Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Michael Jones (Cheshire East Council), Dr Paul Bowen (Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group), Simon Whitehouse (South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group), Dr Heather Grimbaldeston (Director of Public Health, Cheshire East Council), Mike Suarez (Chief Executive, Cheshire East Council) and Chief Superintendant Guy Hindle (Cheshire Police).

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

Councillor S Corcoran declared a non-pecuniary interest by virtue of his wife being a GP and a Director of South Cheshire GPs Alliance Ltd.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2015 be approved as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

• In the list of those present at the meeting, the duplication of Jerry Hawker (Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group) be deleted and Anita Bradley’s title be amended to read: ‘Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer’.

• Minute 20 - The resolution be amended to reflect the fact that further discussion would take place within the Council to determine if a bid to the Healthy Towns initiative was appropriate.  It was reported that it had subsequently been decided not to submit a bid, due to the ongoing Local Plan process and the fact that sites had not yet been confirmed by the Inspector.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present wishing to use public speaking time.

To receive and note the 2014 – 2015 Annual Report of the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Board and to consider, as part of the discussions relating to the Ofsted Report how to further develop the relationship between the two Boards.

Consideration was given to the 2014 – 2015 Annual Report of the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Board, which provided an account of its activities and achievements during 2014-15.  The report also identified the key challenges faced in the coming year and beyond.  Key priorities for 2015-16 included improving frontline multi-agency practice, strengthening relationships with other key partnerships to improve the reporting, accountability and sharing of good practice, continuing to improve the participation of young people in LSCB business, engaging the community through links with the voluntary and faith sector, and improving the Board’s role and traction in relation to developing early help.

The report also took into account the findings of Ofsted’s inspection of the Local Safeguarding Children Board which took place in July 2015.

RESOLVED

1.       That the 2014 – 2015 Annual Report of the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Board be received and noted.

2.       That the Director of Children's Services, a representative of the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Board and a health representative be requested to give consideration to further developing the relationship between the Cheshire East Safeguarding Children Board and the Health and Wellbeing Board.

To consider a report updating the Health and Wellbeing Board on the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection.

Consideration was given to a report on the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers in Cheshire East and the review of the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board undertaken between 6 and 30 July 2015.

Inspectors had identified a number of strengths and areas for improvement for the Council and Local Safeguarding Children Board.  The Council was required to submit a detailed improvement plan to Ofsted and the Department for Education by 22 December 2015, setting out how it intended to address the recommendations in the Inspection report.

RESOLVED - That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

1.         notes the contents of the report and Ofsted’s report at Appendix 1, in particular the recommendation and comments in relation to the Health and Wellbeing Board set out at para 5.8.

2.         receives the Ofsted Improvement Plan at its next meeting.

3.         endorses the proposal that it transitions to become the ‘accountable body’ for the Children’s Improvement Plan when the existing Improvement Board is disbanded as set out in para 5.16.

To consider a report providing the Health and Wellbeing Board with an update on the review of the gynaecological cancer pathway.

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on the review of the gynaecological cancer pathway, the aim of which was to achieve the best outcomes and experience for cancer patients in South Cheshire and Vale Royal.  This review was a joint programme of work between NHS England (which commissioned specialised services) and NHS South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group (which commissioned services for their local populations).

The report also provided an update on the re-focus of the work plan for the Cancer Commissioning Board in order to prioritise early detection.  Across South Cheshire, cancer was a significant growing long-term condition and was a major cause of death, with variation in health outcomes from cancers across towns.  NHS South Cheshire CCG and NHS Vale Royal CCG had the fourth and third lowest 1 year survival for lung, breast and colorectal cancer across England in 2012.  The greatest need was therefore earlier detection of cancer in order to reduce the health inequalities.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.