Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Director of Public Health and Director of Adult Social Care.

The report presents the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Health and Adult Social Care Portfolio. The Year-End Report focuses on delivery of the portfolio priorities from October 2023 to March 2024. It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

(1) Consider the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report.

(2) Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2023/24.

(3) Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues.

(4) Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report.

(5) Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Gaynor Ward on 0161 474 3186 or email: gaynor.ward@stockport.gov.uk and Paul Graham by email: paul.graham@stockport.gov.uk  

The Director of Adult Social Care and Director of Public Health submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) presents the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Health and Adult Social Care Portfolio. The Year-End Report focuses on delivery of the portfolio priorities from October 2023 to March 2024. It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care (Councillor Keith Holloway) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed that ‘vaccine fatigue’ exhibited by some residents in relation to the vaccination programme associated with the covid pandemic had started to impact on other vaccination programmes which may have a further and consequent impact on wider public health.

·         It was suggested that work was undertaken to help combat some of the myths that were being promulgated in relation to vaccines.

·         The work undertaken to encourage a shift from smoking to vaping was welcomed, however while vaping was much safer than smoking, there was now evidence that non-smokers were now also taking up vaping as well.  It was noted that the Council was using its existing powers to prosecute illegal vapes.

·         The use of fixed-term posts was discussed in the context of staff retention.

·         In relation to hospital discharges, it was queried what ‘Pathway 0’ and Pathway 1’ referred to in the report meant.  It was stated that the Council’s inhouse intermediate care provider received referrals for those coming out of hospital and who needed care in their own home.  It was explained that pathway 0 was for those who didn’t need significant care or support and that pathway 1 was for those who were going back to their own home and needed care and support i.e personal care or support with meal preparation.

·         The LGA Peer Review had commented on the need to strengthen our ‘step up’ care as opposed ‘step down’ care.

·         Targets around flu vaccination rates were set nationally.  It was explained that rates for childhood vaccination were set as fewer incidences of flu amongst children reduced its spread amongst older and more vulnerable adults.

·         Further information was requested in relation to grant funding in the context of the public health budget, and it was requested that this be included in an item submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.