AGM Minutes 2012

Minutes of the AGM held 1pm Saturday 17th March 2012 at the Birmingham and Midland Institute 9 Margaret Street  Birmingham B3 3BS 

Present:

Dr Brian Fisher, Martin Rathfelder, Gavin Ross, Huw Davies, Dr Doug Naysmith, Harry Clarke, Noemi Fabry, Linda Norman, Janet Upward, Gavin Ross, Dr Richard Grimes, Prof Vivien Walsh, David Pickersgill, Dr Peter Mayer, David Mattocks, Chris Bain, Mary Parkes, Steve Adshead, Cllr Judy Foster, John Charlton, Prof Tony Beddow, Dr Barry Jonas, Graham Estop, Vivien Giladi, Barrie Brown, Roy Oliver, Mike Roberts, Bob Jones, Penny Barber, Ali Syed, Dame Jane Roberts, Cllr Tina Funnell, Cllr Mike Roberts

Keynote address by Roy Lilley: Roy Lilley spoke on problems which had and would face the NHS. These ranged from the funding gap which will develop to accountability and mechanisms for empowerment and responsibility. He drew parallels between rail privatisation and the Lansley reforms.

1. Apologies for absence: David Amos, Ruth Appleton, Prof Clare Bomber, Cllr Stuart Bellwood, Cllr Judith Blakeman, Richard Bourne, Audrey Chamberlain, Dr Arun Chopra, Rosemary Clarke, Elsie Collier, Dr Hannah Cooke, Pauline Cutress, Lindsay Davies, Ed Derrick, Carolyn Emanuel, Tom Fitzgerald, Jean Gaffin, Dr Katy Gardner, Mike Gerrard, Mike Grady, Phil Gregory, Nye Harries, Christine Hay, Lady Dianne Hayter, Bob Hudson, Val Hudson, Diana Johnson MP, Gillian Lewis, John Lipetz, Catherine Mackereth, Cllr Maggie Mansell, Derek Marcus, Margaret McCafferty, Mark McDonald, Patricia Moberly, Eileen Murfin, Maureen O’Leary, Cllr Leslie Pavitt, Gill Poole, Rosemary Ross, Cllr Jenny Smith, Barbara Tassa, David Taylor-Gooby, Michael Shackleton, Alan Wenban-Smith, Cllr Catherine West, Dr Pam Wortley, Mike Young, Sally Young,

2. Minutes of the 2011 AGM: Accepted

3. Matters arising not elsewhere on the agenda:none

4. Report on 2011

Chair and Director’s Report: MR spoke to the reports which had been tabled and placed on website:

Performance report

5. Financial and audit report: Auditor and Treasurer spoke to report.

6. Constitutional Amendments: none

7. Officers nominated:

a) elected by ballot of members

Chair: Dr Brian Fisher

Secretary: Huw Davies

Treasurer: Gavin Ross

Central Council (20 to be elected, not including the 3 Officers): Stephen Adshead, Prof Clare Bambra, Richard Bourne, Dr Arun Chopra, Harry Clarke, Dr Hannah Cooke, Dr Jack Czauderna, Cllr Tina Funnell, Mike Grady, Dr Richard Grimes, Cllr Hilda Jack, Melanie Johnson,Dr Doug Naysmith, David Pickersgill, Cllr Mike Roberts, Mike Young

8. Other members of Central Council

West Midlands:(5) Chris Bain, David Mattocks, Dr Peter Mayer

London:(11) David Amos, Jos Bell, Huw Davies, Noemi Fabry, Dr Tom Fitzgerald, Vivien Giladi, John Lipetz, Dame Jane Roberts, Simon Wright

Scotland: (4) Dr Ali Syed, Dave Watson

Wales: (3) Prof Tony Beddow

Each nationally affiliated organisation is entitled to a representative

Unison – Christine Durance

Unite  – Barrie Brown

Society of Radiographers – Warren Town

GMB – Rehana Azam

9. Officers elected at the AGM

Vice Chairs (4): Richard Bourne, Mike Roberts, Melanie Johnson Noemi Fabry

Auditors (2): Dr Tom Fitzgerald, David Mattocks

Delegates to Labour Party Conference 2012: Graham Estop, Doug Naysmith, Richard Grimes, Ali Syed, Jane Roberts, Harry Clarke, Brian Fisher, Cally Harrison, Judy Foster

Delegates to Socialist Societies Executive: Huw Davies Brian Fisher Vivien Giladi: normally one to attend

10. Co-options to Central Council agreed: Mark McDonald

11. Proposed affiliations to other organisations:

a) existing:

Labour Party centrally and Regional Labour Parties: agreed we would pay affiliation to any region where members wanted to participate in regional acivity

Medact, NHS Alliance, James Lind Alliance, Drugs and Health Alliance, Smokefree Action Keep Our NHS Public, National Voices, Health Equality AllianceEquality Trust

b) New: Friends, Families and Travellers/: agreed – with proviso that such affiliations will be followed up by officers and that the focus be clearly health related. No more than two to three such affiliations at any one time.

12. Nominations to Labour Party offices (if any): Treasurer: Diana Holland; Auditor: none; Conference Arrangements Committee: Martin Rathfelder; National Policy Forum: Martin Rathfelder

13. Labour Party Constitutional Amendment none

14. Resolutions: Agreed that Tony Beddow would circulate a draft resolution on Labour Party leadership election rules.

15. Director reported on solicitor’s letter regarding use of Health Lottery image on website.  The image has now been removed.

16. Policy development discussion led by Brian Fisher.  Series of meetings aimed at influencing party policy over the next few years. Tony Beddow raised issue of how we deal with the differences in NHS in England, Scotland and Wales and whether the data can be used to compare outcomes properly. Proposal that speakers from a wide range of backgrounds could facilitate discussions. Noemi Fabry expressed scepticism about ‘objectivity’ of presentations and expressed need to reframe language and framework within which the debate is taking place which is now dominated by market and transactional concepts and language.

Tina Funnell suggested that we look local government involvement in health and how this can be best configured. Also leadership and guidance needed for those working in local government.

David Pickersgill suggested that we should look at what is happening on the ground over the next few years and what our alternative would be. Doug Naysmith suggested focussing on health social care gap. Mike Roberts suggested focus on widest issues of public health and connections need to be made and maintained.

Mike Roberts: Role of 21C public health. LA can offer good examples of non-silo working.

Tony Beddows: Wales has coalesced around developing national policy. Consider an alternative set of values. For instance, monitoring the whole of the NHS on one item – a good death.

Noemi Fabry: consider harnessing the new website to gather people’s experience of one item, for instance, access to care.

 CAMPAIGN IDEAS:

Brian Fisher:

  1.    Entryism – get on Boards, HW, CCGs
  2.    Highlight all NHS failings and place them at Cameron’s door
  3.    Take the Bill at its word – work towards integration and PPI and challenge the system when it won’t allow it.

Richard Grimes – develop a leftwing thinktank on health

A list of spokespeople for the media

Build on the politicised contacts we now have, particularly doctors.

We need an early response to the Mid-Staff enquiry, as all the problems will be laid at Labour’s door.

Support for lay people in understanding the NHS and how to manage it better on committees.

Proposed future meetings: 23rd June (Bunhill Fields Meeting House), 29th September ( Manchester Quaker Meeting House), 12th January 2013