Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Bailey, Mrs Hailstones and Woolley.  Also from the District Commissioning Lead for Newcastle.

To receive declarations of interest from Members on items included on this agenda.

Councillor Loades declared an interest on item 7, Better Care Fund and item 5, Healthwatch.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 30^th September 2015

The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 30^th September 2015 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

Councillor Loades informed Committee he would supply information concerning the Athletics Association to the next meeting of Scrutiny.

The Chair informed that the Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee, on 21^st September 2015, considered the proposed hearing aid policy and consultation for the South Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups. It was agreed that a public workshop be held to consider the views of professionals, action groups and interested parties. The CCGs have decided to pause their consultation whilst this Working Group is held.  The meeting would take place on Wednesday 25^th November 2015.

Healthwatch, Staffordshire Engagement Manager will be in attendance.  Update to follow

The Staffordshire Engagement Manager presented an update on Healthwatch activity within North Staffordshire. Two Visit Final Reports were submitted outlining the findings of a Care Home within Staffordshire.

Committee were informed that unless there was a specific piece of work to focus on within Newcastle-under-Lyme Healthwatch follow the below mechanisms for an interim view to be raised :-

(a)   Concerns a particular issue.

(b)   Be part of a programme of work.

(c)    May be thematic, where it was an area presently being explored.

A Member asked that if a care home within Newcastle-under-Lyme was being scrutinised, for the report to be shared with the Committee.

The Chair informed Members to forward any questions they wished to receive feedback to the Democratic Services office.

Resolved:-

That if Healthwatch were scrutinising a care home within Newcastle-under-Lyme for a final report be shared with Committee.

In attendance will be the Commissioning Manager for Dementia, District Commissioning Lead for Newcastle and the Commissioning Manager for North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group

The purpose of the report was to provide an overview of the work that was taking place within both health and social care, for people living with dementia, including their families/carers, living in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands.

The Commissioning Managers at Staffordshire County Council and North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group work closely together in order to deliver the dementia strategy, with support from a dedicated clinical lead.

The majority of people living with dementia were over the age of 65 and prevalence increased with age; however a number of people with young onset dementia were increasing.

A Member advised of the work Audley Patient Panel carry out to support people with dementia.  The Patient Panel was created to listen, help and improve the healthcare of patients of the Audley Health Centre. They were a voluntary, independent group of patients who seek to represent the views of all patients.  The theme of dementia would be continued for the foreseeable future as there were meetings planned for later this month with the practice and the panel with a member from the CCG to try and put together a plan for making Audley surgery dementia friendly and for taking the project to the wider audience in the Audley area.  This topic would be revisited in the new year when it was hoped there would a clear understanding of the work needed to achieve dementia friendly status.

Concern was raised around lack of awareness and follow up action from GPs, as well as what care was there in place to help families think long term for the care their loved ones required to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

The North Staffordshire CCG Manager advised that educational sessions and training were routinely carried out.  Clinical Assistants visit practices where dementia diagnosis was low.  Staffordshire County Council were commissioning a piece of work surrounding GPs across Staffordshire and a summary should be ready to bring back to Committee for the 6^th April 2016 meeting.

Pre-empting needs to be considered in the future with assisted technologies to be looked at.

Much of the work over the last twelve months had been to raise awareness amongst professionals and increase dementia diagnosis rates.  The CCG had to report on this nationally and diagnosis rates had increased from 40% to 71% over the last twelve months.  Within the assessment, every twelve months, GPs review the element of care for dementia patients.

There was a dialogue in place within GP practices which alerts the appointment system if a patient was diagnosed with dementia enabling a double appointment to be allocated.

It was asked how much funding had been invested to support the carers?

A networking society service had been commissioned twelve months ago, with support from Staffordshire County Council.  Cafe peer support groups were also approached.

The Commissioning Manager reported there was governance in place and wished to work closer with colleagues at Stoke-on-Trent CCG to develop a pathway.  There was also a piece of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

In attendance will be the Head of Housing and Regeneration Services to present the report

This report was assimilated information from public reports and information provided by the Lead Manager to provide an overview of the Better Care Fund.

The Better Fund (BCF) was a mandatory national programme, which required every Health and Wellbeing Board area to establish a pooled budget, in order to reduce non-emergency hospital admissions and protect Adult Social Care.

The Better Care Plan was designed to focus on three target groups:-

·      Frail elderly

·      People with a long term condition (particularly those with dementia)

·      Carers.

A Member advised that the key part of the BCF only worked if there was funding, which presently there was not.

Newcastle Borough Council engagement was through the Newcastle Partnership Board.  The Partnership Board was keen to make it a Locality Commissioning Board.

The Borough Council’s Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee were involved as part of the BCF through Staffordshire County Council.  A Member agreed to submit a report to the next meeting of Scrutiny.

Resolved:-

That the said Member produces a report to Scrutiny at the next meeting showing what engagement the Borough had with the BCF.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Localism will be in attendance.

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services will carry out two presentations; Physical Activity for Older People followed by Physical Activity in Deprived Communities.

Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Localism was in attendance to answer any concerns relating to the portfolio.

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services carried out two presentations; Physical Activity for Older People and Physical Activity in Deprived Areas.

Members advised the long term measurements for older people undertaking physical activity required marketing.

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services advised This Girl Can was a national campaign run by Sport England.  It was aimed at getting women more active. Newcastle partnership was providing part funding for women and young people from the Borough’s deprived wards to access the various membership schemes.  Fifty women had signed up within the Borough for six months with the hope they would continue.

Jubilee 2 carry out a disability club on a Sunday on a needs assessment basis. Impairments catered for were Learning Disabilities, Hearing Impairment, Complex Needs, Disability Section or Activity.

The Chair asked what work had been carried out within residential homes to encourage the elderly to exercise.

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services advised chair based exercise added a lot of value as well as dance sessions.  The onus would be on the residential home to provide the service.

The Chair thanked the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services and his staff.

Any member of the public wishing to submit a question must serve two clear days’ notice, in writing, of any such question to the Borough Council.

No questions had been received from the public.

There was no urgent business.

To discuss and update the work plan to reflect current scrutiny topics

Resolved:-

Wednesday 6^th April 2016

That a summary of the pilot project, Dementia Primary Care Liaison Service (Community Psychiatric Nurses supporting primary care) is presented to Committee by Nicola Bucknall, North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Manager.

Future Items

Dementia Care across North Staffordshire is kept on the work plan as updates are to be provided of future developments, particularly the development of the Dementia Plan.

Wednesday 6^th January 2016, 7.00pm in Committee Room 1

Wednesday 6^th January 2016, 7.00pm in Committee Room 1.