Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2008 having been printed and circulated were signed as a correct record.

            It was confirmed that no public questions had been received.

          The Board considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board and Executive Board Sub Committee relevant to the Healthy Halton Policy and Performance Board.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be noted.

            The minutes from the meeting of the Halton Strategic Partnership Board on 10^th September 2008 were submitted for information.

  

            RESOLVED: That the Halton Strategic Partnership minutes be noted.

            The Board received a presentation from Mr. J. Kelly and Ms L. Kelly of the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust on the formal consultation on the development of a comprehensive CAMHS at Fairhaven.

 

The Board was advised that this was a formal consultation aimed at all stakeholders of the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust including statutory and non-statutory partners.

 

Furthermore Members were presented with the formal consultation document which aimed to provide key information for the local people in the community to know what was being proposed in their area.

 

In addition Members received an outline of the proposals by the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust to develop an extended range of services for children and young people aged up to 18 years living in the boroughs of Halton, St Helens, Knowsley, Warrington and Wigan

 

            Arising from Members comments and questions the following points were noted:

 

·              that shortfalls in funding had been a major problem in the past, however, this was now being addressed;

·              that there was a need to incorporate links to the Council’s Education Department for early intervention initiatives;

·              that the unit would be for emergency care beds only and would not be expected to undertake long term care, as this would continue to be provided at Chester; and

·              that there was a number of children from other authorities residing in private homes within Halton and who were being treated within Halton. It was noted that once a child was registered with a GP in the area they were entitled to health care and therefore funding could not be recharged back to their home authority.

 

Catherine Beardshaw, Chief Executive of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust was in attendance at the meeting and extended her support to the development of a CAHMS.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Board support Option 1 set out in the Formal Consultation Document.

           

(NB: Councillor Lloyd Jones declared a personal interest in the following item of business due to her husband being a Non-Executive Director of Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust)

            The Board received a presentation from Eugene Lavan, Director of Strategic Development at Halton and St Helens NHS Trust on World Class Commissioning (WCC).

 

            Members were advised of the WCC process, how outcomes would be measured and of the competencies and documentation required.

 

            Furthermore Members were advised of the Commissioning Strategic Plan and its priority areas. There were three main programmes; helping people to stay healthy; detecting illness earlier and improving quality, safety and efficiency with an overall focus on wellness and prevention.

 

            From these three programmes seven initiatives had been established, including:

 

·        Reducing harm from alcohol;

·        Reducing obesity;

·        Reducing harm from tobacco;

·        Early detection of major illnesses;

·        Early detection of depression;

·        Emergency care; and

·        Planned care.

 

Arising from Members comments and questions the following points were noted:

 

·        there had been an unprecedented rise in hospital admissions in recent weeks and this was an indicator of the greater need for prevention initiatives;

·        there had been issues raised to Members around communication with partners and how this should be strengthened to make sure there were no gaps in service; and

·        that disease detection and lifestyle clinics would be held in conjunction which would give the whole population of the Borough a health MOT.

 

RESOLVED: That the presentation be received.

            The Board received a presentation from Eugene Lavan, Director of Strategic Development at Halton and St Helens NHS Trust on the Commissioning Strategic Plan (CSP) and Halton Health Campus.

 

            Members were given an overview of the CSP, the rationale for needing to change and governance arrangements along with the strategic vision and mission for the Hospital site.

 

            Members were further advised of the three phases of the project and the seven strategic principles that would be worked towards. In addition it was noted that phase 4 which had been launched on 21^st October 2008 and was due for completion in February 2009.

 

            Arising from Members comments and questions the following were noted:

 

• that the Halton Health Campus site would have facilities for diagnostic tests and lifestyle assessments;
• that part of the project would be looking at the principle of having leisure services near screening services; and
• that there was a need to be innovative in providing services.

 

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be received.

(NB: Councillor Lloyd Jones declared a personal interest in the following item of business due to her husband being a Non-Executive Director of Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust)

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Health and Community which provided Members with an update on the impact of revisions to the Travel Policy and Procedure for the Health and Community Directorate.

 

            The report set out the background to the revisions and gave Members information in relation to the eligibility quick practice guide and transport satisfaction surveys.

 

            In addition Members were informed of stories relating to travel training from the Community Bridge Building Team.

 

            Members thanked the Bridge Building Team for their hard work.

 

            RESOLVED: That the update on the Travel Policy and Procedure be noted.  

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Health and Community which provided Members with an analysis on complaints processed under the statutory Social Services Complaints Procedure for Adults during 2007/8.

 

            Members were advised that a new complaints procedure called “Making Experiences Count” would come into operation in April 2009. It was noted that pilot areas were operating the new procedures and that this would result in guidance about how the scheme would operate.

 

            Furthermore Members were advised of the current complaint stages and timescales, how the process was being improved and the lessons that had been learned and actions arising from this.

 

            Arising from Members comments and questions the following points were noted:

 

• the need for monitoring of recommendations and actions or changes arising from complaints; and
• the need for more diversity data to be included in the report, in particular to show how this data compares to the social service population as a whole.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

(1)               the report be accepted; and

 

(2)               the proposals for the development of the complaints procedure (nationally and locally) be noted.

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Health and Community which sought support for the Extra Care Housing Strategy.

 

            Members were advised that the purpose of the strategy was to provide the Council with a plan for the commissioning of extra care services. The aim was to meet the changing and growing needs of Halton’s older population through a strategy that would achieve good quality, cost effective extra care services, along with maximising the use of available capital and revenue sources.

 

            In addition Members were advised that the primary focus of the Strategy was on older people, but there was also a focus on people with a learning disabilities as their needs could also be met through this type of service.

 

            Furthermore Members were advised of the current provision, the comparison of current levels of provision across Neighbouring Authorities, the projected need and how the proposals would meet this projected need.

 

            Arising from Members comments and questions the following points were noted:

 

• the size and type of land needed to build an extra care unit;
• the unit cost and making sure this was a low as feasible;
• marketing campaigns to encourage owner occupier to prepare for their future, i.e. making adaptations; and
• the need for partnership working with other organisations i.e. Halton and St. Helens PCT

 

            RESOLVED: That the Extra Care Strategy be endorsed.      

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Corporate and Policy which offered Members the opportunity to contribute to the development of Service Plans at the beginning of the planning process for 2009/10 Financial year.

 

            It was noted that the 3-year departmental service plans were reviewed and rolled forward on an annual basis and that the plans would be developed in parallel with the budget.

 

            The Operational Director, Adults of Working Age informed Members of the main priorities and new developments that would be considered as part of the service planning process. The three main priority areas were personalisation, funding and partnership working. New developments included working on emerging issues such as autistic spectrum disorder and the national dementia strategy.

 

            The Board requested a report on personalisation be submitted to the next meeting of the Board.

 

            RESOLVED: That

 

(1)             Members contact the Operational Director, Adults of Working Age with any priority suggestions; and

 

(2)       a report on personalisation to be submitted to the next meeting of the Board

        The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Corporate and Policy regarding the 2^nd quarter monitoring report for the Older People’s and Physical and Sensory Impairment Services, Adults of Working Age and Health and Partnerships.

        Arising from Members comments and questions the following points were noted;

·        that the topic report on early onset dementia would be considered at the March meeting of the Board;

·        how the timescales for assessments were calculated;

·        the number of people in the Borough suffering early onset dementia related to drug and alcohol misuse; and

·        in relation to the reduction on hospital beds the Board requested information on which ward would be closing and it was agreed that a written response be given.

        RESOLVED: That the 2^nd quarter year-end performance monitoring reports be received and the actions outlined above be noted.