Annual Report 2006-2007
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1 Annual Report 2006-2007 Membership information and a summary of the activities undertaken by the Pembrokeshire Community Health Council 1st April 2006 to 31 st March 2007 2 CONTENTS Subject.................................................................................................... Page Number Contact Details ...........................................................................................................3 The Chief Officer’s Report.......................................................................................4 Membership Changes ...............................................................................................6 CHC Staff.....................................................................................................................6 Membership Schedule ..............................................................................................7 The Committee Structure .........................................................................................8 Membership/External Representation...................................................................9 Council Member’s Participation in Meetings and Events ...............................10 Member Attendance at Council Meetings ..........................................................11 Accident & Emergency Services Report ..............................................................12 Acute Services Report .............................................................................................13 Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Services Report .................................14 Primary Care & Community Services Report.....................................................15 Monitoring Visits.....................................................................................................16 Financial Statement .................................................................................................17 A Vision for the Future ...........................................................................................18 “The People’s Vision”.............................................................................................18 Complaints Advocacy .............................................................................................20 The NHS Complaints Procedure...........................................................................22 Mission.......................................................................................................................25 3 Pembrokeshire Community Health Council Contact Details Address: Suite 2, Cedar Court, Haven’s Head, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, SA73 3LS Telephone: (01646) 697610 Fax: (01646) 697256 Email: [email protected] Website: www.patienthelp.wales.nhs.uk/pembrokeshire Chairman: Mr Geoff Wright Vice-Chairman: Mrs Christine Roberts Vice-Chairman: Mr Barrie Woolmer Chief Officer: Mr Ashley Warlow Office Manager/ Personal Assistant: Mrs Moira Jenkins Complaints Advocate: Ms Donna Coleman* (*Ms Coleman is not regularly based in the local office) 4 THE CHIEF OFFICER’S REPORT alternative plan, ably supported by Barrie Woolmer and Geoff Wright in The past year was dominated by the our many stakeholder meetings. Acute Services Review exercise, a Equally I would thank the CHC’s project initially labelled “Case for informal ‘Transport Group’ Change” and which was subsequently comprising Cllr Henry Jones, Gary published by the Welsh Assembly Hicks and Stan Spinner for their Government as “Designed to Deliver”. significant study work to support the alternative option that was developed. Dialogue on the subject began via a These members did much research on Project Board, with a late invitation to travel times and distances within West the CHC to participate, and then our Wales and referenced proposals to the resignation after attending just one Wales Spatial Plan. This all served to meeting. The media publicity which highlight the rural situation of surrounded the topic at this time also Pembrokeshire and in so doing then resulted in an increased tension and admirably complemented our friction between the CHC and this alternative proposal. Project Board. There were numerous media articles. Subsequently that Following subsequent discussions situation was resolved and we moved within the Pembrokeshire LHB and forward constructively. the Project Board it was ultimately decided by the Minister for Health and In due course, in co-operation with the Social Services that a new Planning Pembrokeshire LHB we were pleased Forum should be set up to look again to facilitate a series of public meetings at the delivery/reconfiguration of across the County on the ‘Designed to acute hospital services across the three Deliver’ proposals for change. These counties of West Wales. Our CHC is meetings took place through the represented on that new Forum and its summer months of last year when meetings are to be held in public. The more than 3,000 people attended, this progress of this Forum will be a key probably the largest turn-out to a component of the Pembrokeshire CHC series of public meetings in the county work plan this year and into next. for very many years. The two options that were being proposed, both of Additionally during the year we which would involve service changes facilitated a consultation exercise with at Withybush General Hospital, were Health Commission Wales upon firmly rejected and the CHC was proposals for changes to Adult given a mandate to develop a third Neurosurgery Services in South and option. We did this in association West Wales. with representatives from key stakeholder groups and delivered our There was significant public alternative entitled the “People’s opposition here and elsewhere to the Vision” to the Pembrokeshire LHB on suggestions that were being made to the 28 th July 2006. Separately, a transfer these specialist services to proposal to merge the three Trusts in Cardiff. Following this consultation West Wales was also firmly rejected the Minister asked Health by the public. Commission Wales to rethink its proposals. I must particularly thank Christine Roberts for her work on this 5 Early in the year we had also formally both of these organisations. Similarly conducted two consultation meetings, we would thank the Ambulance Trust one in the north of the County and one and its Locality Officer for also in the south, to look at a small number regularly attending and supporting of service changes that were being Council activities. proposed by the Pembrokeshire & Derwen NHS Trust as it developed We were particularly pleased to have South Pembrokeshire Hospital and been invited and to have sent looked also at the introduction of representatives to the Trust’s Annual some cost saving measures. These Conference in late 2006 and more changes were all accepted. recently welcomed an initiative where we attended a joint seminar with The Council held two internal Review members of the Trust Board and of the Day events, one in June and one in Pembrokeshire LHB Board. We all December, both of which proved very share a collective vision for sustaining successful. We reviewed our Standing and improving healthcare and Orders and Terms of Reference and associated services for the patients and also held an internal Performance public here in Pembrokeshire and Review following the standard format working together, and understanding implemented by the Board of CHCs in each others business, is paramount to Wales. We have introduced CRB achieving that goal. We hope to have checks and almost all of our members more such joint events in future. are now registered. Our Chairman continues as a member of the Wales Members have continued to work Board of CHCs. Additionally we lead together superbly well, and without the Dyfed Federation of CHCs. These the input and support of everyone this are both important activities. Council would not be nearly as successful as it is. I will particularly A number of members attended the thank the Chairman and the two Vice- HPE Training Day in mid-year and Chairmen, and the Chairman of each then also participated in our detailed of Council’s sub committees. We are HPE inspection visits to both the old only a small organisation from an and new Tenby Hospitals and to administrative perspective, but we Withybush General Hospital. have set some high standards. We continued to attend Board Last year was probably the busiest meetings of the Pembrokeshire & year that there has ever been in terms Derwen NHS Trust and the of time commitment and members Pembrokeshire LHB; it is pleasing to attended many of the consultation see that a number of members also meetings which were described regularly attend these meetings as earlier, in addition to the many special observers. meetings and the group meetings that were held with stakeholders. We are pleased that the Chairman and the Chief Executives and other senior There was also the intense activity staff of both the Trust and the LHB through August when Council regularly attend and support our launched a petition seeking support public meetings and include the CHC for the ‘People’s Vision’ as an in other aspects of its business. We are alternative way forward for acute involved in a very wide range of healthcare services in Pembrokeshire. workgroups and committees within This culminated in our attendance at 6 the Pembrokeshire County Agricultural Show and by the end of that week we had obtained 15,000 signatures of support from local residents. As Chief Officer I