THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS
WEST MIDLANDS DIVISION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
DRAFT MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 19 JUNE 2015
10.00am – 12.30pm
The Birmingham Medical Institute, 36 Harborne Road,
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3AF
1. PRESENT
Dr G Milner / (Chair)Dr K Achinivu / (Neuropsychiatry Regional Specialty Representative)
Dr I Agell Argiles / (Deputy Regional Advisor)
Dr R Dennis / (Eating Disorders Regional Speciality Representative)
Dr T De / Financial Officer
Mr S Gilbert / (Patient/Service User Representative)
Dr A Khan / (Regional Advisor)
Ms M Long / (Carer Representative)
Dr P Peddu / (Committee Member)
Dr R Rowe / (Forensic Regional Speciality Representative)
Dr M Slowik / (Committee Member)
Dr A White / (Committee Member)
Mrs H Waltham / (Minute Taker)
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Dr G Berrisford / (Perinatal regional Speciality Representative)Dr G Boer / (Intellectual Disability Regional Speciality Representative)
Dr M Bond / (Private & Independent Practice Representative)
Dr R Chandavarkar / (Deputy Public Engagement Officer)
Dr N Gupta / (Speciality Doctor Representative)
Dr F Khan / (Old Age Regional Speciality Representative)
Dr S Routhu / (PTC Representative)
Dr A Roy / (Vice – Chair)
Dr R Scally / (Recruitment Representative)
3. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 06 March 2015 were accepted as accurate.
4. MATTERS ARISING
None
5. PRIORITY SETTING FOR THE MEETING
The agenda order was agreed and no other items were added.
6. STRATEGIC PLANNING
6.1 Chair’s Report
Gabrielle Milner welcomed new members to the Executive Committee and reported the following: -
· The College has opened the nomination window for Fellowships. A good number have applied in the past. We should encourage members to apply for Fellowship. Fellowship of the College is awardedas a mark of distinction and recognition of contributions to psychiatry.
· At the last council meeting, Tom Burns reported on CTO’s. Work at the College on standards of using CTO’s is in progress.
· The College has employed a media company (Wandering Bear) to undertake a communications review. They are also looking to improve the media presence of psychiatry.
· The College have appointed the new Registrar, Dr Adrian James. He will take post at AGM which takes place at the Congress in Birmingham.
7. MENTAL HEALTH ACT TRAINING
The College are keen for the West Midlands Division to undertake Mental Health Act training locally for members. A discussion took place regarding the viability and timing of the first training course. It was agreed that the Division should make arrangements for the first training course to take place in March / April 2016. Division Manager to liaise with Dr Agell with regards to specifics of the programme as a member of the approval panel for Midlands and East.
8. STEWARDSHIP
8.1 Finances
Tamal De reported that the Division continues to maintain a healthy financial balance. Nothing further to report.
8.2 Newsletter
Heather Waltham has enquired with the College website team to obtain information on the number of visitors we receive on the Division webpage. This will include the newsletter page. The e-newsletter is emailed to all division members as a link.
9. POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
9.1 Mental Health Act/Mental Capacity Act
Ignasi Agell informed the Committee that the approval panel had met and discussed difficult applications. He also informed the Committee that the GMC are advising doctors who are taking a year out, to suspend their licence to practice. Unfortunately this will then impact on their Section 12(2) status.
9.2 ETSC
Jayne Greening not in attendance.
9.3 Workforce Committee
There has been no meeting since the last Executive Committee meeting.
10. SUB-COMMITTEES
10.1 Patients’ and Carers’
Steve Gilbert reported that the last service users and carer group had been cancelled by email.
Michelle Long reported that some carers are not comfortable with the constitution of the current service users and carers group. Michelle is also talking at the Congress.
10.2 Public Engagement/Previously Public Education
No representative present
10.3 Medical Directors’
This group is currently not meeting. Contact to be re-established early 2016 to see if this is still required.
10.4 Specialty Doctors
Nidhi Gupta not in attendance.
