Health and Social Security - Approved Panel Minutes - 19 March 2015

Present

Deputy R. Renouf , Chairman Deputy T. McDonald

Deputy J. Hilton, Co-opted Member

Apologies

Absent

Deputy G. Southern , Vice-Chairman

In attendance

Mr. I. Dyer, Service Director of Services for Older People [Item 7 only] Mr. M. Berry, Legal Advisor [Item 7 only]

Mr. F. Le Gros, Assistant Legal Advisor [Item 7 only]

Miss S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer Miss K. Boydens , Scrutiny Officer

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel noted and approved the records of its meetings held on 20th February (public and private), 26th February, 4th March (public and private)  and  5th  March  2015.  The  Chairman  thereby  signed  them accordingly.

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2. Respite Care for Adults

The Panel reviewed the Public Hearing that took place on Monday 16th March with Jersey Employment Trust (JET). It was agreed that the Hearing was very informative and greatly useful to the Panel for its review. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to ascertain the relationship between JET and Le Geyt Centre and whether there was any co- ordination between the two.

The Panel noted the public hearing schedule for its review:

- Friday 20th March at 11:00am -11:45am with Senator P. Routier

- Friday 17th April at 10am-11:30am with the Social Security Minister

- Friday 24th April at 2:00pm-3:30pm with the Minister for Health and Social Services

The Panel agreed to meet at 10:00am on Friday 20th March to prepare for  its  Hearing  with  Senator  Routier. The  Officer  was  requested to inform the Vice-Chairman of the agreed meeting time. It was noted that Senator  Routier  would  attend  the  Hearing  in  his  capacity  as  the Chairman of the Service User Forum and as Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility for the Disability Strategy.

It was recalled that a group of service users and carers had offered to share with the Panel a presentation in regards to their wishes and aspirations for respite going forward. It was noted that the Panel was

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contacted by the Head of Adult Community Support Services to make the necessary arrangements. It was further noted that the group had identified the 16th April as a possible meeting day. The Officer was requested  to  confirm  this  date  with  the  Head  of  Adult  Community Support Services and arrange a time for the morning.

The Panel recalled its decision to meet on a date prior to the Public Hearings with the Minister for Social Security and Minister for Health and  Social  Services  to  discuss  the  evidence  received  to  date  and formulate question plans based on that information. It was agreed that the Panel would block out the whole of the afternoon on the Monday 13th April for this meeting. The Officer was requested to send out a meeting request to the Panel.

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3. Sex Discrimination Regulations

The Panel was advised that the public consultation, which was being undertaken by the Social Security Department on the Draft Regulations, ended on Friday 13th March. It was further advised that a consultation paper  had  been  formulated  and  was  due  to  be  considered  by  the Council of Ministers on Friday 20th March. It was noted that once the paper  had  been  approved  by  the  Council  of  Ministers  it  would  be circulated to the Panel for its consideration.

The Panel agreed that it would like to present comments on the draft Regulations as a means of advising States Members of the information it had received. Subsequently, the Officer was requested to draft a Scoping Document.

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4. Long-Term Care Fund – Off Island Support

The  Panel  recalled  that  it  had  previously  enquired  with  the  Social Security Department about the support an individual would be entitled to, through the Long-Term Care Scheme, if they were to move abroad. The Department's response was noted and the Panel agreed to follow up the matter in a few months' time.

5. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Chairman gave the Panel an update in regards to the discussion that  took  place  with  the  Chairman's  Committee  about  a  joined-up Scrutiny approach to the review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). It was noted that that it had been agreed that the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel would undertake a review of the MTFP and liaise with the Chairman from each Panel if and when necessary. It was noted that the Corporate Services Panel would likely highlight any areas of concern to individual Panels if such issues arose. The Panel agreed with such an approach.

It  was  noted  that  the  Corporate  Services  Scrutiny  Panel  would  be working to a tight schedule as the MTFP was due to be lodged on the 30th June and the deadline for amendments was at the beginning of September.

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6. Child and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

It was noted that a meeting was due to take place on the 9th April with the  Interim  Director  of  Community  and  Social  Services  to  discuss

progress  with  CAMHS  since  the  previous  Panel  had  presented  its report. It was further noted that a time had not yet been confirmed with the Department but that the Officer would notify the Panel once this had been decided.

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05.03.15 Item 5

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7. Mental Health Legislation

The Panel received a briefing on the work undertaken to-date on the Mental Health Law and Capacity Law. This briefing was held in private in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 (as amended) under Qualified Exemption Article 35.

It was noted that Deputy J. Hilton had previously expressed interest in being co-opted onto the Panel if it chose to undertake a review on this matter. The Panel therefore requested that Deputy Hilton attended the Briefing. The Department accepted the Panel's request.

8. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place at 9:30am on 2nd April 2015 in the Le Capelain room, States Building.