Agenda and minutes

The Committee will appoint a Chair and Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Elizabeth Smaje was appointed as Chair of the Committee and Councillor Colin Hutchinson was appointed as Deputy Chair of the Committee.

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

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Smaje, Solloway and Lee.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2025.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 April 2025 were approved as a correct record.

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

Councillor Sandy Lay declared an ‘Other Interest’ as an employee of Harrogate District Foundation Trust.

Councillor Jonathan Timbers declared an ‘Other Interest’ as an employee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Councillor Colin Hutchinson declared an ‘Other Interest’ as the Chair of Doctors for the NHS and a Member of Keep Our NHS Public.

The Committee 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.

Representatives from West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board will provide a summary of its operational planning.

Contact: Yolande Myers, Principal Governance Officer

The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) received a presentation on the 2025/26 operational planning framework for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). The presentation outlined a whole-system approach to planning, integrating finance, workforce, activity, and performance considerations. The ICB’s final plan, submitted in March 2025 and updated in April, aimed for a break-even position, supported by £49.2 million in deficit funding and £432.6 million in planned efficiencies which was equivalent to 6.7% of the ICB’s total allocation. A system risk of £33.2 million was held centrally for planning purposes.

The presentation outlined that the approach to resource utilisation was underpinned by transformation initiatives, collaborative service reviews, and integrated neighbourhood health models. Key focus areas included elective recovery, productivity improvements, and the full implementation of recommendations from a Price Waterhouse Cooper external review. The ICB acknowledged there would be difficult decisions to ensure financial sustainability while maintaining service quality and access.

The Committee advised that workforce planning remained a priority, with the region seeing continued growth in the substantive healthcare workforce and a reduction in reliance on bank and agency staff. Notably, there had been a significant increase in Hospital and Community Health Service doctors and General Practitioners, largely due to the expansion of Resident Doctor posts. The Committee was advised that the ICB would continue to focus on managing vacancies, reducing temporary staffing further, and improving efficiency in the non-clinical workforce over the coming year.

It was noted that performance metrics were reviewed across several domains, including elective care, cancer, diagnostics, mental health, and learning disabilities. The ICB had set ambitious targets to reduce long waits and improve access, with planned improvements in Referral to Treatment times, cancer diagnosis standards, and diagnostic waiting times. Mental health metrics also showed progress, including reductions in out-of-area placements and improved access to talking therapies and perinatal services.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) operational plan was also presented, highlighting a projected 3.9% increase in demand. Despite this, deployed hours on the road were planned to be maintained, contingent on £11 million in growth funding. Improvements were expected in “hear and treat” and “see and treat” rates, with increased staffing in Emergency Operations Centres. YAS was broadly compliant with national commissioning guidance, although some areas required further system-wide support.

The presentation outlined key risks to delivery and the governance structures in place to mitigate them. These included financial pressures, national reforms, workforce challenges, and rising non-elective demand. Mitigation strategies involved cross-system collaboration, targeted programmes, and strengthened oversight through established committees such as the Finance, Investment and Performance Committee and the System Oversight and Assurance Group. Each place within West Yorkshire would contribute to the final operational plan sign-off, ensuring local accountability and alignment with regional priorities.

During discussions, the Committee commented on the following issues: -

• The six key diagnostics monitored were MRI, CT scan, non-obstetric ultrasound, echocardiogram, endoscopy, and electrophysiology tests.
• Concerns raised about long waits for treatments like cataracts and the disparity between NHS and private sector waiting times.
• Clarification  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Representatives from West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts will provide an update on its work programme.

Contact: Yolande Myers, Principal Governance Officer

The Committee received an update from the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) regarding its ongoing collaborative work across the region. The briefing outlined WYAAT’s role as a provider collaborative, not a statutory organisation, comprising six NHS trusts working together to address shared challenges in acute hospital services. The Committee noted that WYAAT aimed to reduce unwarranted variation and improve access, outcomes, and patient experience across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

The Committee was informed that WYAAT operated under a Committee in Common governance model, where Chairs and Chief Executives of the six member trusts met to direct the collaborative programme. Decisions supported by this committee required formal approval by each trust board. WYAAT also reported progress to the ICB, with the ICB retaining responsibility for decisions affecting patient access to services.

Members noted the progress of several key programmes. The Pharmacy Aseptics initiative had begun production at an interim site, with the aim of reducing reliance on commercial suppliers and freeing up nursing time. The Pathology programme had advanced with the deployment of a single Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and new diagnostic equipment, including the Centre for Laboratory Medicine in Leeds, enhancing efficiency and clinical decision-making.

The Imaging programme had successfully implemented over 250 home reporting stations and a shared reporting solution, enabling cross-site radiology collaboration. Additionally, all trusts had adopted AI software for Chest X-rays, supporting clinicians in diagnosing conditions such as lung cancer and pneumonia. These developments were expected to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce delays in treatment.

The Committee was updated on the Planned Care programme, which focused on reducing waiting times through productivity improvements, benchmarking, and implementation of national recommendations such as Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT). Collaborative efforts across trusts had also supported innovations like patient-initiated follow-up and virtual appointments, with clinical networks playing a key role in driving these improvements.

Procurement collaboration had yielded significant cost savings, with £2.3 million saved in the previous year through joint purchasing. WYAAT was exploring a more formalised procurement structure to enhance future savings. The Committee also heard about the work of the Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN), which had launched a new website for post-discharge support and implemented AI tools for stroke detection.

In response to the national 10 Year Health Plan, WYAAT had begun reviewing how to align its services with the plan’s strategic shifts: moving care from hospital to community, focusing on prevention, and embracing digital transformation. The review included exploring integrated neighbourhood health models and cross-trust collaboration to optimise use of assets and ensure equitable access to care.

Finally, the Committee discussed the implications of recent structural changes to the NHS, including the absorption of NHS England into the Department of Health and Social Care and mandated reductions in ICB and provider running costs. WYAAT was actively engaging with the ICB and partners to manage this transition, recognising the importance of provider collaboration in delivering the future NHS operating model.

During discussions, the Committee commented on the following issues: -

• Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.