8th July 2008 - Board Minutes

Minutes of the Meeting of theBoardof the Irish Blood Transfusion Service held onTuesday 8^th July 2008at2.00pmin theBarryRoom,CorkCentre, St Finbarr’s Hospital,Douglas,Cork.

Present:                                 MsMaura McGrath(Chairperson)

Dr Mary Cahill

Ms. Margaret Mullett

Dr Robert Landers

Mr David Lowe

Mr Gerry O’Dwyer

MrSean Wyse(via teleconference)

                                                Ms Jane O’Brien

Mr David Keenan

Apologies:                              MrMark Moran

DrCees Van Der Poel

Dr Margaret Murray

Also in attendance:               Mr. Andrew Kelly, Chief Executive

Dr William Murphy, National Medical Director

Mirenda O’Donovan, Secretary to theBoard

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1.                 Minutes of the meeting of 17^th June 2008

The minutes of the meeting of the Board of 17th June 2008were agreed subject to amendment and were proposed by Ms J O’Brien and seconded by Ms Margaret Mullett.

2.                 Matters arising

4.           Chief Executive’s Report

Blood supply

The blood supply remains robust at the moment.  Attendance at clinics has been very good and supply should be maintained without difficulty over the summer.

Business & Finance Magazine carrying a feature on the blood mobile in the current issue, while the IBTS has also been awarded bronze by An Post for the Town on Call campaign. 

The IBTS and Vodafone Ireland have also been selected as one of the ten best case studies of inspiring excellence with the Saving Lives through mobile technology project.  Business in the Community Ireland,evaluated their Business Cases from 2003-2008, in search of the 10 Best Case Studies of Inspiring Excellence.

Blood packs

The current supplier has said that they will be unable to supply blood bags from September 2008 to March 2009.  The IBTS has sourced an alternative supplier to meet the deficit.

Laboratory Review

The LRC is to issue a document today that has been agreed with the unions.  The unions are going to recommend acceptance.  The changes will only be balloted for in the NBC.  There will be further negotiations with regard to working arrangements for the Cork Centre. 

Donation Process Review

A definition of what is normal ongoing change is being sought from the Labour Courtunder section 27.11 of T16. This is binding arbitration and to our knowledge there has not been any ruling to date on this issue.   The performance verification report is due in shortly.  

SOP Project

26 SOPs have been made national.  A timeline for completion is to be agreed with each head of department and no more centre based SOPs are to be issued.

Management Structures

The new management structures will be implemented in September.  A workshop with the new management team is organised for 22^nd September.  The CE has spoken to all the people who will be on the new team. 

The training and development programme covering executive development, middle managers and clinic supervisors will be launched in mid-September.  A vision of the future will also be communicated to staff in September, incorporating theBoard’s inputs at the away day.

3.                 Outputs from theBoardworkshop

The Chairperson asked each Board member to identify 3 items for action from the outputs of the Board workshop.  These will be formulated into an Action Plan for the next 12 to 18 months.

It was agreed that a sub-group of the Board would look at theBoard’s strategic vision between September and December and that this would feed into the new management team.  The CE is to nominate one or two members of the new management team to work with the Board sub-group and formulate the action on this.  It was agreed that matching blood bank services to HSE future planning would be a priority.

The CE informed the Board that the EBA were carrying out a benchmarking exercise between blood services in the EU,Australiaand theUSA.   This is due to be published in the autumn. 

It was agreed that an external guest speaker be invited to address theBoardonce or twice a year.  It was agreed that the NMD with Dr Cahill and Dr Landers would look at this.

5.           Minutes of MAC Meeting – 20^th May 2007

No decision has been made yet regarding Cryoprecipitate and Fibrinogen.

The MAC had been briefed by the Regional Director about the IMB inspection of the Cork Centre in December. 

It was confirmed that the IMB Inspection reports are managed for the Board through the Audit and Compliance Committee and the MAC deal with any medical/clinical matters raised.  It was agreed that the Director of Quality & Compliance would attend the MAC for the IMB report items. 

There were concerns expressed regarding the timeframe of moving crossmatch from the Cork Centre to the Mercy Hospital.  The CE confirmed that he and the Regional Director had already met the CE of the Mercy hospital and the HSE South Network Manager to discuss this and that the timeframe was not as short as suggested.  He added that a reference laboratory was not contemplated in the Mercy.  The CE confirmed that he would be meeting diagnostics staff next Wednesday 16^th July to discuss the matters arising from the proposed transfer of crossmatching to the Mercy.

6.           Minutes of the Finance Committee -  20^th May 2008

Minutes taken as read. 

8.           Presentation by HR Director

The HR Director presented an overview of the various change programmes underway in the IBTS.  TheBoardthanked the HR Director for his detailed and informative presentation.

9.           Correspondence

Correspondence noted.

10.       Date of next meeting

    The next meeting of theBoardwill be onThursday 18^th September 2008

    at 2pm in the National Blood Centre.

7.          CorkCentre

The CE briefed theBoardon the Cork Centre.  There was a discussion on collaboration with the HSE for the provision of some appropriate national laboratory services.  It was agreed that the Chair would make contact with the Minister.

Signed:________________________                        Date:________________