Agenda item

To note reports on the following items for information:-

a)         Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy – 6 Monthly Update

(Appendix E1 – Page )

b)         Better Care Together – Update (Appendix E2 – Page )

c)         Leicester City Council Adult Social Care Commissioning Intentions (Appendix E3 – Page )

d)         Air Quality Action Pan – consultation (Appendix E4 - Page)

The Board noted the reports on the following items for information:-

a)         Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy – 6 Monthly Update

            This was the fourth bi-annual update report and more data was now available to show the progress with the direction of travel for 23 of the 25 measures now available. The Joint Integrated Commissioning Board (JICB) had been requested to provide summary action plans on all the measures that were showing deterioration in performance.   The summary action plans for NHS Health Checks, Self-Reported wellbeing – people with a high anxiety score and smoking cessation were at Appendix 3 of the report.  Summary action plans were still awaited from NHS England on the uptake of bowel cancer screening in men and women and the coverage of cervical screening in women. Both the CCG and Public Health were also pursuing these independently with NHS England to better understand the reasons for this deterioration.  The CCG were also using data from GPs as part of this process to see if there was a correlation with particular geographical areas or particular sections of the population or whether there was just a general reduction in uptake of screening for no apparent reason.

The Chair commented that the Board had previously discussed the idea of having a Board Member to champion specific themes in the strategy but this had not materialised.  He felt that this should be re-visited in the near future as there was now a larger membership of the Board. 

b)         Better Care Together – Update

            The Chair commented that the engagement process needed to be effective and well communicated to the public.  The scrutiny of the Programme was still best placed with the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission in view of the Board members’ active involvement with initiatives with the programme.  Healthwatch also had an important role in the public and patient engagement aspects of the scrutiny process.

            In response to questions from members of the public, Mary Barber, Programme Director, Better Care Together, stated that:-

i)          945 questionnaires had been completed to date.  This was higher than in previous baseline responses.

ii)         The emerging themes of concerns expressed by the public were:-

·         What were the proposals for the General Hospital?

·         Will the primary care sector be able to cope with the additional services they would be expected to provide?

·         What will be the impacts upon social care provision?

iii)        Detailed plans were currently being developed for 2015/16 and 2016/17.  Any changes to services in the 2015/16 plan would only be implemented if they did not require formal public consultation. These changes to be implemented could involve improvements in performance and increases in service provision.  Services that required public consultation were currently being identified and it was intended to submit a list of these to the meeting of the Partnership Board in May.

iv)        The number of beds provided within the NHS constantly changed from week to week and month to month.  The primary issue was not necessarily the number of beds provided, but where the beds were provided within the system in order to provide the most effective treatment to patients dependent upon need.

v)         The Programme was already the subject of public scrutiny.  The Partnership Board, which meets in public, comprises representatives from the NHS, local authorities and Healthwatch.  There was an opportunity for the public to ask questions at the Board meetings.  Discussions were also taking place with independent organisations to see if there were any examples of good practice being developed elsewhere in the country in relation to Better Care Together which could be applied in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

A member of the public commented that Councils elsewhere in the country had commissioned independent bodies and individuals to scrutinise the process.  It was felt that a large amount of feedback could be achieved for relatively small sums.

The Chair commented that:-

i)          The Programme Director for Better Care Together should be invited to look at the issues raised around independent scrutiny of the Better Together Care Programme and how these could be resourced.

ii)         That progress on implementing the Better Care Together Programme be revisited in future meetings.

iii)        There may be merits in having joint scrutiny arrangements across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to avoid duplication and provide a more meaningful forum for scrutiny at the political level.

iv)        The Better Care Together Team be invited to consider these issues and provide a response for the Board to discuss at a future meeting.            

c)         Leicester City Council Adult Social Care Commissioning Intentions

            The report was noted.

d)         Air Quality Action Plan – consultation

The Chair commented that consultation on the Air Quality Action Plan for the City had recently been launched.  Improving Air Quality was a challenge in the City and the current Action Plan recognised the importance of health and wellbeing in relation to improving air quality rather than the previously traditional approach to improving air quality through mainly traffic management proposals.  He urged all partners on the Board to submit responses to the consultation process.

The responses on the consultation would go through the Council’s scrutiny process before going to Council for approval.  It was intended to bring the final document back to the Board before it was formally approve.

The Consultation Draft – Healthier Air Quality for Leicester – Leicester’s Air Quality Action Plan (2015-2025) was noted.