Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

The Chair referred to the recent sad death of Councillor Steve Carter. There was a minute’s silent reflection in tribute.

Apologies were received from Dr Lorraine O’Donnell, Denise Frodsham, Dr Patrick Kearns, Dr Matt Tyrer, Superintendent Claire Jesson, Claire Williamson, and Deborah Woodcock.

Ian Moston, Chief Executive, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, attended on behalf of Denise Frodsham.

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

In the interest of openness Dr A Wilson declared an interest in respect of the fact that he was a non-executive at mid Cheshire NHS Trust.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2022.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.

There were no public speakers.

To receive and update on the function and governance of the nascent Cheshire East Combating Drugs Partnership.

The Board considered a report which provided an update on the function and governance of the Cheshire East Combating Drugs Partnership following the Government’s drugs strategy, From harm to hope: A 10 year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives.

The Cheshire East Combating Drugs Partnership would be a sub-group of the Safer Cheshire East Partnership and report in to that on a quarterly basis. It would also report in to the HM Government Joint Combating Drugs Unit annually and report as and when required in to the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board. It would work alongside the Cheshire East Substance misuse provider forum and the Cheshire East Service user network.

The first meeting of the Combating Drugs Partnership had discussed the next steps, which would include publication of the substance misuse Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). Following the JSNA the partnership would agree a local drugs and alcohol strategy delivery plan.

The board welcomed the broadening of the substance misuse strategy to include alcohol-related harms. Although smoking would not be included within the strategy it was acknowledged that there was a lot of good working going on around smoking cessation and the wider determinants of health needed to be a running theme throughout.

RESOLVED:

That the governance of the Cheshire East Combating Drugs partnership be approved.

To receive the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2021-2022.

The Board received the annual report of the Local safeguarding Adults Board 2021/2022. The Board were informed that the Local Safeguarding Adults Board Independent chair, Geoffrey Appleton had recently stepped down and the Board had appointed Kevin Bennett as the new chair.

The report included the work that had taken place in 2021/22 which included the impact of covid-19, adults safeguarding training and performance activity.

The Board heard that the numbers of safeguarding adult review referrals (SARs) had increased during the pandemic which was the national picture, specifically cases around self-neglect. Two cases had been published on the website following review with a third due to be published shortly.

The patterns seen throughout 2021/22 continued to be seen in 2022/23 which included an increase in safeguarding referrals, SARs and domestic homicide reviews. Common themes occurring from the SARs included caring responsibilities, dementia, aging and how services had been stretched over the pandemic. The board would be looking at how it would incorporate in to its revised strategy.

The Board heard that although safeguarding training was ringfenced for the faith and third sectors it would be an area for development in the future, and a booklet being designed by the service user group would be considered for roll out to Councillors.

RESOLVED:

That the Cheshire East Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2021-22 be noted.

To receive an update on the 2022-23 flu season.

The Board received a report which provided an update of the 2022/23 influenza season

to date. The report included a summary of general flu epidemiology, the NHS-led

vaccination  programme and the Cheshire East Council staff vaccination programme.

Following two years of very low rates of flu and other respiratory viruses, it appeared that flu levels were back to pre-pandemic levels. The re-emergence was likely due to a relaxation in restrictions put in place to control COVID-19, and reduced levels of population immunity due to lack of exposure to flu in the previous two years.

Cheshire East continued to have higher flu vaccine uptake compared to England and the North West Region as a whole and the Cheshire East staff vaccination programme had seen a good uptake through various channels such as clinics being held in Council buildings and partnering up with pharmacies across the borough.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.

To receive an update on the development of an Integrated Care System across Cheshire and Merseyside and in Cheshire East.

The Board received an update on the development of the Integrated Care system across Cheshire and Merseyside in Cheshire East. The Board heard that good progress had been made in setting up partnership governance and the focus was now moving to planning, specifically the challenges for 2023/34.

Additional non recurrent funding had been received to Council and via NHS to accelerate discharge out of NHS care, by investing in alternatives. This was welcomed and was a positive sign in terms of the impact of the additional investments that had been made.

The Board raised concerns in respect of the structures which had come in to force in July 2022 as these had still not been finalised nor how they would work; and the financial position in respect of Cheshire East at Place level remained unclear. The board were assured that the Cheshire and Mersey leadership team were working hard to progress this.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.

To receive a verbal update on the Cheshire East Health and Care Partnership.

The Board received an update from Isla Wilson, Chair of the Health and Care Partnership (HCP). Following the recent meeting of the HCP it was apparent that as there was a crossover of people between the HCP and the Health and Wellbeing board the remit of each group needed to be clear.

It was acknowledged that there was work to be done on how to engage members of the public who wanted to attend meetings, and following agreement of the strategy there needed to be thought given to developing a joint Assurance Framework to bring it together.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.