WB.15.94.1
WELSH BOARD
OPEN SESSION
Date of meeting:
13 November 2015
Title of Paper:
Minutes of meeting held on 7 August 2015
Presented by:
Board Chair for approval
Is a decision required? Yes
No
The Open session of the RCN Welsh Board was held on Friday 7 August 2015
in the RCN Welsh Board headquarters, Ty Maeth, Cardiff, which commenced
at 13:50.
PRESENT
WB.15.94.1
Gaynor Jones
Ann Griffiths
Billy Nichols
Christine EdwardsJones
Christine Thomas
Prof Donna Mead,
OBE, OSt.J, FRCN
Gareth Phillips
Kate Parry
Owain Jones
Pamela Parsons
Stewart Attridge
Tamara Morgan
RCN Welsh Board Chair
Mid & West Wales seat
Board member seat
Glamorgan seat
Council Member for Wales
Cwm Taf seat
Cangen Gogledd Cymru seat
Vice Chair
Glamorgan seat
Cwm Taf seat
Cardiff seat
Cwm Taf seat
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WB.15.94.1
APOLOGIES
Jacquelin Davies
Jane Carroll
Alison Davies
Glamorgan seat
Gwent seat
Associate Director (Professional Practice)
IN ATTENDANCE
Tina Donnelly, CBE,
DL, TD
Peter Meredith-Smith
Director, RCN Wales/Board Secretary
Helen Carlyon
Katie Branch
Nicola Davis-Job
Lisa Turnbull
Jayne Taylor
Associate Director (Employment
Relations)/Deputy Board Secretary
Finance & Business Continuity Manager
Complaints, Quality & Admin Services
Manager
Acute Care & Leadership Adviser/Acting
Associate Director (Professional Practice)
Policy & Public Affairs Adviser
PA to Director, RCN Wales/Board
Administrator
WB.15.67.1 WELCOME & APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Board Chair welcomed everyone to the Open Session and
gave a special welcome to the observer, Steve Watson, Primary
Care & Independent Sector Adviser.
WB.15.67.2 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
The Chair asked members to declare any possible interests they
may have had with any items on the agenda and none were
reported.
The Associate Director (Employment Relations) declared that he
had been contracted by the Welsh Government to work for three
days per week as part of the Special Measures Team in the
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Board was
assured that he would leave the meeting or not contribute to any
discussions should a matter arise that would present a conflict of
interests.
WB.15.68.1 MINUTES
Minutes of the Board meeting held on Friday 15 May 2015 had
been circulated and were confirmed as accurate.
Review of Action Sheet
The actions that had been completed were noted and the
progress on the other actions recorded on the action sheet
attached.
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WB.15.68.2 MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
WB.15.69
BOARD CHAIR’S REPORT
A report had been received and was noted.
WB.15.70
DIRECTOR, RCN WALES’ REPORT
A report had been received and was noted.
WB.15.71
STAFFING INFORMATION
A report had been received and was noted.
The Director gave a further verbal update as follows:

Peter Meredith-Smith was welcomed back to his substantive
role as Associate Director (Employment Relations).

David Wallace, Senior Officer had retired after 20 years
service.

The Senior Officer post and Officer post have been
advertised with interviews would be held on 17 and 21
August.

A part-time Professional Practice Co-ordinator had been
appointed, subject to HR checks.
The Board Chair asked the Policy & Public Affairs Adviser to
thank Liam Anstey for his hard work and commitment on behalf
of the RCN in Wales during his time as Public Affairs Assistant.
WB.15.72
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR (EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS)
REPORT
A report had been circulated and was noted.
WB.15.73
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
73.1 Associate Director (Professional Practice) Report
A report had been circulated and was noted.
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The Director drew the Board’s attention to Table 3 on page 8 of
the report that outlined the library usage from April 2014 to June
2015. The Director cautioned the Board that the refurbishment
of the ground floor would impact on the KPI for library services
and could also impact on student recruitment
73.2 Emergency Care Update
This had been reported on the action sheet.
WB.15.74
GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC, POLITICAL AND HEALTH
74.1
Policy & Public Affairs Report
A report had been circulated and was noted.
The Policy & Public Affairs Adviser gave a verbal update as
follows:
The following consultations are currently out for comment:






