Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Jeffrey Room, St. Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE.

Contact: Alice Morgan  0300 330 700 e-mail: alicemorgan@northampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcomes, introductions and apologies pdf icon PDF 185 KB

Minutes:

Present: Cllr Oldham (Co Chair CO), Roger Rumsey (Co Chair RR), Cllr Hallam (NBC CH), John Rawlings (Quakers JR), G Simms (GS), Alan Wright (Eastfield Ward Residents Association AW), Tony Mallard (ERA, NFRA TM), Ann Timson (Individual AT), Alice Morgan (NBC AM), Nisha Mejer (NBC NM), Daniel Kane (GPA DK), Jeanette Pidgen (Nene CCG JP), Tamsyn Payne (TP), Cllr King (NBC CK), Liz Carroll – Wheat (VIN LCW)  

 

Apologies: Jacqueline Forrest-Smith, Malcolm Mildred

2.

Minutes and Matters Arising

Minutes:

Minutes were approved.

3.

Daniel Kane - GP Alliance NHS Nene CCG pdf icon PDF 320 KB

Minutes:

DK Chief Executive of GP Alliance – 22 member practices and 27 GP surgeries.

 

The Northamptonshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) sets out how health and social care in the county will change over the next five years.

 

DK would like the thoughts of the Pensioners Forum to help build a more effective workforce.

 

DH: The NCC is trying to get rid of Sure Start centres. No blood tests in villages due to contracts. There is a winter crisis, bed blocking and people cannot get a GP appointment. There are only two nurses in intensive care units. Agency nurses are paid too much.

 

DK: The vision is to work across services and share resources. We need to cut out referral time and release capacity to deal with more urgent matters.

 

A virtual hub has been created in Leicester and there has been a positive start with this so far.

 

JR: The elderly are being referred to hospital to have a blood test taken.

 

DK: We need to recruit more nurses and working closely with the University of Northampton.

 

AW: There is a huge cost for people who miss appointments.

 

DK:  Yes and there is a huge amount of waste on medicine that is unused. Looking into this.

 

DH: In rural areas people do not have access to the internet. There is too much pressure on surgeries and GPs can no longer do visits.

 

BN: How is the GP remuneration worked out?

 

DK: Standard GP surgery based on patients registered. They can work on self-employed basis. Locums are more expensive and can charge £90 per hour.

 

The education and workforce needs to be controlled better. Primary care needs to be reviewed.

 

 

 

 

4.

Cllr Hallam - Cabinet Member for Environment

Minutes:

CH: The Environmental Services are reviewing the current contract. NBC have carried out a consultation and letters have sent out to every household in Northampton asking for feedback.

 

Have had 7,000 responses so far. CH has visited various groups to capture everyone’s view including Residents Associations, Friends of Parks etc.

 

Keen to hear the views of the Pensioner’s Forum and comments will be passed to Marion Goodman, Head of Services. The focus and the consultation is on the Service design as the decision has made as to who will have the contract on the advice by experts.

 

Forum members asked to see the copy of the contract. CH offered to return the Forum meeting to take advice.

 

DH: Expressed his concerns with the current contract with Amey. In his view, there hasn’t been value for money as there have been streets which have been neglected.

 

CO: Once the contract has been finalised, will the public be able to see it?

 

CH: No due to sensitive information.

 

DH: Disagreed with this and not acceptable to have commercial confidentiality in contracts.

 

CH: The man in the street doesn’t care about the contract. People want to see a good service.

 

DH: People want to see value for money. The contracts are inadequate.

 

AW: Advised CH to look at other countries for comparison purposes.

 

MH: Looked at examples abroad and information is being collated.

 

MH: There will be a 10 year contract. It will not be necessary that all elements will 10 years and will look at a penalty system.

 

CO: There is a concern that there was no or little control over the present contract. Need more control of new contract and it is adhered to.

 

DH: Contract officers have to enforce contracts.

 

Cllr Hallam was invited by the forum to return when the contract is near finalisation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Liz Carroll Wheat - Tea Dance and Fashion Show

Minutes:

Tea Dance – 25th March 2-4pm in the Great Hall.

 

Fashion Show – There will be an intergenerational Fashion Show 6th October.

 

 

 

  

6.

Community News Exchange

Minutes:

JP: The issue of healthcare was discussed – people are living longer and the cost of health care is rising.

 

Holocaust Memorial Day 25th and 26th January.

 

AM is leaving the role of Community Development Officer. The Forum congratulated AM for her efforts and wished the best for the future.

 

BN: There has been a newspaper article that house insurance quotes has risen due to increased risk of flooding.

 

AT: 68 year old lady wanted to report a leaking radiator and cannot manage the telephone system.

 

ACTION: CO to deal with this.

 

 

 

7.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

BN: 3500 new homes to be built. Expressed concerns about the infrastructure.

 

ACTION: NM to contact NBC and inform them that the Forum would like to consulted on future developments.

 

 

8.

Suggestions for Items for Future Meetings or Forum Activities

Minutes:

Bus Station.

 

Adult Social Care

 

 

9.

Date and venues of future Forum Meetings

23rd March 2017. 1:30 -4pm.

 

 

Minutes:

March 23rd 1:30 – 4pm The Guildhall.