Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 23 July 2025

The Committee began with a standard procedural report: there were no declarations of interest and no questions had been received from members of the public. The Senior Democratic Officer (Executive/Scrutiny) thanked members for completing Mandatory Scrutiny Training, for submitting potential Work Programme ideas, and for their contributions during the informal session that followed the Committee’s first meeting, where the 2025/26 Work Programme was discussed and prioritised. The Officer presented the draft Work Programme (Appendix 1) and confirmed that the Committee would have a further opportunity to review it at the November 2025 meeting, with any interim amendments to be made by the Chairman in consultation with the Vice‑Chairman, the Senior Responsible Officer and the Democratic Services Lead.

During the discussion, members sought reassurance that the Work Programme could be adjusted throughout the year. The presenting officer confirmed that the Chairman holds a delegation to amend and reprioritise the programme as needed, citing the urgent report on the temporary closure of the Launceston Minor Injuries Unit as an example. It was also noted that, with the Monitoring Officer’s approval, extraordinary meetings could be convened for urgent business that cannot wait for the next scheduled formal meeting. Cross‑cutting topics such as Dentistry will involve other Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and a suggestion was made to organise a visit to the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust as part of the Committee’s proposed Task and Finish work.

The Committee resolved, by motion of Councillor Chopak and seconded by Councillor Creek, that (1) the draft Work Programme for 2025/26 be approved and (2) any amendments before the mid‑year review be determined by the Chairman in consultation with the Vice‑Chairman, the Senior Responsible Officer and the Democratic Services Lead, with changes effected by the Senior Responsible Officer and communicated to the Committee promptly. No questions were directed to Cabinet Members.

The urgent item concerning the Launceston Minor Injuries Unit was then presented. The Deputy Chief Executive of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust offered an unreserved apology for the Trust’s failure to engage with the community or the Committee prior to the eight‑week temporary closure, which stemmed from a severe staffing crisis. The Trust became aware of the staffing shortfall on 14 July 2025, issued a notification on 16 July, and closed the unit on 21 July. The unit experienced a 50 % reduction in staff—an unprecedented level for any Minor Injuries Unit in the county. Typically, each of the ten Cornish Minor Injuries Units is staffed by two specially trained nurses per day; Launceston sees 16–22 patients daily (15 % presenting with illness), while the busiest unit handles around 800 patients per week. The Trust has a bank of nine trained staff, providing roughly 12‑15 % resilience, which members argued is insufficient. Agency staff and alternative staffing models are being explored, and the Trust is working with Primary Care Networks and community hubs to develop a sustainable, integrated urgent‑care model.

A member raised broader concerns about systemic recruitment and retention challenges, citing high housing costs, limited support, training gaps, low morale and poor treatment of NHS staff. The Trust responded that high housing costs affect all residents and organisations across the county, and that feedback indicates Launceston Minor Injuries Unit remains one of the best working environments in the region. The Trust emphasized ongoing efforts to address staffing pressures and to collaborate with local health partners to improve service continuity.