Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors C Green and I Faseyi.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 May 2018 be approved as a correct 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.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the Agenda

There were no declarations of the existence of a party whip.

A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers.

Note: in order for officers to undertake and background research, it would be helpful if members of the public notified the Scrutiny Officer listed at the foot of the Agenda at least one working day before the meeting with brief details of the matter to be covered.

There were no members of the public who wished to speak.

To receive a presentation on the current working arrangements for the Minor Injuries Unit at Congleton War Memorial Hospital.

Mrs K Senior, Director of Nursing, Performance and Quality, Deputy Chief Executive of East Cheshire Trust gave Members an update on the Congleton Minor Injuries Unit.  Included within the update was information on what the service provided, the number of occasions the unit had been closed and how a national review of urgent care services scheduled to take place later in the year would impact on the Minor Injury Unit.

Members made the following observations:-

(i) Concerns were raised that the number of closures which had taken place at the unit could have had impacted on the its usage;

(ii) Concerns were raised that the A and E target times were not being met despite the fact that it was now the Summer period;

(iii) Concerns were raised that Congleton was not being offered the same type of services in comparison to other areas;

(iv) It was considered appropriate for historical data to be included in any future presentations;

(v) It was considered that the unit was essential to the residents of Congleton and was a service that helped to alleviate some of the pressures elsewhere;

(vi) Concerns were raised that whilst local GP hours were to be extended it was not always easy to get an appointment on the same day;

(vii) Concerns were raised that local GP’s didn’t always have the capacity to provide additional services;

(ix) That the findings of the national review of urgent care services be reported to the Committee in sufficient time for Members to consider them thoroughly.

RESOLVED

(1) That the update be noted.

(2) That the findings of the review and historical data be brought back to the Committee for consideration towards the end of the year.

To receive an update on the current positon to evaluate the end of life care across Cheshire East.

Consideration was given to a presentation on co-ordinating care at the end of life.  The presentation included information on the background and scope of the project into end of life care, what was meant by co-ordinated care, the ‘must-dos’, the work undertaken to date, the work streams and finally the outcomes.

Members made comments/raised questions respect of the following:-

(i) Concerns were raised that there was a disparity between the North and South in terms of the number of days patients were waiting for end of life care;

(ii) What palliative support for young children/teenagers was on offer if a parent was terminally ill?

(iii) What issues arose for people wanting care packages in order to be able to pass away at home?

(iv) How were families encouraged to accept patients dying wishes?

(v) Welcomed the fact that the presentation addressed other life limiting illnesses and not just those patients suffering from cancer.

RESOLVED

That the presentation be noted.

(The meeting was adjourned for a short break).

Consideration was given to the Public Health Annual report 2017.

Members made the following comments:-

(i) The new format of the annual report was welcomed.  It was considered to be more readable;

(ii) That a section be included within the report on areas for prioritisation so that the Committee could see where they could focus their expertise;

(iii) More publicity required in respect of the initiatives taking place;

(iv) No reference to the disparity of deprivation levels within the Borough.  Some acknowledgement of the depravation levels within Crewe would have been useful;

(v) Inclusion of the impact that austerity was having on the community;

(vii) More funding into poorer areas was necessary.

(viii) The communities element included within the report was appreciated.

(xi) Some of the initiatives within the report were considered to be too short-term.

RESOLVED

That the annual report be noted.

(At 12 noon the Committee held a one minute silence to remember the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy).

Consideration was given to the Health and Well-being Strategy 2018-21.

RESOLVED

That the following recommendations of Cheshire East’s Health and Wellbeing Board be noted:-

(i) Reduce the number of priorities in the refreshed Health and Wellbeing Strategy, identified by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

(ii) Partners ensure that actions discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board are followed up in each organisation – acknowledging that the Board has a strategic role and implementation occurs outside the Board.

(iii) Strengthen links with subregional working via expanded membership to include the Cheshire East Council Executive Director of Place.

(iv) Expand the agenda of the Health and Wellbeing Board to include Place issues (e.g. Crewe Masterplan).

To discuss and review the current frequency of this Committee’s meetings.

Consideration was given to the frequency of meetings of the Health and Adult Social Care and Communities Overview Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman agreed that the meetings would remain as programmed, however as it stood he did not feel there would be any business for the scheduled meeting in October to go ahead.

RESOLVED

That meetings of the Committee take place every month as programmed in the calendar of meetings and cancelled if required.

To review the current Work Programme

Consideration was given to the work programme.

It was requested that an item in respect of the role of the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board be included on the work programme for the 5 July 2018 meeting.

RESOLVED

1. That the work programme be noted.

2. That an item on the role of the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board be included on the work programme for the 5 July 2018 meeting.

3. That an item on the impact of the national review of urgent care services with special regard being given to the impact of the review on the Congleton Minor Injuries Unit be considered at a meeting later in the year.

To review the current Forward Plan.

RESOLVED

That the Forward Plan be received and noted.