Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2013

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2013 be approved  as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest

There were no declarations of party whip

There were no members of the public wishing to speak

To consider a report and presentation from CWP representatives on its Learning Disability Service Redesign

The Committee received an update from Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) on its Learning Disabilities Service Redesign. Dr Hahesh Odiyoor and Kate Flemming from CWP outlined the proposals of the redesign to improve service user outcomes through care pathways. During a consultation process CWP had received feedback on its proposals from service users and service providers.

Members were concerned that having closed Kent House CWP may have issues with capacity. The Committee was informed that demand for the service had reduced and people were receiving more care at home and not needing to go to hospital. There were acute care facilities in Macclesfield and Chester which was considered quite far from some areas of the Borough but the number of people affected was very low so did not present a major issue.

RESOLVED – That the Committee welcomes the update and is pleased with the progress being made.

To consider a report and presentation from representatives of CWP on the implementation of its Mental Health Service redesign

The Committee received an update from Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) on its Community Mental Health Service Redesign. Dr Chris Link and Jane Critchley informed the Committee about the new elements to the service which was focussed on outcomes for patients and helping them to recover from mental health issues as best as possible. CWP reported that the service had so far received positive feedback from patients and their families.

Previously the Cheshire Primary Care Trust’s (PCT) funding of mental health services had been relative low compared to national averages. However the new clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) had provided assurances and renewed enthusiasm towards investing more in mental health.

The Committee was encouraged by the positive feedback that the service had received from patients. There was a plan to conduct a 12 month evaluation of the new service which the Committee was interested in reviewing.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee welcomes the update on Community Mental Health Service Redesign and progress being made.

2.    That the Committee welcomes the increase in investment in mental Health Services from the Clinical Commissioning Groups.

3.    That the 12 month review of the service be presented to the Committee at a future meeting.

To consider the report and recommendation of the Health and Cared for Children Task and Finish Group’s review for approval and submission to Cabinet

Councillor Gill Merry presented the Health and Cared for Children Task and Finish Review final report to the Committee for approval and submission to Cabinet for consideration. Sheila Williams, Designated Nurse Cared for Children East.

The Committee discussed the review and the recommendations and the following points were made:

·         Councillors should be committed to their corporate parenting duty by offering support to those in care or leaving care where possible.

·         Personal advisors were important in supporting care leavers to live independently.

·         The planning process for leaving care needed to start earlier to ensure care leavers were fully prepared and supported.

·         16-18 years of age was an important period for providing support.

·         Care Leavers could be helped with financial education by providing them with Jam Jar Accounts which controlled their spending, ensuring they paid essential bills. The Finance Policy Development Group had been researching help for credit unions and could be asked to consider assisting with Jam Jar Accounts for care leavers.

·         Supporting foster carers was important in ensuring that foster placements did not break down.

·         Provision of leisure passes for people in care, as well as subsidies for those accompanying them, may not have been an option as the Council moved services on to a Charitable Trust.

The Committee was pleased with the findings of the report and the Task Group’s recommendations.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Task Group be thanked for its hard work.

2.    That the Committee approves the recommendations be endorsed  and the report be submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

To approve the Protocol between the Council, South Cheshire CCG, Eastern Cheshire CCG & NHS England for Health Overview and Scrutiny

The Committee was asked to consider approving the latest draft protocol between the Committee and the Boroughs Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and NHS England. Previously there had been a protocol between the Scrutiny Committee and the Primary Care Trust (PCT). However since the PCT had been replaced by the CCGs a new protocol was needed. NHS England had been added to a previous draft of the protocol as they were now responsible for commissioning some aspects of primary care.

Representatives of the Eastern Cheshire CCG, Public Health Team and the Portfolio Holder made comments and suggested that in its current form the protocol did not adequately reflect the commissioning of NHS services. There were many other bodies who commissioned services, for example Public Health, that should also be included in the protocol. The protocol needed to clearly identify who was responsible for commissioning what so that the Committee could effectively hold the commissioners to account.

It was suggested that the Protocol could not be agreed by the Committee in its current form and needed to be reworded so that it accurately reflected the roles and responsibilities of all partners.

RESOLVED – That consideration of the protocol be deferred and re-drafted to take account of the comments summarised above and a revised protocol be brought back to this committee in due course for further consideration.

The Chairman outlined the approach that the Committee would be taking to setting its work programme. It was suggested that the Committee would begin to concentrate on fewer items than previously providing the opportunity to consider items in more depth. Portfolio Holders would be invited to offer suggestions for items the Committee may wish to consider.

The Chairman stated that it was important for the Committee to play an effective role in helping to make a difference to the health of Cheshire East.

It was suggested that the Committee may wish to hold additional informal meetings as well as those held in public.

RESOLVED – That the work programme be noted.