottish Ambulance Service and NARU (National Ambulance Resilience Unit) to provide mutual aid assets to the Trust to support the Summit arrangements be accepted.
23/14 / EMERGENCY SERVICES MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMME (ESMCP)
The Director of Finance and ICT provided the Board with an update on the above programme and provided background information as to how the programme had progressed up to this point.
The existing contract provided by Airwave (ASL), which is the current communication the Trust uses between its control rooms and ambulances through a digital radio network via masts was due to expire in 2019. The new system was expected to cost less than the current system used by the Trust.
The Director of Finance and ICT, Patsy Roseblade further added that with regard to the procurement of the project a range of cross diversification of personnel would be needed to support the project due to the complexity of it.
Following further discussion there was general agreement to support the procurement process.
RESOLVED: That
(1)  the Trust being part of the UK wide Emergency Services Mobile Communication Programme be supported;
(2)  with WG support, the Trust continue to fund the ESMCP through the Emergency Services Network (ESN) Procurement phase;
(3)  the resource of a Trust ESN Programme Team for the duration of the ESMCP Programme be approved;
(4)  the request from the Department of Health to share resource and support in areas of common benefit such as technical design, testing and implementation be approved;
(5)  the two areas that were outside the scope of the ESN namely the control room infrastructure and mobile data systems be noted and it be acknowledged that the Department of Health were leading on developing these areas for English trusts and therefore the Trust needed to be an active member to ensure costs savings and delivery of services fit for purpose; and
(6)  a Governance structure for reporting, approval and funding arrangements be developed with WG and the Department of Health.
24/14 / DIGNITY AT WORK
In 2013 the Trust, supported by the DHSS division of WG had commissioned an appraisal of the Trust in respect of dignity at work. The outcome of the appraisal had previously been circulated to Members of the Board and referred in development sessions.
Noting the Chairman’s comments in opening the item for discussion in respect of transparency and the fact that normally this particular sensitive matter would be dealt with in the public domain, the Board noted the intention that the report was to be published with a plan to continue to address the issues raised, linked to the transformation programme and a communication strategy was being developed.
The Director of Workforce and OD, Judith Hardisty confirmed that following discussion with WG it was anticipated that the necessary commission would be put in place to enable publication of the report in June.
RESOLVED:
That the report be received and the timescale in respect of the publication of the Dignity at Work Analysis be supported.

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