Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2023.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2023  be signed as a correct record.

Items which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

There were no items requiring urgent attention.

Report of the Head of Integrated Adult Social Care Commissioning (Interim).

(Mr D Watts and Councillor S Woolley from the LGA Peer Challenge Team were in attendance for this item.)

The Board considered the Report of the Head of Integrated Adult Social Care Commission (Interim) on the Better Care Fund outturn for 2022/23 and the plans for 2023/25 in accordance with national planning requirements.

The Better Care Fund (BCF) was the mandatory policy to facilitate integration between Health and Social Care, providing a framework for joint planning and commissioning.  The BCF brought together ring-fenced budgets from NHS allocations, ring-fenced BCF grants from Government, the Disabled Facilities Grant and voluntary contributions from local government budgets, including the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund.  This Health and Wellbeing Board had oversight of the BCF and was accountable for its delivery.

The Report also proposed that a ‘BCF masterclass’ be provided to the Board to provide a more detailed insight into how the BCF made a key contribution to the health and social care challenges in Devon.

The Board noted that due to timescales the Report had already been signed off by the Chair and submitted to the national team.  Going forward, it was hoped to have dates aligned to enable debate at the Board prior to submission.

The Board questions and discussion points included:

-       Councillor Letch requested a breakdown by Districts of the Disabled Facilities Grant, which the Head of Service agreed to share.

-       An underspend was not anticipated this year as the budget would be under pressure and monitored carefully.

-       Devon had now reached its 100^th international recruit. There were also a lot of out of County providers looking to set up branches in Devon to take advantage of the long-term guaranteed work here, helping to create a vibrant employment market and allowing staff to come back in for Reablement. 

It was MOVED by Councillor McInnes, SECONDED by Councillor Croad and

RESOLVED

(a)  that the outturn of the BCF in 2022/23 be noted;

(b)  that the plans for 2023/25 be endorsed

(c)  that the Board receives a ‘BCF masterclass’ at a future meeting.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity, which reviews progress against the overarching priorities identified in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Devon 2020-2025.

The Board considered a Report from the Director of Public Health, on the performance for the Board, which monitored the priorities identified in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Devon 2020-25.

The indicator list and performance summary within the full report set out the priorities, indicators and indicator types, and included a trend line, highlighting change over time.

The latest Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Report was available on the Devon Health and Wellbeing website.

The Report monitored the four Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020-25 priorities, and included breakdowns by local authority, district and trends over time. These priorities areas included:

·          Create opportunities for all

·          Healthy safe, strong and sustainable communities

·          Focus on mental health

·          Maintain good health for all

Fifteen indicators had been updated since the last report to the Board, as detailed within the Report.

The Board discussion included:

-       As to the Re-ablement Services (Effectiveness), 2021/22 indicator, which was statistically worse than the England average, it was noted that having more sufficiency in the market now would help improve targets and use the service for the purpose intended.

The Committee was happy to note the Report.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity.

The Board considered the Report and presentation (attached) of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity, which shared an overview of the system-wide climate change adaptation and mitigation partnerships and plans and the greener NHS plans; and asked how the Board would like to be sighted on and support this work.

The Report stated that the NHS and Local Authority both had a legal duty to consider climate change when making decisions. However, the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Health and Wellbeing Strategy had not, to date explicitly included climate change considerations.

Questions and discussion points included:

-       Members requested that the Board be invited to the climate change masterclasses that took place.

-       Although much work was at a strategic level, there was work taking place with community interest companies to assist vulnerable households by e.g. getting eligible upgrades to homes, particularly in the social rental sector.

It was MOVED by Councillor McInnes, SECONDED by Councillor Croad and

RESOLVED

(a)  that the Board considers the impact of the climate emergency on health and equity through the inclusion of climate and health impacts within the Joint Strategic (JSNA) and any future Devon Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

(b)  that a first iteration of a climate and health input to the JSNA comes to the next Health and Wellbeing Board.

(c)  that the Board reviews, adopts, promotes action and monitors progress on climate change mitigation and adaptation plans. The key plans are the Devon Carbon Plan, the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy, and the Greener NHS plans. All these plans present opportunities to create a fairer, healthier, more resilient and more prosperous society.

(d)  that the Board considers signing the Devon Climate Emergency Declaration.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity.

The Board received the Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity, which provided an update on the Devon Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan, a draft of which was attached to the Report. 

The Action Plan adhered to the priorities set by the national strategy (2013) and Officers confirmed that a new national strategy was to be published at the beginning of September 2023, following which the Action Plan would be further updated to include new actions identified and come back to the Board for final endorsement before publication.

Questions and discussion points included:

-       That Devon Youth Services and CAMHS were represented on the Suicide Prevention Strategic Implementation Group.

-       As well as local data from ONS via the coronial process, data also came (since 2020) from Devon’s Real Time Surveillance and from the Police on a weekly basis, which would show any seasonal fluctuations.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Community and Prosperity.

The Board considered the Report and presentation of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity, which informed the Board of the focus of the Early Years Partnership Board and provided a summary of the main findings of the Early Years Health Needs Assessment.

The purpose of the Early Years Partnership Board was to ensure that strategy, service development and commissioning activity was approached jointly to deliver the best possible early education, health and wellbeing outcomes for young children and their families in Devon.

Questions and discussion points included:

-       NHS Devon stated that their Joint Forward Plan was a live document and would welcome discussions with the Early Years Partnership Board on any refresh, ensuring priority areas were reflected.

-       That the Assessment would be of interest to the Children’s Scrutiny Committee.

-        

The Board would welcome a progress update in due course.

Update report from NHS Devon.

The Board received an update from NHS Devon, which provided Devon-wide and national developments within the NHS.  It was intended to provide the Board with summary information to ensure Members were kept abreast of important developments affecting the NHS.

The paper updated the Board on the following:

• Industrial Action in July
• Pharmacy Update
• Five Year Joint Forward Plan
• Spring COVID-19 Booster
• Access Treatments for Immune Impaired Patients
• NHS75 – 5 July 2023
• Learning Disabilities Nurse Training Launched
• Making a complaint about primary care services

Board questions and discussion points included:

-       NHS Devon reported they were working closely with Public Health on dental hygiene for the younger age group and how those families could be supported. 

-       The Integrated Care Board (ICB) was undergoing a restructure following announcement from NHS England that costs to ICBs needed to reduce by 30%. It was hoped the restructuring process would be complete by the end of the financial year.

-       The Chair wished to mention the success of the Nightingale Hospital, which was the only one of seven created during the pandemic that had been successfully converted and was improving services to the residents of Devon.

Future meeting dates are included in the Council’s Meetings Calendar.

Next meeting:  19 October 2023

Future meeting dates of the Board could be found ono the Council’s website Browse meetings - Health and Wellbeing Board - Democracy in Devon

Next meeting:  19 October 2023