Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 16 April 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

There were no call-ins to consider.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Children's Safeguarding & Prevention).

At its meeting on 11 April 2013, the Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South Area Committee considered a report on the processes and pathways in place in Stockport in relation to the identification of a problem for a child, young person or family, including bullying or harassment.

Officer contact: Chris McLoughlin, 0161 474 4624, chris.mcloughlin@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Children & Child Protection) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of the process and pathways in place in the Stockport to identify a problem for a child, young person or family, including those associated with bullying or harassment.

The Supporting Families Pathway provided a central point of contact for professionals and the public to raise concerns and for these to be considered by a range of agencies through a common assessment framework (CAF). The report also highlighted work being undertaken to develop a Multi-agency Safeguarding and Support Hub (MASH) to ensure more intelligent and effective information sharing between agencies.

This matter had been referred to the Scrutiny Committee by the Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South Area Committee on 11 April 2013 in order to ensure that the Scrutiny Committee was aware of the development of the Multi-agency Hub.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         In the last quarter over 1300 calls were received, of which 700 were directed through the Pathway, which previously would have been referred through the Social Care system.

·         The further involvement and co-location of colleagues from health would be welcomed to provide advice and guidance to callers, although this was more problematic now that health visiting was no longer commissioned locally. Nonetheless, there was close working between the Council and NHS safeguarding teams.

·         The Pathway was not designed for urgent or emergency interventions, which would be handled through out-of-hours social care services or through the Police. Nonetheless, Police officers were embedded within the team and were useful in early identification and intervention.

·         Safeguards were in place to prevent non-risk issues being escalated and unnecessary and distressing interventions taking place.

·         Stockport Homes staff were currently aligned to the Pathway, although co-location was a longer term aspiration.

·         GPs were aware of the system and had made referrals through the Pathway, although there was scope for this to be reinforced.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Service Director (Children & Child Protection) be invited to submit further reports on the Multi-agency Safeguarding and Support Hub (MASH) as appropriate.

Representatives of Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group and Public Health and other services/ organisations in attendance will be invited to provide a brief overview of the changes to health service since 1 April 2013 including identifying any emerging issues.

The Chair invited representatives of the Public Health Service, the Clinical Commissioning Group, the Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing) and HealthWatch Stockport to provide a brief update and overview of their services since the reorganisation of the Health Service came into effect on 1 April 2013. In particular the Chair invited contributors to identify any emerging issues.

Public Health

Dr Stephen Watkins (Director of Public Health) and Donna Sager (Deputy Director of Public Health) provided an update that included the following:-

·         A review was being undertaken into the value for money of existing Public Health contracts.

·         Work was underway to look at the Health Check process and enhanced services, such as those provided through pharmacies; to revisit and re-launch the Stockport Health Promise; to develop a physical health strategy; to address health inequalities more effectively through the Neighbourhood Management arrangements; bringing forward proposals in relation to reducing tobacco use.

·         The www.healthystockport.co.uk website had been launched to complement the integrated Lifestyle Service.

·         Vaccination programmes were now commissioned through Public Health England. Stockport had traditionally been very successful in its programmes.

Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Gaynor Mullins (Chief Operating Officer, Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group) circulated a copy of the CCG Outcome Indicator Spine Chart that compared performance locally against a national performance for a basket of indicators that the CCG would be assessed against. A verbal update was also provided that included the following:-

·         The CCG had been in operation for 7 weeks. Although it did not have responsibility for commissioning GP services, it did have a duty to monitor quality and was shortly planning to implement a ‘GP Scorecard’.

·         Performance in relation to admissions for chronic and acute conditions was a CCG and Foundation Trust priority. The challenge would be to engage GPs to develop care plans for those with chronic conditions to ensure more appropriate care.

·         Work was continuing on health and social care integration through such activities as the Stockport One service. The development of the Healthier Together programme would have an impact on this work.

·         Significant progress had been made to improve C Difficile infection rates.

Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing)

Councillor John Pantall (Executive Councillor) provided an update and highlighted the following areas of interest:-

·         Importance of promoting healthy ageing.

·         Improving the health of the workforce.

·         Understanding and addressing the wider determinants of health and ill-health.

·         The need to develop a common understanding of ‘prevention’.

·         The portfolio had acquired responsibility for the Leisure Strategy and it was hoped to develop a more inclusive definition of leisure that would embrace the whole population, not simply focus on buildings and pitches.

HealthWatch Stockport

John Leach (Chair of HealthWatch Stockport) reported that building on the work of Stockport LINk, it was the intention of HealthWatch to improve its outreach and public engagement activity and to create clearer accountability and responsibility within the organisation.

The following issues were raised:-

·         The importance of greater focus on lifestyle and preventative activity, be that relating to physical health or mental health, was stressed, although it was recognised that this may take time to show improvement.

·         Greater focus was needed on mental wellbeing (as opposed to ill-health) and promoting resilience and work toward that was welcomed.

·         Health inequalities were highlighted as a particular concern and the danger that the priority given to reducing them could be lost during periods of change and transition.

·         Concern was expressed about rates of unplanned hospitalisations for asthma diabetes and epilepsy in under 19s. In response it was stated that this was being investigated and that one of the possible causes could be the mis-coding of admissions. It was also recognised that more could be done to provide a more effective paediatric outreach service.

RESOLVED – (1) That the reports be noted and those providing updates be thanked for their contribution.

(2) That the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee be informed that this Committee would wish to undertake three specific pieces  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnership and Transformation).

The Council Plan sets the framework of priorities that drive the organisation’s resource allocation. The Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), including the Executive’s Budget Proposals for 2013/15 and the Capital Programme, continues to provide the resources to deliver those services and exploit those opportunities necessary to deliver a Greener, Safer and Stronger, Thriving, and Healthy Stockport. The enclosed extract from the draft plan relates to the Health & Wellbeing Executive Portfolio that falls within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the draft Council Plan.

Officer contact: Holly Rae, 0161 474 3014, holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation) setting out the background to the development of the 2013-15 Council Plan, the draft introductory sections of the Plan and the specific section for the Health & Wellbeing portfolio.

The Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing) gave an overview of the priorities contained in the draft Plan, and emphasising the interdependence of the Plan’s aims with the work of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Chair stated that many of the issues relevant to this item had been discussed during consideration of the ‘Horizon Scanning’ item earlier in the meeting.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Health & Wellbeing Portfolio priorities contained in the draft Council Plan for 2013-15 be endorsed.

(2) That the Deputy Director of Public Health be requested to submit a report to a future meeting on the review of Public Health Contracts.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and any relevant Forward Plan items.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

(Note: the Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 in order to allow the Scrutiny Committee to consider the matter promptly)

The Chair invited the Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing) to report back to the Scrutiny Committee on a recent event organised by the Tobacco Free Futures. The Executive Councillor reported on discussions that had taken place on ‘The Newcastle Declaration on Tobacco Control’ which had been adopted by Newcastle City Council in May 2013. The Declaration was a statement from the Council on what it would do to reduce smoking prevalence amongst its communities. The Executive Councillor suggested that such a Declaration could be adopted by the Council and other public bodies in Stockport.

RESOLVED – That this Scrutiny Committee supports the principal of adopting a Declaration on Tobacco Control, modelled on the Declaration adopted by Newcastle City Council in May 2013 and encourages the Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing) to take the necessary steps to progress this matter.