Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director

The Managing Director submitted a report (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to this Scrutiny Committee’s work programme and to consider any additional areas which Members would like to suggest should be included in the previously approved work programme.

Members were advised that the Adults and Housing Scrutiny Committee had agreed to establish a task and finish review on Loneliness and Connected Communities and an invitation had been extended to this Scrutiny Committee to be involved.

There was a discussion on the proposal to establish a task and finish review to examine the inconsistency in the CQC ratings across the town. It was proposed that the review incorporated food hygiene ratings and settings with a good rating.

Concern was raised in respect of the report for the review on End of Life Care for Patients with Dementia. It was confirmed that a number of amendments had been made to the recommendations in the draft final report; and that the report would be circulated with Members that had been involved in the review.

Members were made aware of a GP surgery in the borough of Darlington that was looking to cease its contract as a dispensing practice; the practice had 761 patients actively registered for the dispensing of prescriptions; as part of the notice the surgery would be expected to consider the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and communicate and engage with its registered patients; and that there may be implications for other surgeries in Darlington.

RESOVED – (a) That Members of this Scrutiny Committee be involved in the Task and Finish Review Group on Loneliness and Connected Communities.

(b) That a Task and Finish Review Group be established to undertake a review on CQC ratings in the Borough of Darlington, and that an invitation be extended to the Chair and Vice Chair of Adults and Housing Scrutiny Committee to participate in the work.

(c) That the Work Programme be updated accordingly.