To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting held on 29 February 2024.

 

PUBLIC Minutes of the meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board held on 4^th September 2024 4.00pm-6.00pm

 

Present:                      Councillor M Hooper (Chair)

Councillor John Kent

 

Margaret Allen, Deputy Thurrock Alliance Director 

Rita Thakaria, Partnership Director, Thurrock Council, EPUT and NELFT

Jim Nicolson, Adult Safeguarding Board

Michael Dineen, Assistant Director for Counter Fraud and Community Safety

Mark Tebbs, Chief Executive, CVS

Andrea Clement, Assistant Director for Public Health

Kim James, Chief Operating Officer, Healthwatch Thurrock

Jenny Barnett, Chief Superintendent, Essex Police

 

Apologies:                  Councillor Hartstean

Councillor Deborah Arnold (Vice-Chair)

Sharon Stoltz, Director of Public Health

Ian Wake, Executive Director for Adults and Health

Sheila Murphy, Executive Director for Children’s Services

Claire Demmel, Executive Director for Place

Michele Lucas, Assistant Director

Gill Burns, Director of Children’s Services, Northeast London Foundation Trust (NELFT)

Aleksandra Mecan, Thurrock Alliance Director 

Alex Green, Executive Director of Community Services and Partnerships, Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT)

Michelle Stapleton, Integrated Care Pathway Director, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Fiona Ryan, Managing Director, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

BJ Harrington, Chief Constable, Essex Police

Sharon Hall, Northeast London Foundation Trust (NELFT)

 

Guests:                       Andrew Graham, LD Health Commissioner

                                    Caitlin Smith, Healthwatch Thurrock

                                    Alison Birch, Head of Connected Pathways Mid and South Essex Primary Care Team

Christopher Smith, Programme Manager Thurrock Council

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.           Welcome, Introduction and Apologies

 

Colleagues were welcomed and apologies were noted. Margaret Allen provided representation from the Thurrock Alliance and Andrea Clement attended on behalf of Sharon Stoltz.

 

2.           Minutes / Action Log

 

The minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting held on 29^th February 2024 were approved as a correct record.

 

3.           Urgent Items

There were no items received in advance of the Board.

 

4.           Declaration of Interests

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

5.             Consequential amendments to the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Term  

      of Reference and membership

 

This item was introduced by Andrea Clement. Key points included:

·       The draft Terms of Reference was circulated in advance of the Board.

·       The Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually.

·       Minor amendments to the Board’s membership to ensure that the TOR reflects changes in personnel.  Members are asked to propose new members that they feel would be appropriate for Board.

·       The flag system, introduced in response to the independent review recommendations will continue to be adopted, helping to ensure agenda items are provided with adequate time at meetings.

·       The action and decision log will continue to be utilised to support the effective monitoring of actions agreed by members.

·       A register of attendance will be created and maintained.

·       A request made by Thurrock Community Safety Partnership that the Board provides oversight of Thurrock’s action plan in response to the Serious Violence Duty and Essex Strategy.

 

During discussions, the following points were made:

·       A request was made for Alex Mecan to be removed as member of the board. Margaret Allen will be attending as representative for Thurrock Alliance and MSE Health and Care Partnership.

 

Decision: Members agreed to the consequential amendments to its Terms of Reference. 

 

6.     Better Care Fund Plan 2024/25 update submissions

This item was introduced by Christopher Smith, Thurrock Council. Key points included:

·       The report covered 3 key areas:

o   Submission of an update plan for 2024/25.

o   Year-end report for 2023/24.

o   Quarter 1 report for 2024/25.

·       The BCF has been operating for a period of 10 years in Thurrock, providing a pooled fund between Thurrock Council and NHS.

·       The fund is overseen by the Thurrock Integrated Commissioning Executive which comprises officers representing the Council and Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.  The Board meets on a bi-monthly basis.

·       The Better Care Fund Plan for 2023/25 was approved by the members on 27 July and, following a national assurance process, approved by NHS England on 18 September 2023.

 

·       Members asked how much this approach would contribute to savings for Thurrock and Health. It was confirmed that Thurrock continues to perform well against national performance indicators.

·       Thurrock is also investing in preventative services to avoid the need for more expensive Adult Social Care, Housing or Health interventions.

 

Decision: Members approved the submission of the Better Care Fund update template for 2024/25, the Year-end report 2023/24, and the Quarter 1 report for 2024/25.

 

7.          Health Watch Annual Report 2023/24

 

This item was introduced by Kim James. Key points included:

·       Healthwatch is an independent organisation from Health and Social Care for Birth to Adults years.

·       Healthwatch act as voice for the community.

·       Reports are written and published into the public domain o try and influence the decisions around the provisions in Thurrock.

·       Healthwatch is a project of Thurrock CVS due to being too small to be independent. This helps with having access to voluntary sector organisations and groups to support individuals.

·       Healthwatch oversea the PALS primary care – information, advice, and signposting.

·       Healthwatch have worked with Thurrock Stroke Project, which is a peer-to-peer support service. GPs in Thurrock have been asked to signpost these services to any stroke survivors.

