Agenda item - Chair's Communications

The Chair of the Board will start the meeting with a short update on recent developments on health and wellbeing.

4.1         The Chair gave the following communications:

4.2         It is a very small agenda today. As many of you will be aware the recent General Elections meant that the purdah period has restricted our agenda but we did wish to proceed.

4.3         There are a number of members of the public here, which is good to see. Clearly there are issues on today’s agenda which people feel passionate about. Please do note that you are here as observers, not as participants in the meeting. The council has a number of ways for people to ask questions or present petitions to committee meetings – and we have members of the public here today with a deputation. However, we cannot have the meeting disrupted by people shouting out from the public gallery, and I’m sure everyone here today will respect this.

4.4         At each Annual Council membership of the various council committees is reviewed.  I would therefore like to welcome Councillors Dawn Barnett and Nick Taylor to the Board and in addition I would like to thank the following people; Councillors Vanessa Brown and Ken Norman who are no longer sitting with us today.  In particular I would like to thank Councillor Ken Norman who was part of the Board since it was first established in shadow form.  He also noted that Councillor Norman would now be chairing the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee and hoped that the Board would be able to work closely with the committee on a number of matters that would be coming up in the future.

4.5         There have also been changes in attendance with the CCG and I note that this is the last meeting for George Mack.  George will be leaving the area to relocate to London.  George has been involved with Board again from the early days and I am sure we would like to thank him and wish him well in the future.  John Child has been asked to go on secondment to Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust for a short period of time.  John has been a regular contributor to the Board and we thank him.  Lola BanJoko will be attending in his place.  Thank you Lola.

4.6         HOSC are continuing to track the quality and improvement progress of a number of health bodies in the local area.  This includes:

·           Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust

·           South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust

4.7         HOSC will shortly be talking to Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust about their recent CQC inspection and post inspection improvement action plan.  HOSC will be also continuing to look at GP sustainability within our city.  HOSC have also established a working group to look at the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP).

4.8         I’m also aware that the CQC have recently inspected the Bon Accord nursing home in the city and have rated it inadequate.  The council is working with the new management team and an update report will be provided at the next Board meeting.

4.9         The Chair also offered to write to the previous members of the Board to thank them for their time and contribution to the Board’s meetings.