A Planned Primary Care Workforce for Wales
Action plan to further equality for transgender people
Review of the NHS Wales workforce
National Pathway for Homelessness Services to Children,
Young People and Adults in the Secure Estate
Green Paper: Our Health, Our Health Service
Draft Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) Bill
The Board was thanked for the comments submitted to date on
the action plan to further equality for transgender people.
Welsh Government Green Paper: Our Health, Our Health
Service
The Board had received a hand-out of a presentation on the
Welsh Government Green Paper: Our Health, Our Health
Service.
Professor Donna Mead requested an opportunity to discuss the
Green Paper with Board colleagues. It was suggested that this
could take place at the joint Board/Activists conference on 22
September but it was noted that this would be after the closing
date for the Green Paper consultation. However, the Board
agreed to hold a discussion at the conference as a follow up to
the consultation.
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Prudent Healthcare
The Director informed the Board that she had raised concern
with the Minister for Health and Social Services that there was
an expectation that nurses would go into role substitution rather
than make a contribution to Prudent Healthcare. The Minister
had agreed that this was an omission and agreed to hold some
visits to celebrate nursing. The Director also raised with the
Minister the idea that there should be an equality check to
ensure that all professions have had an opportunity to input to
the Minister’s briefing papers.
Safe Nurse Staffing Bill
The Board was informed that the Bill had been granted
permission to progress to Stage 2 but, in order for it to proceed,
the Minister for Health & Social Services would need to lay down
the financial resolution well in advance of the Welsh Assembly
elections. The Policy & Public Affairs Adviser warned of the
danger of the Welsh Government doing nothing and allowing the
Bill to run out of time and urged the Board to encourage
members to write to their Assembly Members, using the preprinted Safe Nurse Staffing postcards and to attend the launch
of the Time to Care 2016 campaign at the Senedd on 22
September to lobby Assembly Members. The Board noted that
the RCN Website has further information on the Bill and has
links to a Facebook page and information on a Twitter day that
would be held in early September.
The Council member for Wales stressed the need for Assembly
Members to give their commitment to the Bill proceeding.
Political Leadership Programme
The Board was informed that there was one place available to
Board members on the Political Leadership programme.
Tamara Morgan informed the Board that 13 September was
World Sepsis Day and asked if the RCN could link in with social
media to that. Tamara agreed to contact the organisers and
report back to the Board Chair outside of the meeting.
Actions:

WB.15.94.1
A post consultation discussion on the Green Paper to
take place at the joint Board/Activists conference on
22/23 September.
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
The Board to encourage members to write to their
Assembly Members and to attend the launch of the Time
to Care 2016 Campaign at the Senedd on 22 September.
74.2
RCN Congress 21 – 25 June 2015
The Board Chair asked the Board for any further feedback from
the Board following Congress in additional to the concern that
had been raised during Closed session under WB.15 .55.1 with
regards to the accommodation but no further feedback was
received.
74.3
Time to Care Campaign
A report had been circulated and was noted. The Board also
received the following tabled papers:

Addendum to WB.15.74.3 Proposed Campaign Priorities for
RCN Wales Time to Care 2016

The Policy Priorities of RCN Wales members – results from
the Spring 2015 Survey
The Board had received a presentation on the campaign
priorities and the results of the survey at the Board seminar on 6
August 2015 and had had the opportunity to discuss these in
detail.
The Board endorsed the campaign priorities as set out in the
paper with one amendment to broaden reducing alcohol misuse
to reducing alcohol and drug misuse.
74.4 Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill
A report had been circulated and was noted.
The Policy & Public Affairs Adviser reminded the Board that
social care was one of the top priorities identified by members in
the 2015 survey.
The Board’s attention was drawn to the joint briefing event that
had been held on 13 July 2015 with COT, CSP, BASW Cymru
and Age Cymru. The Board was informed that David Rees AM,
Chair of the Health & Social Care Committee had been very
complimentary about the event and had found it very useful.
WB.15.74.5 Update on Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP)
A report had been circulated and was noted.
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Gareth Phillips reminded the Board that at the May Board he
had agreed to be the Board champion on TTIP and informed the
Board that he was raising awareness of this.
The Policy & Public Affairs Adviser reminded the Board that it
was hoped to hold a seminar in September on TTIP with funding
from Jill Evans MEP. The Board was informed that RCN
EU/International Adviser had attended an event in Wales on
TTIP.
The Director informed the Board that Council had agreed that
the International Committee would lead on this work as it has
huge implications for nursing and that it would not be devolved
to the countries to act separately. The Board noted that Gareth
had been named as the TTIP champion for Wales at Council.
The Director asked that a synopsis of the papers that went to the
International Committee should be shared with Gareth.
The Director suggested that TTIP be considered as a future
topic for a Board development session and the Board voted on
this suggestion as follows:
The Board is in favour of having a Board development session
on TTIP
For:
13
Against: 0
Abstain: 0
This vote was carried.
Professor Donna Mead expressed concern that the Board was
dealing with a lot of competing priorities and the Board agreed to
look at this.
Actions:
WB.15.75

