Agenda item
Southend Neonatal Unit designation
Minutes:
The Interim Managing Director for Women and Children (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust) presented the report which outlined the clinical case for change for paediatric reconfiguration at Southend Hospital, which proposed the redesignation of the neonatal unit from a Level 2 Local Neonatal Unit (LNU) to a Level 1 Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
The Committee discussed the report in some detail and expressed a number of concerns, as summarised below:
- The impact on birthing mothers being transferred locally from Southend to Basildon or Broomfield over a further distance.
- How it was guaranteed that a cot would be available at a hospital, with the Maternity and Neonate bed availability being on the same site within the Trust.
- That at a distressing time for the family, parents and their support network would need to travel greater distances to receive care and visit mother and or baby.
- It was queried what accommodation was available for parents to stay on site or whether there was any support in meeting travel costs.
- Whether the messaging to expectant mothers regarding the proposed changes to neonatal care had been adequate.
- The condition of estates, cap safety levels and ability to provide safe infection control between cots.
- The feeling that the proposal to redesignate the unit was another example of the gradual downgrading of Southend Hospital, as it was felt that The Trust was adopting a piece-meal approach to relocating services and departments at Basildon and Broomfield hospitals, thereby resulting in Southend residents having to travel further to receive appropriate care.
O. Richards (Co-Opted Member, Southend Healthwatch) provided an update to the Committee on the outcome of an online survey ran by Healthwatch Southend regarding changes to neonatal care and recognised the tension between getting the best outcome for children and families and the access issues that had been discussed.
The Deputy Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Neonates (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust) responded to questions and set out the benefits of specialist units.
Following the debate and comments, a number of members of the Committee indicated that they did not wish to support the redesignation of the unit.
The Chair permitted Councillor L Hyde to comment (under Council Procedure Rule 14 ((Part4(a)(iii)), although the Councillor was not a member of the Committee and did not have voting rights.
Following the debate and comments from Members, the Chair proposed to move the following recommendations:
That the People Scrutiny Committee:
- Note the contents of the report.
- Support the proposal to redesignate the status of the neonatal unit at Southend Hospital from a Level 2 Local Neonatal unit to a Level 1 Special Care Baby Unit.
- Welcome the further engagement plan and request that the Committees feedback is considered in the final service specification and operating model, including concerns regarding the Fairglen interchange.
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18 ((Part4(a)(iii) – procedure rules relating to Overview and Scrutiny Committees) a named vote was requested by Councillor T Cox and supported by Councillors O Cartey, C Campbell and K Murphy, and it was agreed that a recorded vote would be undertaken for each of the three proposed recommendations.
Recommendation 1:
That the People Scrutiny Committee:
- Note the contents of the report.
The Chair advised that the results of the recorded vote were as follows:
For: Councillors M Borton, O Cartey, I Ferguson, S Habermel, J Harland, S Nadeem,
C Nevin, J Norman, D Poulton, D Richardson, L Salter and C Webster (12).
Against: Councillor S Allen, T Cox, C Campbell and K Murphy (4)
Abstained: None (0)
The Chair declared that the recommendation was carried.
Recommendation 2
That the Committee:
- Support the proposal to redesignate the status of the neonatal unit at Southend Hospital from a Level 2 Local Neonatal unit to a Level 1 Special Care Baby Unit.
For: None (0)
Against: Councillors S Allen, M Borton, T Cox, C Campbell, O
Cartey, I Ferguson, S Habermel, K Murphy, S Nadeem, J Norman, D
Poulton, D Richardson and C Webster (13)
Abstained: Councillors J Harland, C Nevin and L Salter (3)
The Chair declared the recommendation was lost.
Recommendation 3
That the Committee:
- Welcome the further engagement plan and request that the Committees feedback is considered in the final service specification and operating model, including concerns regarding the Fairglen interchange.
For: Councillors S Allen, M Borton, T
Cox, C Campbell, O Cartey, I Ferguson, S Habermel, J Harland, S
Nadeem, C Nevin, J Norman, D Poulton, D Richardson, L Salter and C
Webster (15)
Against: Councillor K Murphy (1).
Abstained: None (0)
The Chair declared the recommendation was carried.
A motion was proposed by Councillor T Cox and seconded by
Councillor K Murphy, to change the second recommendation, which
read as follows:
That the Committee strongly objects to the plans by Mid and South Essex Trust (MSE) to redesignate the status of the neonatal unit at Southend Hospital and urges the Trust to think again.
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18 ((Part4(a)(iii) – procedure rules relating to Overview and Scrutiny Committees) a named vote was requested by Councillor T Cox and supported by Councillors O Cartey, C Campbell and K Murphy, and it was agreed that a recorded vote would be undertaken for the new recommendation, the result of which was as follows:
New motion, proposed by Councillor T Cox and
seconded by Councillor K Murphy
That the Committee strongly objects to the plans by Mid and South Essex Trust (MSE) to redesignate the status of the neonatal unit at Southend Hospital and urges the Trust to think again.
For: Councillors S Allen, T Cox, C
Campbell, O Cartey, I Ferguson, S Habermel, K Murphy and D Poulton
(8)
Against: Councillors J Harland, D Richardson and L Salter
(3).
Abstained: Councillors M Borton, S Nadeem, C Nevin, J Norman and C Webster (5).
The Chair declared the recommendation was carried.
Resolved:
That the People Scrutiny Committee:
- Note the contents of the report
- Strongly objects to the plans by Mid and South Essex Trust (MSE) to redesignate the status of the neonatal unit at Southend Hospital and urges the Trust to think again.
- Welcome the further engagement plan and request that the Committees feedback is considered in the final service specification and operating model, including concerns regarding the Fairglen interchange
At 8.25pm the Chair agreed to adjourn the meeting for a short break. The meeting resumed at 8.32pm.
Supporting documents:
-
Southend POSC - Committee paper on the designation of neonatal units for mid and south Essex 19 October 2024, item 22.
PDF 183 KB
-
1 - MSEFT Southend PSC NICU paper, March 2024, item 22.
PDF 178 KB
-
2 -Southend neonatal unit script for staff, item 22.
PDF 103 KB
-
3 - Southend neonatal unit engagement questionnaire, item 22.
PDF 94 KB
-
4 - NICU options presentation for 24 07 15, item 22.
PDF 745 KB
-
5 - Neonatal engagement, item 22.
PDF 192 KB
-
6 - email pdf, item 22.
PDF 168 KB
-
7 -Letter to Matthew Hopkins from Matt Sweeting, ICB, item 22.
PDF 84 KB