Agenda item

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in her by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

(This power should be exercised only in cases where there are genuinely special circumstances which require consideration of an item which has not previously been published on the Order of Business for the meeting.)

To consider an Urgent Notice of Motion in regard to recent events at Worcestershire Acute Trust Hospitals (WAHT).

The Mayor had agreed that the following motion could be considered as an urgent item at this meeting in view of the level of concern about the subject in the Borough and the need to respond quickly to recent developments.

The following notice of motion had been proposed by Councillor Greg Chance in respect of concerns at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch. The motion was seconded by Councillor Juliet Brunner.

“The Council is becoming increasingly concerned at recent events at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust (WAHT) including:

·         the mass resignation of all the consultants in the A and E department at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch

·         the Trust declaring ‘a level four’ – one down from a major incident,

·         an expected £28 million deficit in January; and

·         reports of bullying

Council endorses the action taken by the Leader of the Council in writing to the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) in requesting they carry out an independent investigation into these recent developments as described above at the Alex.

In view of the importance of the Alexandra Hospital to the communities represented by Redditch Borough Council and surrounding areas also given the above concerns it is agreed that an urgent meeting is held with the Secretary of State for Health to discuss the following two requests:

1.    The option for University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust or other Trust being allowed to collaborate to deliver services from the Alex be investigated.

2.    The alleged problems with staff at the Alex and Worcester Royal Hospitals be independently investigated. ”

The Deputy Leader drew Members attention to a copy of a letter from Penny Venables, the Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT), which had unfortunately not addressed all of the concerns raised.  It was explained that the Leader was currently in London attending a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, community leaders, Council Leaders from Bromsgrove and Stratford Upon Avon, the 3 local MPs and a representative from the Trust Development Authority (TDA).  In respect of point 1 of the motion it was understood that no action would be taken until the publication of the Clinical Senate Report on Friday (27^th February).  There would be an independent investigation into the bullying, however this would be carried out by David Flory of the TDA.  Whilst this was considered to show progress, the Deputy Leader reiterated that there was some way to go before a satisfactory resolution was achieved.

In seconding the notice of motion Councillor Brunner provided an update from the MP for Redditch, Karen Lumley, who had helped to set up the meeting with the Secretary of State for Health.  She suggested that the independent investigation into the bullying allegations was a step forward and it was understood that the talks that had been held were positive, with an acknowledgement that action needed to be taken.

In debating the notice of motion Members discussed the following areas:

·         The delays which had occurred in completing the Acute Hospitals Service Review and the affect this had had on both staff and  residents;

·         The financial position of the Trust;

·         The bullying investigation and whether with TDA could be classed as an independent;

·         The work of the Save the Alex campaign;

·         The need to work together in order to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion for all those involved.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED that

The motion be agreed in the following terms:

1.    Council endorses the action taken by the Leader of the Council in writing to the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) in requesting they carry out an independent investigation into the recent developments as described at the Alexandra Hospital:

·         Mass resignation of consultants in the A&E department;

·         The Trust declaring a “level 4” – one down from a major incident;

·         An expected deficit of £28 million in January;

·         Reports of bullying

2.    In view of the importance of the Alexandra Hospital to the communities represented by Redditch Borough Council and surrounding areas, also given the above concerns, an urgent meeting is held with the Secretary of State for Health to discuss the following two requests:

2.1The option for University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust or other Trust being allowed to collaborate to deliver services from the Alex be investigated;

2.2The alleged problems with staff at the Alexandra and Worcester Royal Hospitals be independently investigated.