Skip to content

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams

Contact: Julia Jones  Email: Julia.E.Jones@Devon.gov.uk or 01392 380547

Note: To view this meeting as a live stream, please copy and paste the link into your browser - https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_N2ZlZjE3NjYtMDcyNC00OTFjLTllZWMtMGIxYjg3YjE3MTM0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7B%22Tid%22%3A%228da13783-cb68-443f-bb4b-997f77fd5bfb%22%2C%22Oid%22%3A%22b0735e0e-6faa-4f6a-91bb-917fd50284ca%22%2C%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3Atrue%2C%22role%22%3A%22a%22%7D&btype=a&role=a 

Media

Items
No. Item

84.

Notes of the Previous Board Meeting - 22 September 2022 pdf icon PDF 664 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The notes of the previous Board meeting on 22 September 2022 were endorsed.

85.

Urgent Items from the Health Protection Board

The Director of Public Health to report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Public Health advised that there were no urgent items for

escalation from the Health Protection Board.

86.

Report / Presentation from the Health Protection Board

A Report from the Health Protection Board on current issues, data and matters for information, including pressure on health services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received an update from the Health Protection Board (HPB) on current issues, data and matters for information.

 

The Director of Public Health informed the meeting that the next HPB meeting was on 31 January, and it was probable a decision would be made to pause Board meetings for the immediate future with the understanding that it would be stood up again if required.

 

Other matters included in the presentation were as follows:

 

·       information from the Coronavirus local dashboard for Devon. The headline

figures showed that around one in 24 people in the wider SW area currently

had Covid-19.

·       96 patients in Devon hospitals currently had Coronavirus with 6 deaths in the County registered in the last week mentioning Covid-19 on the death certificate.

·       Infection date from the ONS survey showed that positive tests were falling since the Christmas period which was in line with data showing a decline of people in hospital since that time.

·       National data regarding flu reported a peak in the week before Christmas with a decline after and it was noted that levels were similar to those pre-pandemic albeit that the peak was a little earlier than in previous recent years.

·       Demand on NHS 111 calls about colds and flu also highlighted a similar pattern and hospital admissions relating to flu had increased during that time but they were also now reducing.

 

Further discussion included:

 

·       Recognition of the impact of these viruses on hospital staff and on staff sickness which had impacted on the ability to discharge patients. Bed closures were also a result of the increased levels of flu and Covid-19 during this period.

·       There was continued international surveillance of Coronavirus and the different strains coming into the UK although the current vaccines seemed to be doing a good job of tackling these.

 

The Board noted the position.   

 

The dashboard pages were available here:

 

UK summary: UK Summary England Summary | Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK (data.gov.uk)

Devon Dashboard: Coronavirus dashboard and data in Devon - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Interactive Map: Interactive map of cases | Coronavirus in the UK (data.gov.uk)

 

87.

Local and National Updates

The Director of Public Health to report on Policy changes, key messaging and the Covid Contingency Plan.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Public Health informed members that the UK Health Security Agency had a Covid Contingency Plan which responded to changes to variant rates and monitored these closely to help with preparations and to understand the implications. There was no expectation on local areas to do this unless any serious changes took place.

 

 

 

 

88.

Public Questions / Other Questions for the Board

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 

89.

Key Messages to be Communicated

The Board and Head of Communications and Media to consider any key messages to be communicated.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board and Head of Communications and Media considered the key messages coming from the meeting.

 

These were to continue to encourage people to ensure they were up to date with Covid and flu vaccinations and the Council was working with NHS colleagues to promote this message as well as encouraging the public to be responsible and stay at home when ill to prevent viruses spreading.

 

 

 

 

90.

Future of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board

The Board is asked to consider the recommendation to hold one more meeting in late March / early April with a view to standing down the Board after that meeting, with the knowledge it can be reconvened in the future if necessary.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was agreed to hold one more meeting in late March / early April and then stand down the Board, with the knowledge it could be reconvened if necessary.


Top