Action Note - Cromarty Firth (Ward 7)

Agenda

Held on 24th April 2008

Attending

Cllr Mike Finlayson,
Cllr Martin Rattray
Cllr Maxine Smith
Cllr Carolyn Wilson (Chair)
John Edmondson, Ardross Community Council
Jaki Gardner, Invergordon Community Council
Fiona Dendy, Kiltearn Community Council
Helen Williamson, Saltburn & Westwood Community Council
Norma Young, Saltburn &Westwood Community Council
Chief Inspector Paul Eddington Northern Constabulary
Inspector Matthew Reiss, Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager, Caithness Sutherland & Easter Ross
Helen Ross, Ward Manager Cromarty Firth Ward
Susan Russel, NHS Highland
Helen Locke, NHS Highland
Malcolm Forth NHS Highland
Donna Henderson, Telecare Project Officer
Maurice Nicolson, Ach-An-Eas Care Home, Inverness

7 members of the public attended

1. Introduction – Cllr C Wilson opened the meeting and welcomed everybody.

2. Feedback from the Ward Forum held on 21st February 2008
Feedback on actions raised at the previous Ward Forum had been circulated prior to the meeting and copies were available at the meeting (see Appendix 1). The feedback was noted and the following items further discussed/carried forward:

Feedback Item 1 – Action agreed  - TECs staff to contact Saltburn  Westwood Community Council re drainage issue. Action carried forward.

Feedback Item 2 -  The Ward now has a traffic calming ‘Smiley Face’.    Community Councils to advise Helen Ross of priority areas for use. Initial request received for use in Saltburn, at north of village

Feedback Item 3 -  action re traffic survey carried forward

Feedback Item 4 – action to provide information on levels of homelessness carried forward.

Feedback item 9 – Northern Constabulary noted that appointment of traffic warden will assist in management of parking issues by Alness co-op by the Service Point. Northern Constabulary have and will continue to task Alness officers with carrying out enforcement and traffic management in Alness High Street when other duties permit.

3. Telecare System

Donna Henderson, Telecare Project Officer, gave a presentation on the new
Telecare Service, assisted by Maurice Nicolson.  A number of key points about the service and what it can offer were made:

• The Telecare system is the use of technology to support people to remain independent and safe in their own homes. Where a person has a higher level of need it can provide remote and continual monitoring to do this 
• Existing community alarm equipment is currently being upgraded  - to date about 2500 users have had upgrades
• Pilots of enhanced sensors (e.g. movement sensor, fall detector, epilepsy sensor) are ongoing for approx 50 users
• The basic telecare service consist of a base unit plus pendant allowing for calls to 24 hour response service, radio smoke detectors and, where required, an extreme temperature sensor in the kitchen
• Call monitoring response centre can alert emergency services or volunteer as appropriate
• Volunteer role is key – in some cases where a user has no volunteer contacts the Red Cross have been able to assist, but a volunteer response may not be practical where the person’s needs are very complex
• Where appropriate, calls can go, in the first instance, to a carer in the property
• More pilots are planned this year with users with different needs – eg to support children and parent carers, to support young adults with learning disabilities to live independently, to support women suffering from domestic abuse
• Cost – a financial assessment is made. If, based on the assessment, the user is required to pay, the charge is £2.22 per week, regardless of how many sensors are required
• It was noted that the pendants are waterproof – and should be worn when bathing/showering

4. NHS Highland and Health Services in the area
Susan Russel gave a presentation outlining the different aspects of the health services available in the area. During discussion the following key points were noted and actions agreed:

Key points noted:

