North & West Sutherland Local Health Care Partnership

NORTH & WEST SUTHERLAND LOCAL HEALTH CARE PARTNERSHIP

PRESENT: Dr Alan Belbin GP Durness

Dr Anne Berrie GP Scourie/Kinlochbervie

Mrs Lorraine Coe Clinical Nurse Manager

Mrs Sylvia Mackay N&WSCA

Ms Elspeth Anderson Community Rehab Team

Mrs Val Harris Highland Council Social Work Services

Mrs Sandra Sinclair Highland Council Social Work Services

Mr Larry Wilmot Highland Council Social Work Services

Miss Christian Goskirk N&WSCCF

APOLOGIES: Dr Andreas Herfurt Lead Clinician

Dr Cameron Stark Public Health Consultant

Mrs Sheena Craig CHP General Manager

Mrs Georgia Haire CHP Assistant General Manager – Sutherland

Mrs Fiona Duff NHS Highland

Mr David Macmillan NHS Highland – Finance

Mrs Alison Liddell Macmillan Nurse

Mrs Liz Baillie Highland Council Social Work Services

Mr Don Campbell Highland Council Social Work Services

Mrs Anne Mackay CVS North

Ms Lynn Twigger Community Nurse

Mrs Frances Arrowsmith Community Nurse/Midwife

ATTENDING:

1.  MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.

2.  MATTERS ARISING

2.1  Fuel Cards

There was no new information.

2.2  Paediatric Physiotherapy

Elspeth Anderson reported that she had contacted Sheila Lowther, Head of Service – Paediatric Physiotherapy, to ask her to attend a meeting of the LHP to discuss the Paediatric Physiotherapy Service. In response she received an e-mail from Sheila Lowther indicating that due to time constraints etc she would be unable to attend a meeting but would welcome contact from Georgia Haire regarding the LHPs concerns. She had also in her e-mail explained the current configuration of staffing and their roles and responsibilities. Alan Belbin asked that her e-mail be circulated along with the minutes. Lorraine Coe suggested that practitioners contact Sheila Lowther direct to discuss any individual concerns.

2.3  Midwifery Review

Lorraine Coe reported that there will shortly be a meeting between the Sutherland midwives with the Lead Midwife for NHS Highland to discuss the review. The service in this area would appear to be sustainable in the short term, although there are still issues around on-call etc. More information will be available at the next meeting.

2.4  Visits to Bases

There was no new information.

2.5  Highland Council Restructuring

Larry Wilmot provided an update as regards the latest appointments:

Social Work

Community Care Managers

o  Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross – Bob Silverwood

o  Ross, Skye & Lochaber – Larry Wilmot

o  Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey – Brian Robertson

Children’s Managers

o  Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross – Dawn Grant

o  Ross, Skye & Lochaber – Maureen Keough

o  Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey – Kate Birch

Other appointments of potential interest to the LHP include:

Chief Executive’s Office

Chief Executive

o  Alistair Dodds will take over from Arthur McCourt in July.

Corporate Manager

o  Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross - Ian Hargrave

Ward Managers

o  Ward 5 (East Sutherland & Edderton) – Phil Tomalin

o  Ward 1 (North West & Central Sutherland – No appointment

Larry went on to note that Area Committees are being replaced by Ward Forums. The Ward Managers, therefore he felt would have a vital role in Community Planning and linking with the communities. The LHP should therefore he felt make steps to link with the Ward Manager for North West & Central Sutherland when appointed.

In terms of Home Care, Larry stated that it was his understanding that a Home Care Manager covering Highland was to be appointed.

2.6  Sutherland Handyperson Service

Christian Goskirk reported that the Sutherland Handyperson Service will be funded until the end of August ’07 through Highland Council’s Housing Service while discussions take place regarding future funding packages.

3.  GMS

Fiona Duff was unable to attend the meeting but had provided the following information.

Rural Fellow

Rural Fellow interviews are to be held on 17th April in Edinburgh. NHS Highland hopes to get two Rural Fellows for the North CHP, one based in East Sutherland and one in North West Sutherland (Lochinver, Scourie/Kinlochbervie and Durness)

Vaccine Fridges

David Dunn, Caithness Prescribing Advisor will be visiting all the practices in the CHP by the end of May to review their vaccine fridges.

Enhanced Services

Letters confirming Enhanced Services for this year will go out to practices in the next week or two.

4.  RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Health Visitor/School Nurse KLB

The new Health Visitor/ School Nurse will take up post on 16th April ’07.

Practice Nurse

Lorraine Coe reported that short-listing has taken place and it is hoped to interview within the next couple of weeks. It is envisaged that the Community Nursing Team will deliver the practice nursing service in Kinlochbervie/Scourie & Durness; as a consequence the advert has gone out in the form of a community nursing post.

5.  OLDER ADULTS BUSINESS CASE FOR SUTHERLAND (Formerly known as Care of the Elderly)

Larry Wilmot stated that he felt that the re-organisation of the Highland Council provided an opportunity to look again at the Older Adults Business Case. For the document to have any meaning he said it needs to have both NHS Highland and the Council working towards the same ends, as partners and to respect each other.

Sylvia Mackay noted that she has been in touch with Miles Greenford and Cameron Stark regarding information on bed usage from North & West Sutherland Practices. The original document she said contained that information and it would be worthwhile she felt having that updated. Cameron Stark has agreed to do this.

6.  SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE

Alan Belbin made available to everyone a leaflet explaining the new arrangements for booking patient transport in the Highlands and Islands. GPs will no longer book patient transport; patients themselves will now book transport.

7.  FINANCE

David Macmillan was unable to attend the meeting but had made available the following information. It covers the period ending 28th February 2007. North & West Sutherland LHP is forecasting an under-spend of £140,000 at 31st March 2007.

The CHP as a whole is forecast to over-spend by £195,000 with Caithness Acute Forecast to over-spend by £283,000; Caithness Locality to over-spend by 3274,000; Management Costs to over-spend by £5,000; East Sutherland LHP to under-spend by £223,000 and Marie Curie (North Highland CHP now hosts) to under-spend by £4,000 (Highland wide).

8.  PRESCRIBING

There was no new information.

9.  AOCB

There was no other competent business.

10.  DONM

The next meeting of the North & West Sutherland Local Health Care Partnership will take place on Thursday 3rd May 2007 at 12:00 noon in the Ben Loyal Hotel, Tongue.

North & West Sutherland LHP – Minutes 5/4/07 4