Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from those Members who are unable to attend the meeting.

Apologies were received on behalf of Councillor Darren O’Donovan and Kim Taylor (Co-optee).

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 6^th August 2025.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 6^th August 2025 be approved as a correct record.

Members will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have any disclosable pecuniary interests or any other interests, which may prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items.

No interests were declared.

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Panel.

All items were considered in public.

The Panel will receive any petitions and/or deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also submit a petition at the meeting relating to a matter on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, Members of the Public must submit a deputation in writing, at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

No deputations or petitions were received.

To receive any public questions.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the period for the asking and answering of public questions shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Any questions must be submitted in writing at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

No public questions were received.

To receive a presentation on Patient Transport from Home to Hospital across Kirklees from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Contact: Nicola Sylvester, Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officer.  Tel: 01484 221000.

The Panel received a presentation on missed appointments attributed to Patient Transport Services (PTS) within Kirklees. The presentation responded to queries raised by the Panel regarding the causes of missed appointments, responsibility for transport bookings, and eligibility criteria for PTS. It was noted that the definition of a missed appointment had been refined to include only inward journeys with specific abort reasons: wrong mobility, wrong address, failed journey, and Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) delays. Journeys were excluded where the same patient had another successful inward journey on the same date.

Analysis of data from 1 January 2024 to 17 August 2025 revealed an average of nine missed appointments per week. The primary cause was incorrect mobility categorisation (60.6%), followed by YAS delays (17.1%), wrong address (13.4%), and failed journeys (8.9%). Most missed appointments occurred between 9am and 4pm on weekdays, aligning with peak transport activity. Hospital data showed that Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital accounted for the majority of missed appointments, though only 0.8% of total inward activity resulted in an abort. Similarly, the top 25 clinics accounted for 41.6% of missed appointment aborts, with Acre Mills Outpatients, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Orthopaedics & X-ray, and Dewsbury District Hospital X-Ray Department being the most affected.

Apologies were received from Yorkshire Ambulance Service – Patient Transport Service. The Panel acknowledged the need for improved accuracy in mobility assessments and transport coordination to reduce missed appointments and raised the following questions:

Q1. There has been an increase and decrease in missed appointments from January 2024 to August 2025 which has not returned to zero, what is the reason for it being so low in January 2024 and what is the reason for the increases/decreases between January 2024 and August 2025?

Q2. Is there a clear escalation route for patients who experience repeated transport related issues?

Q3. What measures are put in place to ensure timely communication between transport providers and healthcare services when bookings for patient transport are made or changed?

Q4 In terms of providing transport, are there certain illnesses that are not being cared for?

Q5. What is the criteria for a patient to receive patient transport?

Q6.  Has there been any recent changes to patient transport in terms of contract of provider?

Q7. What is meant by ‘wrong mobility’, which equates to 60% of missed appointments?

Q8. How is it possible for patient transport to get the wrong address of patients?

Q9. Could the raw data of missed appointments be provided in percentages along with numbers which would make the statistics more meaningful?

Q10. Who is responsible for ensuring the patient transport ambulance staff are physically fit to perform their duties to ensure that particular journeys are not aborted?

Q11. Who is responsible for maintaining records of patients who have physical disabilities?

Q12. What are the underlying reasons for missed appointments in the different areas of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary? Is there an underlying problem?

Q13.  What is meant by a failed Journey?

Q14. Who is responsible for booking the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

To receive a presentation on Access to GP’s for Kirklees from Kirklees Health and Care Partnership.

Contact: Nicola Sylvester, Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officer.  Tel: 01484 221000.

The Panel received a presentation on Access to General Practitioners (GP’s).

Catherine Wormstone - Director of Primary Care, Kirklees Health and Care Partnership provided an overview of GP workforce data and access challenges across Kirklees. It was reported that there were approximately 250 full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs in post, including salaried GPs, partners, locums, and trainees. Recruitment remained a challenge, particularly in areas of high deprivation, with practices relying on flexible staffing models such as locums, Physician Associates (PAs), and Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs). Several schemes were in place to attract and retain GPs, including the GP Retainer Scheme, sponsorship for international medical graduates, and the Flexible Staff Pool. Additionally, 29 practices were identified as GP training sites, contributing to workforce sustainability.

The presentation highlighted the evolving roles of PAs and ANPs in general practice. PAs were employed across both general practices and Primary Care Networks (PCNs), performing clinical duties under GP supervision. ANPs, employed in over 20 practices and via PCNs, were qualified to prescribe medication, manage undiagnosed conditions, and refer patients to secondary care. Access methods for patients included telephone, in-person, and online consultations, with practices required to maintain online access during core hours from 1st October 2025. The Pharmacy First initiative was also outlined, enabling pharmacists to treat seven common conditions without GP involvement, thereby improving patient access and reducing pressure on general practice.

Modern General Practice Access was introduced as a national model aimed at improving patient experience and operational efficiency. This included structured triage, care navigation, and better use of multi-professional teams. Transition funding had been provided to 55 of 64 practices in Kirklees, with additional support offered to the remaining practices. Patient survey data from 2025 indicated varied satisfaction levels across PCNs, with improvements noted in ease of contact and appointment wait times. NHS 111 call data showed consistent monthly volumes, peaking during late afternoon hours, although the reasons for calls and their relation to GP access remained unclear.

Questions and comments were invited from Members of the Health and Adults Social Care Scrutiny Panel, and the following was raised:

• A comment was made expressing concern about the increasing shift toward digital access, highlighting that some individuals, particularly older people, may struggle due to limited technological skills or access.
• A question was raised regarding the role of Physician Associates (PA) in general practice, specifically around their involvement in diagnosing illnesses. It was clarified that Physician Associates must work under the supervision of a General Practitioner and were not permitted to operate independently, in line with updated guidance from the Royal College of General Practitioners.

• Further clarification was requested on the difference between Physician Associates and Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP). It was explained that ANPs were qualified nurses with advanced clinical training, including prescribing rights, while PAs may come from non-clinical backgrounds and currently could not prescribe, though future training may include this capability.
• A question was raised about how the number of GPs in Kirklees compared to other areas with similar populations. It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

The Panel to review its work programme and agenda plan for 2025/26.

Contact: Nicola Sylvester, Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officer.  Tel: 01484 221000.

The Panel reviewed the work programme for 2025/26.

RESOLVED- That the work programme be noted.