A synopsis of the International Committee papers
relating to TTIP to be shared with Gareth Phillips.

Board development session to be held on TTIP.
REVIEW OF RCN WEBSITE
The Complaints, Quality and Admin Services Manager informed
the Board that the RCN Wales website was continuing to be
reviewed and updated.
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WB.15.76
REVISED PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
A revised report had been tabled and the dates for the Board
meetings in 2016 agreed as set out in Appendix 1.
The Director assured the Board that venue and timings for the
November Board would be circulated as soon as possible.
Action: Venue and timings for the November Board to be
circulated.
WB.15.77
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
77.1 Dementia Friend
Owain Jones queried if any Board member had become a
Dementia Friend as he had been involved in this as part of his
MSc. The Director informed the Board that the RCN had been
involved with Dementia Friend UK and had been invited to sign
up.
The Board noted that Owain Jones would give a presentation on
his MSc and the support he received from the RCN scholarships
at the next Board.
Action: Owain Jones to give a presentation on his MSc and
the support he received from the RCN scholarships at the
next Board.
There being no further business the Chair closed the meeting at
14:50pm.
The Board noted the dates of the next seminar and Board meeting as follows:
Joint Board/RSDN event
Venue:
11 December
t.b.c. Central Cardiff
Board Closed Session
Board Development Session
Venue:
25 February 2016 13:30 – 17:00
25 February 2016 17:30 – 19:00
t.b.a.
Board Open Session:
Venue:
26 February 2016 09:00 – 14:00
t.b.a.
ET: Tina Donnelly, Director, RCN Wales
Email: tina.donnelly@rcn.org.uk
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WB.15.94.1
OPEN SESSION ACTION LIST
Agenda
No.
WB.15.47.2
Action
Update on Actions
Status
TD
7 Aug
TD informed the Board that the
Completed
independent report had now been
received and the recommendations
had all related to issues that had
been identified via the Frontline
First issues raised by members and
upheld without exception. The
Board noted that Dr Peter Carter
had written to Adam Cairns, Chief
Executive requesting an outline plan
as to how the Health Board would
meet all the recommendations.
TD/PMS/LT
22 Sept 15
Policy & Public Affairs Report
A post consultation discussion
on the Green Paper to take
place at the joint Board/Activists
conference on 22/23
September.
WB.15.94.1
Deadline
Emergency Care Update
Board to be updated regarding
the report into bullying and
harassment in the Cardiff &
Vale University Health Board at
the August meeting.
WB.15.74.1
Designated
People
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Completed
WB.15.94.1
Agenda
No.
WB.15.74.5
WB.15.76
Action
Designated
People
Deadline
The Board to encourage
members to write to their
Assembly Members and to
attend the launch of the Time to
Care 2016 Campaign at the
Senedd on 22 September.
Board
members
22 Sept 15
Completed
Status
A synopsis of the International
Committee papers relating to
TTIP to be shared with Gareth
Phillips.
TD
13 Nov 15
Completed
Board development session to
be held on TTIP.
TD/LT
Feb 16
JT
Sept 15
Update on TTIP
Revised Schedule of
Meetings
Venue and timings for the
November Board to be
circulated.
WB.15.94.1
Update on Actions
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Completed
WB.15.94.1
Agenda
No.
WB.15.77.1
Action
Designated
People
Update on Actions
Status
Dementia Friend
Owain Jones to give a
OJ
presentation on his MSc and the
support he received from the
RCN scholarships at the next
Board.
WB.15.94.1
Deadline
13 Nov 15
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Completed