Ian Wake, Director of Public Health, presented the Thurrock Annual Public Health Report to Members that focused on the sustainability of Thurrock’s Health, Wellbeing and Social Care system with particular focus on the long term conditions management.

An Executive Summary was being prepared and would be presented at Cabinet and Full Council.

Ian Wake stated that it was a statutory duty to produce this independent report on the state of the health and population of the people that Thurrock Council serve.

Ian Wake and his team decided on a topic of relevance to Members and the presentation picked up on the key issues and challenges of how the Council could make the adult and social care system financially and operationally sustainable.

The main key issues were:

•           Key Health Challenges – The Demographic Time Bomb

•           Whole Systems Approach Needed

•           The Financial Opportunity

•           How Thurrock was Under-Doctored

•           GP Practices – Long Term Health Conditions

•           Finding the Missing Thousands

•           Emergency Hospital Admissions

•           Adult Social Care

•           Hospital Admissions

•           Key Recommendations

The Chair thanked Ian Wake for the fascinating report and for condensing all that information into the presentation. Thanks were also given to Ian’s team for all their hard work.

At 9.15pm the Chair moved a motion to allow the meeting to continue beyond the 2 ½ hour time limit so that all members’ questions are heard. All members agreed to finish by 9.45pm.

Councillor Sheridan thanked Ian Wake for a really good, simplified and interesting report.

Councillor Fish asked whether the pressure could be taken off general practitioners if people took more responsibility for their own health. Ian Wake stated absolutely yes and that a poor diet and lack of exercise was a key risk factor for high blood pressure. The issue Ian Wake had was how to persuade people to do this. Changes to the environment and regeneration plans could be addressed.

Councillor Watkins thanked Ian Wake for an excellent report and asked whether the 999 service would be addressed as to how a caller’s request for an ambulance was being treated and rated. Ian Wake stated that the 30 per cent figure was an outrage but compared to other council statistics of 40 per cent, it appeared Thurrock were less likely to abuse the ambulance service.

There were certain cohorts that abused the ambulance service and wasted tax payer’s money.

Councillor Watkins stated that it was essential that Basildon and Brentwood Councils worked collectively with Thurrock.

Councillor Watkins asked if the 101 Service could provide an assistance and help facility to those unsure if an ambulance would be required or not. Ian Wake agreed that this would be a good idea, but due to the demand for the service and how people’s perceptive of what services they are entitled to had changed over the years.

Councillor Collins referred to the Diabetics Type 2 figures and asked how residents of Thurrock could be encouraged to exercise more. Ian Wake stated that companies should advertise the need to exercise more and with 80 per cent of Thurrock Council workers living in the borough, the “Step Jockey” would be re-introduced into the office in January 2017.

Councillor Collins asked if other services could be offered in general practitioners surgeries instead of residents having to go to hospitals. Ian Wake agreed and stated that simple services such as blood tests and blood pressure tests could be incorporated into general practitioner surgeries.

Councillor Snell thanked Ian Wake for the presentation and stated it seemed that it was always the same general practitioners that were failing and that those doctors should be made to understand and should be able to follow good models of surgeries that were achieving. Ian Wake stated that the Balance Scorecard will be used to build networks amongst general practitioners and have the mechanism to help others.

Councillor Snell also asked if a general practitioner could be available in a hospital before the patient goes into accident and emergency. Ian Wake stated that this had already been trialled and evidence showed that this did not reduce the demand.

Councillor Watkins asked regarding admissions was it the downfall of the internet that people were self-diagnosing and could work be done with NHS England to alter the self-diagnose ability. Ian Wake stated that Brentwood and Basildon CCG used e-consult facilities, so when patients logged onto make an appointment and entered symptoms they were taken through an algorithm in terms of diagnosis which reflect about 20 per cent of all appointments so patients went away and self-cared.

The Chair asked what the next steps were for the team going forward. Ian Wake stated that the same report would be presented at the Health and Wellbeing Board next week with the key players around the table. There may be opportunities to have conversations to take the capacity out of hospitals and undertake quick wins which were either cheaper or free.

Councillor Sheridan stated that a recent staff survey had been undertaken at Basildon Hospital asking what would help the hospital more which would not cost a lot of money. The reply by most was a new Porter. Ian Wake suggested to Councillor Sheridan that she feed this back to Tom Abell, Chief Executive at Basildon Hospital and a member on the Health and Wellbeing board.

The Chair thanked Ian Wake again for the report and stated that there was lots of work to be getting on with.

RESOLVED

That the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the contents and recommendations of the report.