Issue - meetings

To note the progress against the Overview and Scrutiny work programme for 2014-15, and the reports from Overview and Scrutiny Panel Chairmen on each Panel’s progress against the work programme.

The Panel noted the progress against the Overview and Scrutiny work programme for 2014-15, and the reports from Overview and Scrutiny Panel Chairmen on each Panel’s progress against the work programme.

The report of the Adult Social Care and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Panel working group which had reviewed regulated Adult Social Care services had been considered by the Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing and the recommendations from the group had been largely accepted. The Group was pleased with the response from the Executive Member. This Panel was hopeful that there would be a review of homelessness in the future but this would likely be after the Elections in May 2015. This topic was in the forward plan for consideration and all reviews and working groups would be channelled through the Commission.

The issue of the current shortage of GPs surgeries was raised and it was mentioned that there was a lack of a strategy to generate new GP practices in the area. Representatives of NHS England and the Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had presented recently at the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel and mentioned that there was a need to save 24% of their costs and re-organisation would be undertaken. The report of the inspection of GP surgeries had indicated some required improvement. The Panel had requested that its frustration over the provision of GP capacity to meet the demands of an expanding population in Bracknell Forest be conveyed to NHS England.

The Environment, Culture and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s progress against its work programme was completed or on course for completion. It was agreed that the Commercial Sponsorship Member Reference Group be reconvened to assess the trial of commercial sponsorship in the Borough. The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission expressed an interest in joining the Group.

Representatives from Broadmoor had attended a previous Commission meeting regarding the change of provision in relation to their sirens. A letter was expected confirming that the existing sirens would remain in place until the new hospital was opened in 2019, which would be circulated to Members. Then along with the two other hospitals in the UK it was proposed that the sirens be discontinued. Broadmoor was expected to present a proposal to a future Commission meeting.