• Additional NHS dental services will soon be available in Invergordon – works are being carried out to the old health centre for this
• Dentistry could be a useful future ward forum topic
• NHS 24 – Susan Russel confirmed  all calls should go through the service, rather than users presenting direct to a hospital (other than accident and emergency) – and noted that accident and emergency and Out of Hours are separate and different services
• Where a service does not appear to have been properly provided people should be encouraged to make a complaint – eg if a person appears to be passed ‘from pillar to post’ because they have approached at the close of the working day and services are moving from day to out of hours type.
• There are no eye specialists in this area. When faced with an urgent/traumatic eye condition a GP may refer the patient immediately to a local optician.
• The potential need for a 2nd appointment  for blood tests which will often be on a different day can cause issues for those in rural area without access to own transport – easier access to same day blood tests would be helpful
• CAB provide an independent service which will handle complaints re the health service. NHS Highland has its own complaints procedure and if complaining to the person providing the service is inappropriate a complaint can be written to the Complaints Team, NHS Highland, PO Box 5713, Inverness, IV1 9AQ or phoned to 01463 705997
• The NHS are trying to move more towards a system where people are supported to manage their own care – and so where appropriate doctor may issue a prescription after contact by phone/email.
• NHS Highland is covered by the freedom of information (FOI) legislation. FOI requests can be either emailed via the website (info@haht.scot.nhs.uk) or put it in writing to Chris Meecham, Board Secretary, Assynt House, Beechwood Park, Inverness, IV2 3BW.
• Community Pharmacists can provide a minor ailments service. Eligible residents can register with them and they can advise and also in some cases prescribe (e.g. re coughs, strains, head lice)

Actions agreed:

• Dental emergencies – Susan Russel agreed to check if the Alness Health Centre will take emergency dental referrals from people not registered with a local dentist
• Appointments with GPs – there was discussion about ease/difficulty experienced by residents in different health centres re making an appointment and issues that can arise – Susan Russel agreed to follow up and clarify differing arrangements.
• Helen Locke will check to see if information on self referral for physiotherapy services is displayed in local surgeries
• Info in local community papers re access to NHS services could be helpful – Susan Russel agreed to provide some information for the Alness & District Times including info on community pharmacists
• Individual surgeries will have their own local complaints system which they set out and operate but there is also an NHS complaints system. There was some concern people wishing to complain are asked to complete complaint form at desk and hand it in. Susan Russel agreed to check out practice in local surgeries 
• Local meetings with members and surgeries could be helpful and have sometimes happened in the past – Susan Russel agreed to investigate possibility of setting up such a meeting.
• Susan Russel agreed to clarify staffing in Invergordon hospital canteen, and % with hygiene certificates

5. Community Safety

Chief Inspector Paul Eddington ran through some key figures on performance to the end of March 2008. There was some encouraging information such as a fall in serious crime, but also a worrying trend of increasing drink driving, across all sections of the community.

The following key points and actions were noted:

• Concern was expressed that people on prescribed methadone may then drive – is this safe? Chief Inspector Eddington agreed to report back on Northern Constabulary’s position re driving having taken methadone.
• There has been an increase in theft of domestic heating fuel and the use of padlocks is recommended
• 1st ‘blue light disco’ scheduled to take place in Strathpeffer in June – is being supported by a range of agencies
• Is there a knife culture in the area? No, in the sense that number of knives taken from people is low – but any knives are a concern
• Discussion around lorry parking – in some cases it can cause a concern but there was also recognition drivers are anxious to keep their vehicle safe. Where problems occur is can be helpful to contact the company
• Noted that a CCTV project has been established in Wick with volunteers monitoring the cameras over weekend  - it is proving successful, but did have to over come significant challenges re data protection, licensing etc and staff have to undergo a strict vetting procedure

6. Ward Discretionary Budget – a report noting projects for the year was circulated – see Appendix 2 (PDF). The budget for 2007/8 was fully spent

7. AOB

• Ross-shire Area – it was noted that some council services are no longer referring to ‘Ross-shire’ – e.g. planning adverts note only the town name followed by ‘Highland’. Ian Hargrave agreed to raise this and ask them to revert to use of ‘Ross-shire’. 
• Affordable housing plan – noted the consultation ends 25th April, responses encouraged
• Highland Development Scheme plan – feedback is welcomed
• BT proposals re phone box closures – noted BT are consulting on proposals to close 2 phone boxes in Ardross. Helen Ross will liaise with Ardross CC re consultation
• Calor gas ‘Village of the year awards’ – information on these awards was circulated for information
• Traffic calming ‘Smiley face’ – community councils were asked to advise Helen Ross of their priority locations for the smiley face
• Noted  Community Councils are now required to register under the data protection legislation

8.  Date of the next meeting – Thursday 26th June at 7 for 7.30 at the Averon Leisure Centre, Alness