Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2013 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which sought approval of the Pledge to Children in Care.

The Board was advised that the Government’s Green Paper, Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Young People in Care and the White Paper Care Matters: Time For Change, identified steps needed to improve the outcomes for children and young people in care.

The report noted that the role of Corporate Parent had responsibility for the wellbeing and future prospects of children in care and care leavers. In order to improve that role, the Government had indicated its expectation that:

·       Every local authority should put in place arrangements for a Children in Care Council;

·       Every local area should set out its ‘Pledge’ to children; and

·       The Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member for Children’s Services should be responsible for leading improvements in corporate parenting.

The Board noted that a copy of the Pledge, attached as an appendix, represented the twelve key things which children in care and care leavers had identified as improving outcomes for them. The Care Leaver’s Charter, attached at appendix 2, was the document circulated by the Department of Education, but a number of additional matters relating to Halton had been included and highlighted for Members’ consideration.

Reason(s) for Decision

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 strengthened the role of the corporate parent. The Government required every local area to set out its ‘Pledge’ to children in care and care leavers covering the services and support that they should expect to receive.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

There was no prescribed format for a Pledge to children in care and care leavers. Halton’s ‘Pledge’ had been designed and reviewed by the Children in Care Council and care leavers and therefore it was the one they would like the Executive Board to endorse.

Implementation Date

Immediate.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the Pledge be endorsed;

2)    the action to promote the Pledge so it is known to the Council, Children’s Trust and other partners, be endorsed;

3)    actions to support the commitments to Children in Care be noted; and

4)     the Pledge to Children In Care be presented to the full Council meeting on 16 October 2013.

The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health on NHS Health Checks which sought agreement to vary and extend the current Service Level Agreement with GP’s and Community providers.

The Board was advised that from 1 April 2013, local authorities took over responsibility for the NHS Health Check Programme (the Programme). The Programme was a public health programme for people aged 40-74, and aimed to keep people well for longer. It also aimed to reduce levels of alcohol related harm and raise awareness of the signs of dementia.

It was noted that local authorities were responsible for

·       Commissioning the risk assessment element of the Programme;

·       The monitoring of offers made to complete the NHS Health Check;

·       The monitoring and seeking of continuous improvement in the take- up of the programme;

·       Promotion and branding of the Programme; and

·       Risk management and reduction (Lifestyles intervention)

The Board was advised that commissioning and monitoring the risk assessment element of the Programme was a mandatory public health function, to be funded from the Public Health budget. Details of the arrangements which local authorities must make, were given in the report. In addition, the report also contained information on the risk assessment tests and measures which were to be carried out and details of the proposals for delivery of the Programme within Halton.

Reason(s) for Decision

Local authorities had a statutory duty to arrange for NHS Health Checks to be offered to the eligible population every five years. It was for local authorities to decide how this was managed and who carried out the Health Checks. GP practices were well placed to deliver Health Checks due to their knowledge of, and established relationships with, the practice population. However, the ability to deliver Health Checks in the community, while more problematic in terms of delivery and data protection, offered choice for patients who did not wish to have a Health Check carried out in their GP practice.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Implementation Date

October 2013.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the requirement to deliver NHS Health Checks be noted and the approach proposed for local delivery set out in paragraph 7 of the report, be noted;

2)    a variation of existing Service Level Agreements with GP Practices and Community providers be authorised, to reflect revised national guidance; and

3)    an extension of the revised Service Level Agreement to 31 March 2016, with an option to extend the agreements thereafter on an annual basis for a maximum of two years, be authorised.

MINUTES ISSUED: 4 October 2013

CALL-IN: 11 October 2013

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 11 October 2013