Food Safety JC 28 June 2002

1. The fifth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the Food Safety and Health Sectors was held in Armagh City Hotel, Armagh on Friday, 28 June 2002. The meeting dealt with issues relating to the Food Safety Promotion Board (FSPB), which is one of the six North/South Bodies, and with Health, which is one of the six areas for North/South Co-operation.

2. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Ms Bairbre de Brún, MLA, Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and Mr Leslie, MLA, Minister in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The Irish Government was represented by Mr Micheál Martin, TD, Minister for Health and Children.

3. The NSMC received a progress report on the work of the FSPB. The report included updates on a range of issues, including staff recruitment, the identification of accommodation for the Board's new sub-office in Dublin and the choice of research projects which are due to commence in September which include microbiology, nutrition and toxicology. The research projects have been awarded to University College Cork, University of Ulster and Queens University Belfast. The report also included progress on scientific communication and collaborative laboratory linkages and staff exchanges, the development of an all-island food and nutrition forum, the promotion of cross-border surveillance of food borne diseases, and a multi-media campaign aimed at improving compliance with hygiene legislation. Ministers also received details of the recommendations of the FSPB Review of the Health Effects of Stimulant Drinks, which was published earlier this year.

4. The Council also considered and approved the Board's Corporate Strategy 2002-2004. The plan will be reassessed annually in the context of the annual business planning process during which targets can be updated as necessary. The annual plan will be submitted to NSMC each year.

5. Under the New Targeting Social Need (New TSN) policy, Departments and Non-Departmental Public Bodies in the North are required to develop and consult upon their New TSN Action Plan which sets out targets and actions to implement the policy. The Council approved the New Targeting Social Need (New TSN) policy, which takes account of comments received during the public consultation phase.

6. The FSPB has a statutory obligation to promote equality of opportunity. The NSMC considered and approved an extensively revised draft Equality Scheme for submission to the Equality Commission for their approval. The revised draft addresses issues raised during the period of public consultation.

7. A presentation was made by Paul Robinson, Director General of Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT). The CAWT initiative was launched in 1992 and involves the Southern and Western Health and Social Services Boards in the North, and the North Western and North Eastern Health Boards in the South. The main aim of CAWT is to work together for health gain and social well being in the border area. Mr Robinson highlighted CAWT's positive contribution to the work of the NSMC in the Health Sector. He gave details on specific projects such as the CAWT region population health profile, the GP out-of-hours initiative, the Craigavon-Monaghan hospitals partnership and also noted their participation in all-island joint working groups under the auspices of the NSMC.

8. The Council received further reports of progress on implementing the programme of work it had approved at earlier meetings in the Health sector. The priorities identified for co-operation were Accident and Emergency Services, Planning for Major Emergencies, Co-operation on High Technology Equipment, Cancer Research and Health Promotion.

9. The Council heard progress on continuing cross-border co-operation in hospital services overseen by the North/South Regional Hospital Services Group (NSRHSG). This included the current position regarding organ transplantation in the South and the possibility of developing these services on an all-island basis. Progress was also reported on a number of existing and new local cross-border initiatives including, the provision of neo-natal intensive care, the provision of tertiary cancer care, and the development of a cross border Consultant-led Breast Surgery Team in the North West. Work has also been initiated to develop shared services in dermatology and in renal dialysis.

10. The NSMC endorsed progress to date by Working Groups in the area of Emergency Planning. The NSMC was informed of plans for CAWT to undertake a project management role in progressing emergency planning and pre-hospital care initiatives. The Council was also advised of the appointment of consultants to undertake a feasibility study on the costs and benefits associated with the introduction of an all-island Helicopter Emergency Medical Service(HEMS). Ministers were updated on the potential for control and communications developments in the area of pre-hospital emergency care, which will be assisted by the current upgrading of Ambulance and Fire Service communications systems in the North. The Council also received progress reports on joint North/South Fire Service training in the area of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs). Shared media campaigns on fire prevention and fire safety are being developed for schools in the border areas.

11. The Council endorsed plans for a jointly hosted major health technology seminar, which will be held in September 2002 in Dublin. The Council also noted that work is continuing in several areas which have potential for cross border co-operation, including further research and analysis to gauge the potential health gain from Positron Emission Tomography (PET) technology on an all-island basis. The Council was also informed that the potential for all-island co-operation on procurement and operational training in essential support services in the acute sector is currently being researched. The Council was also informed that it has been agreed that a representative from DHSSPS will also link to EU networks and expertise, in addition to the current representation from the South.

12. In relation to Cancer Research, the Council noted the continuing co-operation within the Cancer Consortium, comprised of the National Cancer Institute of the USA (NCI), and the Health Departments, North and South. Following the production of the first all-Ireland Cancer Incidence and Mortality Report last year the Council was advised that the two cancer registries are seeking to produce a second report. They are also co-operating to produce a common dataset to facilitate other research projects. The Council also noted the announcement of further significant funding for cancer therapy research and the developments to date in co-ordination of all-island clinical trial activity.

13. The Council noted progress to date in a range of Health Promotion initiatives. These included the encouraging results of the folic acid campaign evaluation and the use of an anti-smoking advertising campaign developed by the Health Promotion Agency in Northern Ireland, which is being run in cinemas in the South. The Council also heard that a joint North/South physical activity conference "Getting Active Together!" is to take place in Newry in November, with the aim of identifying good practice in the promotion of physical activity. It will involve those working in the health, education, environment, voluntary and community sectors.

The Council agreed that its next meeting in these Sectors would take place in the South in October 2002.

Joint Secretariat

28 June 2002