12th December 2006 - Board Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service held on Tuesday 12th December at 1.30pm in the Boardroom, National Blood Centre, James's Street, Dublin 8
Present: Ms. Maura McGrath (Chairperson)
Mr. Sean Wyse
Mr. David Keenan
Dr. Margaret Murray
Mr. Gerry ODwyer
Ms. Margaret Mullett
Mr Mark Moran
Dr Robert Landers
Ms Jane OBrien
Dr Cees van der Poel
Apologies: Mr David Lowe
Dr Mary Cahill
Also in attendance: Mr. Andrew Kelly, Chief Executive
Dr. William Murphy, National Medical Director
Ms. Mirenda ODonovan, Secretary to the Board
1. Minutes of the meeting of 15th November
The minutes of the meeting of 15th November were agreed subject to amendment, proposed by Mr Sean Wyse and seconded by Mr David Keenan.
2. Matters arising
The Chief Executive received a response from the Department regarding the Boards queries on the Framework for Corporate and Financial Governance.
The Chairperson contacted the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children seeking clarification regarding the oversight function of the department in relation to cost increases. The Secretary General will revert to the Chairperson on this matter in due course.
It was proposed that at the next meeting the CE would prepare a paper for the Board to consider the implications of a change in the reporting relationship between the IBTS, the Department of Health and Children and the HSE.
Budget 2007
The Chief Executive and the Director of Finance met department officials to put the proposal for a price increase of 8.5% on testing and red cells and to seek separate funding for the Recipient Tracing Unit.
Following discussions it was agreed that a revised proposal seeking an increase of 9.5% on testing and red cells would be submitted. The Board approved this proposed increase. There has been no response as yet.
Flu Pandemic Plan
The last modelling data received from the HSE was for a .55% hospitalisation rate. The HSE has now revised that figure upwards to 2.5% which has direct implications for the IBTS contingency working model.
The programme to transfer blood that is crossmatched but not transfused inCork has been delayed because of a difficulty with an IT link to the hospital. A solution is being worked on at present.
No meeting has been scheduled between the IMB, the DOH&C and the IBTS regarding the NHO yet, however it is hoped that one will be scheduled before Christmas.
3. CorkCentre
The meeting with the Minister has been rescheduled to Thursday 14th December at9.30am.
4. Chief Executives Report
The blood supply remains robust. The pre-Christmas campaign has been very successful this year as there has been a tremendous response from the public.
The piloting of daily deliveries in the North-East will commence on schedule in January 2007.
The IMB completed an inspection in Corkon Friday 8th December. There were two major non-conformances. The IMB will be carrying out an inspection at the NBC on 18th and 19th December and a further week long inspection in January, the date has yet to be confirmed.
The Boardagreed that in the discharge of their oversight function it is important that corrective actions taken by the IBTS are monitored by the Board so that the loop is closed. It was agreed that this would be a standard item on the Boardagenda after IMB inspections.
The Chief Executive informed the Board that the ER/IR Manager had resigned.
Values
The draft values agreed by the sub-group will be circulated in January with a view to achieving consensus.
eProgesa
A patch was expected from MAK Systems on 11th December to deal with over 100 bugs outstanding, however it did not materialise and the IBTS was offered a patch which dealt with just 20 bugs and this was rejected. It was noted that other countries in various stages of eProgesa implementation are having similar problems with the company. The IBTS is at the most advanced stage and the difficulties the IBTS is experiencing dealing with MAK Systems are being closely monitored by blood transfusion services in other countries.
Blood for Irish Patients Overseas
It was agreed that the Executive would prepare a paper for the Board on the policy options open to theBoard on this issue and the implications of those options for consideration at a future meeting.
Governance
It was agreed that this matter would be discussed further at the January meeting.
5. Haemochromatosis
The pilot study on haemochromatosis will commence in January. The change in policy regarding regular donors who have been recently diagnosed with haemochromatosis being allowed to continue to donate was welcomed.
The NMD will be presenting an interim report on the pilot study to the Board, the Medical Advisory Committee and the Irish Haemochromatosis Association in June 2007.
6. IBTS Superannuation Fund
It was noted that a Green Paper was due out on pensions in March 2007. It was agreed that Gerry ODwyer would replace the Chief Executive as one of the Board nominees to the Pension Trustees Board.
7. Correspondence
The IBTS has been advised by the Department of Health and Children that it will not be able to recoup costs for legal expenses recently incurred.
The IBTS is hosting the European Haemovigiliance Network Conference in Dublin Castle in February 2007. The Chairperson expressed congratulations to the organisation on hosting such a prestigious event.
8. Minutes of the Medical Advisory Committee10th October 2006
The MAC minutes of 10th October were noted. In relation to prion filters, it was noted that initial human volunteer trials are planned to be conducted by the manufacturer in the US. It is expected that the IBTS will be in a position to begin clinical trials here in March 2007.
9. Dates of meetings 2007
It was agreed that the meetings of the Board in 2007 would commence at the later time of 2.00pm.
The Chairperson thanked the Chief Executive and the staff of the IBTS for the excellent delivery of service throughout the year.
Signed: _______________________ Date:__________________
