Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) – Work Programme

Current Scrutiny Reviews
Title of Review	Detail	Proposed Completion Date
Review of the Provision of Audiology Services in East Sussex.	Following consideration of a report at the HOSC meeting held on 30 July 2024, the Committee agreed to undertake a review of the provision of Audiology Services in East Sussex. This follows concerns and issues raised with HOSC about the provision and access to services, including the treatments for earwax removal. The review board is comprised of Councillors Azad, Belsey, Marlow-Eastwood, Robinson (Chair), and Shuttleworth and will meet from November 2024 to February 2025.	March 2025

Initial Scoping Reviews
Subject area for initial scoping	Detail	Proposed Dates
To be agreed.	To be agreed.	To be agreed
List of Suggested Potential Future Scrutiny Review Topics
Suggested Topic	Detail
To be agreed.

Scrutiny Reference Groups
Reference Group Title	Subject Area	Meetings Dates
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) HOSC liaison group	Regular informal meetings with SPFT and other Sussex HOSC Chairs and Vice Chairs to consider the Trust’s work and other mental health issues. Membership: Cllrs Belsey and Robinson	Next meetings: January 2025 and April 2025
Reports for Information
Subject Area	Detail	Proposed Date
Inappropriate behaviour of NHS staff	Following media reports that there were national problems with inappropriate staff behaviour in the NHS, to provide a briefing on the extent of the issue in East Sussex and what is being done to address problems if they were known to exist.	2024
Training and Development
Title of Training/Briefing	Detail	Proposed Date
Visit to Ambulance Make Ready station and new Operations Centre – East.	A visit to the new Medway Make Ready station and new Operations Centre for 999 and 111 services once the new centre is operational.	Autumn / Winter 2024
Visit to the new Inpatient Mental Health facility at Bexhill	A visit to the new Inpatient Mental Health facility due to be built at a site in North East Bexhill to replace the Department of Psychiatry at Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH).	TBC but likely 2025

Future Committee Agenda Items		Witnesses
12 December 2024
NHS Sussex Winter Plan	A report on the NHS Sussex Winter Plan 2024/25 and associated risks covering the preparations that are being made for the coming peak demand winter season.	Representatives from NHS Sussex, ESHT and other Trusts
Paediatric Service Model, Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH)	To receive a further update report on the implementation of the changes to paediatric services at EDGH and to consider East Sussex Healthcare Trust’s (ESHT) implementation of the recommendations from HOSC’s Review of the changes to paediatric services.	Representatives from ESHT
UHSx Hospital Handovers at Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH)	To receive a further update on the improvements being made to tackle hospital handovers and ED waiting times at the RSCH.	Representatives from UHSx and SECAmb
UHSx Colorectal cancer surgery pathways	To consider a report from University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust’s (UHSx) on proposed changes to the Colorectal cancer surgery pathways.	Representatives from UHSx.
Committee Work Programme	To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.	Senior Scrutiny Adviser
6 March 2025
Ophthalmology Transformation Programme	An update report on the implementation of the ESHT Ophthalmology Transformation Programme including the development of services at Bexhill Hospital and the implementation of HOSC recommendations on transport and access measures made as part of the review of these transformation programmes	Representatives from ESHT and NHS Sussex.
SECAmb CQC report	A report on the progress of South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) improvement journey and exiting the Recovery Support Programme (RSP).	Representatives from SECAmb
Access to NHS Dentistry Services	An update report on the progress being made to improve access to NHS Dentistry services in East Sussex.	Representatives from NHS Sussex
Committee Work Programme	To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.	Senior Scrutiny Adviser
26 June 2025
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS)	To receive an update report on the implementation and mobilisation of the new contract for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) in Sussex.	Representatives from NHS Sussex.
Access to Primary Care Services – GPs and Primary Care Network (PCN)	An update report on the working being undertaken to improve access to GP services and appointments in East Sussex, including Primary Care Network (PCN) performance and services provided.	Representatives from NHS Sussex.
Committee Work Programme	To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.	Senior Scrutiny Adviser
18 September 2025
Committee Work Programme	To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.	Senior Scrutiny Adviser
Items to be scheduled – dates TBC
UHSx CQC Inspection report	To receive an update report on University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust’s (UHSx) response to the August 2023 CQC inspection report (with a particular focus on the actions being taken at Royal Sussex County Hospital on patient safety).	Representatives from UHSx.
Hospital Discharge and Admission Prevention	To receive a report on the work being undertaken to improve hospital discharge including the models being elsewhere, and the work on virtual wards and other measures to prevent hospital admissions.	Representatives of ESHT and NHS Sussex.
Cardiology transformation Programme	An update report on the implementation of the ESHT Cardiology transformation Programme including the transport and access recommendations and measures made as part of the review of this transformation programme. Note: Timing is dependent on ESHT implementation timescales.	Representatives of ESHT and NHS Sussex.
Transition Services	A report on the work of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT) Transition Group for patients transitioning from Children’s to Adult’s services	Representatives of ESHT
Implementation of Kent and Medway Stroke review	To consider the implementation of the Hyper Acute Stroke Units (HASUs) in Kent and Medway and progress of rehabilitation services in the High Weald area. Note: Timing is dependent on NHS implementation process	Representatives of NHS Sussex/Kent and Medway ICS
Adult Burns Service	A report outlining proposals for the future of Adult Burns Service provided by Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) in East Grinsted. Note: provisional dependent on NHS England’s plans	NHS England and QVH
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)	A report on proposals for re-procurement of Sussex SARCs Note: provisional dependent on NHS England’s plans	NHS England
Specialised Children’s Cancer Services – Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs)	To receive an update report from NHS England, London and South East on implementation of the changes to the Specialised Children’s Cancer Services – Principal Treatment Centre located in south London which serves East Sussex. Note: timing of the report will be dependent on the implementation of the changes which are not due until 2026 at the earliest.	NHS England, London and South East