11. EDUCATION, TRAINING AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
11.1 Education and Training Committee/School of Psychiatry
Abid Khan reported that there is currently a reduction in training posts. Approximately 5 trainee post have transferred to general practice. The interview skills workshop in 2014 was a success and that this should be considered as an annual event.
11.2 Mentoring and Leadership
The first half day meeting took place on 17 June 2015. Skills development, how to spread the work, name of the group and SMART objectives were discussed. Two further meetings are planned for 2015.
11.3 Recruitment
Recruitment of junior doctors was addressed. The question of whether to recruit overseas as recruitment to all posts was not possible. In the first round, only 60% were filled. This is a reduction on last year. However Keele University has seen a n increase in medical students wishing to pursue psychiatry.
11.4 Psychiatric Trainees’ Committee
Sunil Routhu gave apologies and had nothing to report.
11.5 Divisional Academic Meetings
Gabrielle Milner informed members that the next meeting is on 4 December 2015 at the Village Hotel in Dudley. We are currently looking at venue options for the Spring 2016 meeting.
12. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
12.1 Strategic direction of local services – updates from around the Region
The 0-25 service will be delivered by the Forward Thinking Birmingham Consortium. Six organisations led by Birmingham Children’s hospital will work together to provide care for people up to 25 within Birmingham. There is a gradual transition in services to meet the 1 October deadline.
13. ELECTIONS, VACANCIES AND APPOINTMENTS
13.1 Elections
The following executive committee vacancies have been elected:
· Dr Harm Boer – Vice Chair
· Dr Tamal De continues as Finance Officer
· Dr Jayne Greening – ETSC Representative
· Dr Michael Slowik – Executive member
· Dr Nick Stafford – Executive member
These members will take effect at the International Congress.
13.2 Vacancies
· Child and Adolescent Regional Specialty Representative
Emailed to all CAMHS members. Closing date 30 June 2015
· Intellectual Disability Regional Speciality Representative
Emailed to all ID members, Closing date 31 August 2015
13.3 Appointments
No appointments since the last meeting.
14. REPORTS FROM REGIONAL ADVISOR AND REGIONAL SPECIALTY REPRESENTATIVES
14.1 Report from Regional Advisor
The Division is currently running an audit on the time it takes for posts to be approved. Trusts want a quick turnaround. There seems to be an issue with identifying admin support for roles. There is a focus on benchmarks and protocols instead of stating i.e 1 whole time secretary. Some guidance is due to be released.
14.2 Reports from Regional Specialty Representatives
· Academic – Steve Marwaha was absent from the meeting.
· Addictions – Pullical Ravindranath was absent from the meeting.
· Child and Adolescent – This position is currently vacant.
· Eating Disorders – Inpatient units across the UK are currently being audited. Standards do not currently match between the Health Education England and the College.
· Forensic – The faculty are keen to make stronger links with members in the region. This could be with more local meetings. Is this committee involved or interested in research? Maybe a link with the academic representative.
· General Adult – Vijaya Murali was absent from the meeting.
· Intellectual Disability – Harm Boer gave his apologies.
· Liaison – Psychiatric decision units have been developed to stop breaches. There are no beds in the units, rather sleeping chairs. There is currently one unit in the City and one at The Oleaster. It sees patients from crisis groups, accident & emergency and the liaison team.
· Medical Psychotherapy – Jan Birtle was absent from the meeting.
· Neuropsychiatry – Kanu Achinivu questioned whether neuropsychiatry will be commissioned nationally. There is currently a network to support the general hospital with £1/2 million to help reduce the waiting times.
· Old Age – Farooq Khan gave his apologies.
· Perinatal – Giles Berrisford gave his apologies.
· Rehabilitation and Social – Afzal Javed was absent from the meeting.
· Private and Independent Practice – Michael Bond had sent apologies.
15. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The attendance sheet will be distributed to all executive committee members. Any members who have not attended the last two meeting will be asked if they wish to continue, if not, a nomination will be requested to take their place.
15.1 Attendance at Executive Committee Meetings (WM15/01)
Circulated with minutes
16. DATES OF 2015 MEETINGS: -
· Friday, 13 November, 10.00-12.30 –Date has now changed to
Friday 6 November, 10.00-12.30 at the Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham.
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