Agenda item

To review progress on this matter and agree the next steps, including appointment of a small working group to undertake the scrutiny process.

The Committee was reminded of its earlier discussions on this matter which had been referred to it by the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

The Council’s Partnership Manager reported that following on from the last meeting she had discussed the issue with both Sally Parkin (North Staffordshire CCG) and Jackie Small (Public Health).  There is now in place a joint Stoke and Newcastle Perinatal and Infant Mortality Strategy Steering Group investigating the issues which the Partnerships Manager was invited to attend on 17 May 2012.

The group had met on three occasions and who very well attended by University Hospital.  There were queries around the data and whether in 2006 when Newcastle figures increased, if there were any boundary changes (as Staffs Moorlands had decreased and Newcastle increased) – the Borough was tasked with looking at any local authority changes (which there weren’t any) and Sally Parkin investigated any PCT changes.  Additionally, there was a query as to whether there were any mass migrations of certain ethnic minority groups which may have had an impact (to date there do not appear to be any, however, census data may help with this).  Again the data is being queried with West Midlands Perinatal Institute (WMPI) as to how it is measured and which databases sit in each category – particularly in relation to neo-natal deaths.  Sally Parkin is going to continue to liaise with the Council in relation to the progress of the group and shortly, NBC will be invited to be a part of the formal group.

Family Nurse Partnerships were now operating in Newcastle in targeted wards and at targeted first time teenage parents (up to 19).  The programme offers intensive and structured home visiting, delivered by specially trained nurses, from early pregnancy to age two.  The family nurses build supportive relationships with families and guide first-time teenage parents and use behaviour change methods so that they adopt healthier lifestyles for themselves and their babies.  There is a set criteria and the programme is licensed.  There is further information available regarding the Family Nurse Partnerships if required by the Committee.

A meeting of the Joint Infant Mortality Group was to take place during the week commencing 18 June 2012 and lessons learnt and best practice from other areas such as East Staffordshire and Birmingham where increased infant mortality rates had been an issue were being reviewed to support the investigation and management of this important issue for Newcastle.

The Council’s Partnership Manager would be attending the joint meeting and report back.

Whilst appreciating the need to avoid a duplication of work, Members expressed concern at the current position in the Borough on infant mortality feeling that if positive progress/outcomes were not achieved by the Steering Group and/or the clinical commissioning group in the near future then this committee should press on with the work itself and report back to Staffordshire County Council.

Resolved:-   (a)       That the information be received.

                        (b)       That the Council’s partnership Manager be requested to submit a report to the next meeting regarding her attendance at the Joint Steering Group and progress made by that Group.

                        (c)        That dependent upon the above report, the committee give further consideration to its position on this issue at its next meeting.