Councillor Davies was elected Chairman of the Board for the 2013/2014 Municipal Year.

Councillor Davies in the Chair

It was reported that, in accordance with the wishes of the Non-Coalition Group, the membership of the Board had been amended to include Councillor Stockman in place of Councillor Ellery.

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting of the Board.

To confirm as correct records the Minutes of the meetings of this Committee held on 8 May 2013.

Subject to Minute 30 being amended to read:

That Devon Partnership Trust be requested [rather than invited] to attend a future meeting of the Health Scrutiny Board.

the minutes of the meeting of the Health Scrutiny Board held on 8 May 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

a)         To receive declarations of non pecuniary interests in respect of items on this agenda

For reference:  Having declared their non pecuniary interest members may remain in the meeting and speak and, vote on the matter in question.  A completed disclosure of interests form should be returned to the Clerk before the conclusion of the meeting.

b)        To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on this agenda

For reference:  Where a Member has a disclosable pecuniary interest he/she must leave the meeting during consideration of the item.  However, the Member may remain in the meeting to make representations, answer questions or give evidence if the public have a right to do so, but having done so the Member must then immediately leave the meeting, may not vote and must not improperly seek to influence the outcome of the matter.  A completed disclosure of interests form should be returned to the Clerk before the conclusion of the meeting.

(Please Note:  If Members and Officers wish to seek advice on any potential interests they may have, they should contact Democratic Services or Legal Services prior to the meeting.)

Councillor Doggett declared a non-pecuniary interest as a lay member of the Medicines Management Committee of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

To consider the draft Local Account for adult social care in Torbay and make any comments to the Council.

The Board considered the Adult Social Care Local Account for 2012/2013 which provided a variety of qualitative and quantitative information framed around the key outcomes that the NHS and the Council agreed at the start of the year.

The purpose of the Local Account was to review the performance and achievements of the past 12 months and to set the context for the new financial year, helping to shape the debate and requirements of the next Annual Strategic Agreement between the Council and the Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust (the Trust).

In considering the draft Local Account, the Board raised a number of specific comments (for example, in relation to qualifying the percentages quoted throughout the document).

The Board noted that throughout the year, it had focussed on how organisations were working together to reduce the demand for acute services especially in light of the growing ageing population in Torbay.  It was recognised that the Local Account also highlighted how the Trust was taking account of these issues.

The Board welcomed the openness and transparency with which the Trust operated especially when public confidence in the health and care sector is low.  It welcomed the initiatives which had been put in place to ensure that standards within Torbay continue to improve especially given the increasing pressures through increasing numbers of clients and reducing public sector finances.

The Health Scrutiny Board had previously considered the Quality Accounts from the local NHS Trusts with whom it worked.  This had enabled councillors to see how the priorities and work of each Trust are very much inter-dependent and, given the reducing availability of resources in the public sector, the Board would seek to ensure that all Trusts continue to work together to improve the health and care outcomes for the whole of the Torbay community.

Resolved:  that a commentary from the Health Scrutiny Board, based on the comments highlighted during the debate, be prepared for inclusion in the published version of the Local Account.

To agree the Work Programme for the Health Scrutiny Board for 2013/14.

The Board considered a report which set out the framework for its Work Programme for the coming year.  It was noted that, this year, the membership of the Health Scrutiny Board almost mirrored that of its parent committee (the Overview and Scrutiny Board).  It was also noted that there was a need for the Health Scrutiny Board and the Health and Wellbeing Board to work closely together without duplicating their work.

Resolved:  that, subject to the advice of the Interim Chief Operating Officer, the Monitoring Officer and the Group Leaders, the work of the Health Scrutiny Board be absorbed into the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Board.