Minutes of SHA AGM 14th March 2015

Internal governance

Meeting held at the Birmingham & Midland Institute

  1. Apologies

Accepted as printed on the agenda

  1. Minutes of the 2014 Annual General Meeting

Accepted as true and accurate record

3        Matters arising not elsewhere on the agenda

It was proposed and agreed that where there has been a decision on a substantive motion, the full text of the Motion should be included

It was proposed and agreed that Allyson Pollock should be invited to a future meeting

4        Officers to be elected

4a      Elected by a ballot of members

The Officers of the Association were agreed as listed on the agenda:

  • Chair:         Dr Doug Naysmith
  • Secretary: Chris Bain
  • Treasurer: Jane Roberts DBE

The members of Central Council were agreed as listed on the agenda:

Richard Bourne, Robert Buckley, Dr Hannah Cooke, David Davies, Dr Brian Fisher, Dr Tom Fitzgerald, Dr Patrick French, Cllr Tina Funnell, Dr Brian Gibbons, David Gresty, Dr Tony Jewell, John Lipetz, David Pickersgill, Dr Shibley Rahman, Cllr Mike Roberts, Gavin Ross, Rene Smit, Patrick Vernon, Dr Eric Watts.

4b      Vice Chairs (up to 4) to be elected by Central Council members

It was noted that Dr Shibley Rahman had resigned from the Central Council and was therefore not eligible to be elected to the post of vice chair. There are 2 remaining candidates: Cllr Mike Roberts and Prof Tony Beddow.

5        To note other members of the Central Council

Regions:

  • London:     Jos Bell, Dr Patrick French, Tom Fitzgerald, Vivien Giladi, John Lipetz, Shibley Rahman
  • Scotland:   Dave Watson, Katrina Murray
  • Wales:        Alison Scouller, Prof Tony Beddow

It was noted that the West Midlands are eligible to nominate up to 4 members, and the North East are eligible to nominate up to 2 members

National Organisations

  • Unison       Guy Collis
  • Unite          Barrie Brown
  • GMB           Rehana Azam

It was noted that the Society of Radiographers are eligible to nominate a member

6        Officers to be elected at the AGM

Auditors: Dr Tom Fitzgerald, David Mattocks

Agreed as printed on the agenda

  1.  Reports

Reports were received from the Chair and the Director. There were no substantive matters requiring agreement.

8        Financial and Audit Report

  • Members received the Report
  • It was noted that expenses were greater in this financial year due to increased activity in the Governance Group and the Editorial Board
  • Members expressed concern about the impact of reduced staff hours
  • The Director’s careful stewardship of the finances was acknowledged.

It was agreed that the next meeting of the Central Council should look again at the expenses policy.

Acceptance of the Financial and Audit Report was moved and agreed.

  1.  Proposed amendments to the Constitution

9.1     In clause 4 of the Constitution: insert the word “National” before “affiliated” in the third sentence. Proposed by officers.

Agreed

9.2     That there is a complete record of GC members attendance including apologies recorded and published for the AGM. In addition if any GC member misses 2 or more meetings without giving apologies then they are aromatically removed from the GC and a substitute member replaces the. Proposed by Mike Roberts.

9.3     If any GC member resigns then their place will be automatically taken by the next member in the poll until that list is exhausted. If there is no member to replace to replace anyone who has resigned then a member can be co-opted and confirmed by the GC prior to the AGM. Proposed by Mike Roberts.

Members expressed concern that amendments 9.2 and 9.3 lacked sufficient clarity and transparency. Amendments 9.2 and 9.3 were withdrawn.

Agreed

9.4 – 9.17 Proposed by Tony Beddow

Members noted the amendments may not apply to all devolved administrations in the future

Members noted that the amendments may put the Association in conflict with the Labour Party which may be of great concern to the wider membership

Members noted that the West Midlands Region opposed all of the amendments

Members also noted that the Association needed to be a campaigning organisation and that some change was necessary

Members felt that it would be a sad day if the Association ceased to be a Socialist Society

It was proposed that amendments 9.4-9.17 should be taken en bloc. This was not agreed

It was agreed that the amendments were too extensive and their implications too far reaching to be given full and proper consideration at the AGM.

It was agreed that, at its next meeting, the Central Council should consider whether to call a Special General Meeting of the Association and put amendments 9.4-9.17 on the agenda. Members noted that a Special General Meeting could also be called by a resolution from 30 members of the Association.

9.18   Clause 16b) replace “a resolution” with “one resolution or constitutional amendment”. Proposed by Chris Bain.

Amendment was withdrawn

Agreed

10      Resolutions

a        This AGM of the SHA endorses the 2014 Statement of Policy: The Care System in England Wales but wishes to give guidance on the implementation of paragraph 8 to ensure that Non Executive Directors (NEDs) appointed in accord with Para8, to contribute to governance and, in particular, those decision defined in paragraph 2, are subject to the democratic accountability implicit in that same paragraph, whilst recognising that achievement of this aim may have to be progressive. Proposed by Barry Silverman.

There was no seconder and the resolution falls

b        Strengthening of the regulatory and legislative framework when it comes to awarding and monitoring private sector contracts to include transparency, accountability        and efficiency. There is very         little consultation taking place especially when it comes to CCGs and loads of info is regarded as commercially sensitive so it bypasses FOI. Also all NHS directors and senior officers should be closely monitored for fraud and corruption when it comes to dealing with PS contracts – complaints against contractors should be investigated by the commissioners. Proposed by Cally Harrison. Seconded by Mike Roberts.

Members felt that FOI should apply to commercially sensitive information. However the Resolution was not agreed

  1. Since there is a lot of outsourcing in the NHS and loads of calls centres and counselling staff being contracted to Capita and others, it should be made obligatory that contractor staff members do explicitly disclose to patients and all relevant stakeholders when asked who’s their employer plus providing their full names which is not the case at the moment. Proposed by Cally Harrison

Members were in agreement with the sentiment of the Resolution, but felt the current wording was not helpful. It was agreed that the Resolution could be passed with amended wording

11      Proposed affiliations to other organisations:

It was agreed that the Association should remain affiliated to:

  • Labour Party centrally and Regional Labour Parties
  • Medact
  • Drugs and Health Alliance
  • Smokefree Action
  • KONP
  • National Voices

12      Nominations (if any) to the Labour Party

Defer to the next meeting of the Central Council

Agreed

13      Labour Party Constitutional Amendment if any:

None proposed

14      Dates of future meetings

13th June in London. 26th September in Brighton. 9th January in Wales.

Policy Discussion on Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Devolution

Members observations:

  • It appears that commissioning is being municipalised
  • There is to be an elected Mayor for Greater Manchester
  • There is a to be a new Health Chief overseeing the devolved budget
  • Questionable whether there is any real democracy
  • Where will accountabilities lie?
  • Will the rules in the rest of the NHS apply equally to Greater Manchester?
  • Is it real devolution of powers and responsibilities as there is in Scotland?
  • Do we need a Constitutional Convention to oversee the whole devolution agenda?
  • Do we need to define 3 key questions? Examples might include:
    • How are GP commissioning arrangements going to work?
    • Where are the strategic decisions going to be made?
    • What is the basis of cash allocations?
    • Is this simply another top down reorganisation? Has there been any open and transparent consultation process?
    • Are the new Health Chiefs similar to Police and Crime Commissioners?
    • Is this similar to an old style Regional Health Authority?
    • Will real power be devolved, or just devolved administration?

The Association needs to keep well informed and have a clear response as the initiative develops. A refinement of the key questions may be helpful in that process.