Agenda item

To receive a report on the proposed response to the findings and recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Coordination and Finance Committee's Scrutiny Task and Finish Group on Emergency Care in North Tyneside.

A report was received on Cabinet’s proposed response to the report of the which presented the findings and recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordination and Finance Committee’s Scrutiny Task and Finish Group on its study into Emergency Care in North Tyneside.

On 27 November 2023 Cabinet received a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordination and Finance Committee’s Scrutiny Task and Finish Group on Emergency Care in North Tyneside.  This Scrutiny Task and Finish Group was specifically established to take forward the matters set out in a motion regarding Emergency Healthcare, which had been agreed by full Council on 16 March 2023. 

At its meeting on 12 June 2023 the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordination and Finance Committee agreed specific Terms of Reference for the work of the Task and Finish Group.  These Terms of Reference set out the detailed objectives which the Task and Finish Group would seek to achieve through its work in scrutinising Emergency Healthcare in North Tyneside, pursuant to the motion passed by full Council in March 2023. 

In detailed preparatory and fieldwork sessions undertaken during September and October 2023, the Task and Finish Group:

a)   received and considered detailed information on emergency healthcare and urgent treatment prepared by the Director of Public Health and Public Health Team, the Director of Adult Social Care, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Integrated Care Board (North East and Cumbria)

b)   hosted initial evidence gathering and scrutiny session with senior officers from the Authority and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (with information also provided at this session on behalf of the Integrated Care Board)

c)    undertook a site visit for the Task and Finish Group to North Tyneside General Hospital (Rake Lane), North Shields

d)   undertook a site visit for the Task and Finish Group to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH), Cramlington

e)    held a concluding session (all Task and Finish Group members being invited) for evaluation of evidence and formulation of findings and recommendations.

The full report of the Task and Finish Group setting out the evidence on which its findings and recommendations were based was presented to Cabinet on 27 November 2023 and summarised in this report. 

Having considered the findings summarised in the report, and the evidence base on which the Task and Finish Group had prepared its recommendations, Cabinet had indicated that it was minded to agree all recommendations made by the Task and Finish Group.  Accordingly, Cabinet was recommended to formally agree the proposed responses to the recommendations, as set out in the Appendix to this report; and to authorise the Assistant Chief Executive, Director of Public Health, Director of Adult Social Care and Director of Regeneration and Economic Development to deliver the proposed actions set out in the Appendix to this report as soon as reasonably practicable.

The Mayor noted that Cabinet fully endorses and accepts the findings of the Task and Finish Group and notes the action plan to take the recommendations forward where possible.

It was noted that it was hoped that the new regional Mayor may be able to help with the transport issue between the two hospitals.

The report was welcomed and Cabinet were happy to agreed the proposed actions.

The Mayor thanked those who had taken part in the task and finish group.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to either approve the recommendations as set out in section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not agree the recommendations.

Resolved that(1) Cabinet’s proposed responses to the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordination and Finance Committee’s Task and Finish Group on Emergency Care in North Tyneside as set out in the Appendix to the report, be agreed; and

(2) the Assistant Chief Executive, Director of Public Health, Director of Adult Social Care and Director of Regeneration and Economic Development, be authorised to take all necessary steps to deliver the proposed actions set out in the Appendix to the report as soon as reasonably practicable.

(Reasons for decision: This will allow the Authority to progress the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group, based on the evidence set out in the Task and Finish Group’s report, in accordance with Cabinet’s wishes.  This will also fulfil Cabinet’s responsibility to formulate a response to the Task and Finish Group’s report, in accordance with requirements of the Local Government Act 2000.)