·       Healthwatch also help with the process of hospital discharge.

·       Healthwatch have helped to inform the new Carers Strategy.

 

During discussions, the following points were made:

·       Cllr Kent thanked Healthwatch for the work that has been done and to all that have taken part in the projects. Cllr Kent welcomed the significant effort to assist unpaid carers and unsupported carers who need to be supported. The Leader was interested in the discharge process, exploring the processes involved in the breakdown of communication and wanted to know more about the work on dementia support and was eager to see the outcome of these efforts.

·       Members would like to continue to support the work with unpaid carers, and asked if there was anything Thurrock can do to help with the support. Healthwatch affirmed the need to continue to promote the work and support and reassure that support and assistance is available.

·       Cllr Hooper thanked Healthwatch for the ongoing work.

·       Thurrock Alliance commented that approval for funding for a Carers Intensive Supported Service for Thurrock. EPUT will start the recruitment for a 2-year programme to prevent family carers ending up in crisis, this will be aimed at avoidance to hospital admissions. There is also ongoing work with primary care to identify family carers at GP practices. Including additional information directed at family carers around hospital discharge.

 

Decision: Members noted the contents of the report.

 

8.          SET LeDeR Annual Report 2023/24

This item was introduced by Andrew Graham. Key points included:

·       The Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) Programme started in 2017 with the aim to reduce the health inequalities faced by people who have a learning disability.

·       From 1^st April 2023-31^st March 2024, LeDeR at the beginning of the process was an all aged 4 and above programme. From July 2023 LeDeR has become an aged 18 and above programme only.

·       LeDeR works alongside statutory and quality improvement measures.

·       The Senior Review role is shared across SET and Suffolk, this began in 2023 and has been agreed to continue in 2024.

·       SET has a 3 Year LeDeR deliverable plan 2024-2027 which identifies where progress is needed. The plan has 12 priorities and covers 4 priorities each financial year (24/25, 25/26 and 26/27).

·       Annual heath checks completed 70% and health action plans completed 30%, this is an improvement from last year.

·       All recommendations are followed by an action plan as set out in the report and allocated to different organisations. This was presented at the LeDeRs steering group and Learning Disability and Autism Health Equality Board.

·       Thurrock is the first HWBB this report has been presented to; it will be presented to the Southend HWBB next.

 

During discussions, the following points were made:

·       Members commented and thanked the work that has been done. There were concerns raised awareness and that training is key for respiratory factors and choice for eating and drinking and ensuring its right for everyone. There is a lot more that needs to be done in the community and for the community.

·       Cllr Kent was pleased to see the focus and access to dentistry, but SLT services in Thurrock is still low. Cllr Kent wanted to know what Thurrock HWBB can do to help improve this field as it is shocking to hear people with LD are likely to die before the age of 60 years as only 70% of people having annual checks and 30% action plans.

·       It was confirmed to help upskill carers. The annual health check is seen as the north star and health action plans are given but more informally. This is not just for the individual but for social care and carers.

·       Cllr Kent clarified that it says a few in 1 in 3 are receiving the action plans. How do we get to 9 in 10.

·       It was confirmed that there is a broader piece of work, next year’s annual report will show the improvement to reflect the work that has been done over the year.

·       Members wanted clarity on where the health action plan are, Family, residential or supported living service point of view and do GP’s have sight of these?  It was confirmed that if in care provision or supporting living this will be shared with the carers support. Health action plans are next steps to stay healthy which GPs do have sight of.

·       Cllr Hopper advised he was keen to follow up with Andrew to help raise awareness and support carers and help improve the statistics for Thurrock.

 

9.          Connected Pathways

This item was introduced by Alison Birch. Key points included:

·       In May 2023 NHS England published “Delivery Plan for Primary Care Access Recovery”:

o   Reduce number of patients struggling to contact there GPs.

o   Patients to know on the day how their request will be managed.

·       Mid and South Essex target out of hospital service operating model:

o   Development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INT).

o   Coordination of care through Transfer of Care Hubs (TOCH).

o   Total Triage approach to stop the 8am rush to call GP’s due to first come first serve basis.

·       Connected pathways – objectives:

o   Recruit team to deliver

o   Support practices with MGPA

o   Comms for stakeholders

o   Supply additional digital tools

o   Increase in number of services

o   Improve patient experience

o   Improve staff experience

·       Offer to practices / PCNs – on self referrals to pathways and dedicated website that has resources and practices.

·       Progress to date – purchased a digital tool (CQRS) which allows text messaging to patients with clinic links to self-bookings.

 

During discussions, the following points were made:

·       Members raised concerns regarding the digital comms and if there were any safeguards in place. It was confirmed there will be no change to walk ins or telephone calls, support will be still received by the receptionists (care coordinator).

·       Members asked if there will there be a handbook on how to join the practice on GP websites and change of practice. It was confirmed comms will be made available via different platforms.

 

The meeting finished at 17:25pm. 

 

CHAIR………………………………..

 

DATE…………………………………