Agenda and draft minutes

None.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1 May 2025.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1 May 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 

To review and reconfirm the Terms of Reference for the Health Scrutiny Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

The Council’s Lead Lawyer for Litigation and Regulatory introduced the report, which set out for review and agreement, the Terms of Reference for the Committee, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED, that the Committee’s Terms of Reference, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be reconfirmed and approved.

To approve the work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year.

The Council’s Lead Lawyer for Litigation and Regulatory introduced the report, which set out the

proposed work programme for the Committee for 2025/26, as set out at Appendix A to the report.

RESOLVED, that the Committee’s work programme for 2025/26, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved.

Due to the late arrival of a co-opted member, the Chair allowed her to request that, at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee, to be held on Thursday 11 December 2025, the following item be included in the Work Programme for consideration at that meeting:

·       That an invitation be extended to Age UK to attend to deliver a short talk on the benefits it provided to older people.

The Chair was happy to consider its inclusion for discussion at that time subject to this being double-checked with him nearer the time.

To receive an update on the work of the Joint Health & Overview Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Fiona Doran, Co-Chair of JHOSC, provided a verbal update on the work of the Committee.

She said that the last meeting had been successful and that the new Chief Executive had improved communications between the two local authorities.

In recognising that the numbers of flu and Covid vaccinations were failing, and whether there was anything JHOSC could do to improve numbers, the Chair said there had to be more action undertaken on prevention by reaching people coming for vaccinations and getting it to those people who could not attend appointments.

RESOLVED – that the update be noted.

To receive an update on the work of the Health & Wellbeing Board.

The Council’s Executive Director of Adult Social Care, Housing and Customer Services and its Director of Adult Social Care provided a verbal update on the work of the Health and Well-being Board (HWB).

Reference was made to the meeting of the HWB, held on 18 September 2025, at which the following had been considered:

• Quarterly Strategy Progress Report
• Annual Public Health Report 2025
• Early Language Support Project
• GP Access Update
• STW Healthy Ageing and Frailty Strategy

The Council’s Director of Adult Social Care presented an update on behalf of the Council’s Director of Public Health, which stated that she encouraged Health Scrutiny Committee Members to read the Annual Public Health Report – Toward a Smoke Free Future, and to get in touch if they had any comments or queries. The report, which had been endorsed by the HWB, recommended that a comprehensive plan to deliver Smoke Free Telford and Wrekin ambitions be developed across HWB partners, and implemented through the Telford and Wrekin Place Integrated Partnership.

It was reported that the STW Healthy Ageing and Frailty Strategy contributed to the delivery of the existing Telford and Wrekin Ageing Well Strategy, and that the aim was to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of frailty within the NHS.  It was noted that the Telford and Wrekin Ageing Well Strategy was a broader comprehensive plan, which covered the following range of themes:

·       Where we Live

·       Health and Well-being

·       Transport

·       Digital Inclusion

·       Financial Security

·       Carers

In respect of the GP Access Update (GP access update), it was reported that the ICB led this, which included updates on: Modern General Practice, the GP Contract and access and satisfaction Key Performance Indicators and referenced four GP practices in Telford and Wrekin, which were part of the Practice Level Support (PLS) programme. It was noted that the HWB Chair had requested that the Health Scrutiny Committee pick up GP access as an agenda item, and that this was being added to the forward plan.

It was reported that, at the last meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee, members had requested an update on HWB performance.  It was noted that the HWB received performance and outcomes reports on a six-monthly basis (June 2025 report can be found at HWB Strategy Outcomes Report June 2025 v2.pdf) and that the next report would be published for consideration at the November 2025 HWB meeting.

The Chair asked whether the HWB had become a more challenging committee.

In response, officers advised that it was an inclusive board with some agenda items, which were genuine and which generated healthy discussion.  It also received regular reporting on the HWB Strategy.

Specifically, it was reported that smoking amongst females had overtaken the number of males who smoked but that no specific solutions were to hand.

The Chair said that for members to understand and tackle this issue, this needed to be targeted, and areas identified, which needed to be concentrated on and where the problems existed. 

RESOLVED – that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item HAC-6

To provide an update on the Mental Health Strategy.

The Committee welcomed Steph Wain, Commissioning Specialist – Mental Health,to the meeting.

Ms Wain delivered a presentation, which addressed progress to date; emerging themes; a brief summary of the Mental Health Bill; and the next steps.

The Committee was asked to consider providing feedback as part of the consultation process for the new Mental Health Strategy and whether it would wish to receive a final update before formal adoption. It was noted that there would also be the option for the Committee to regularly monitor the Strategy once it was adopted.

The Chair thanked Ms Wain and said that given this was such a vast area, he was keen to establish two workshops to allow the Committee to be able to influence; look at the consultation and being consulted with the first workshop focussing on children and young people and their transition into adult services.  An invitation to attend this workshop would also be extended to all members of the CYP Committee.

During discussion, Members raised the following points and questions:

·       There appeared to be nothing from emerging themes, the Committee did not already know.

·       What was the current position re CAMHS i.e. how long people were waiting for appointments and whether these figures were up or down etc?

·       Funding – was TWC getting its fair share for mental health services?

·       Better access for older people.

·       What resources were available to move services on?

·       Did vacancies remain re mental health support?

·       A member had had a meeting with an organisation, which supported young people with mental health who had said it was not being picked up and dealt with at an earlier stage.

In response to some of the points raised it was noted that there were some specifics re CAMHS, which could be taken away and reported back to committee; there was a better offer from Age UK for over 65s; and, in response to the question around vacancies, from an Adult Social Care perspective, the team was biggest it had ever been and there were currently no vacancies, although could not comment from an NHS point of view.

It was reported that the key prevention agenda “Making Prevention Real” looked at local communities and networks of support and spoke with GPs around services, which need technical support. 

In terms of consultation on the Strategy, it was reported that the next steps were to carry out actions, which could be taken arising from the consultation and the suggestion of hosting two action-point workshops on mental health (one before the draft strategy was finalised; the second during the official consultation (what are people telling you about what we are proposing)) was welcomed.

In terms of moving forward and being able to resource the issue, the Chair said that the Committee needed to understand the extent of the problem in Telford and Wrekin, how many cases, how many people were affected etc.

It was acknowledged that mental health conditions were potentially unseen, or people did not want to disclose them,  ...  view the full minutes text for item HAC-7

To provide an update on the Community Calm Café model.

Ms Wain, Commissioning Specialist – Mental Health,delivered a presentation to the Committee, which provided details of calm cafes, that offered safe places for advice and guidance.  She said that these had been created through a one team, partnership approach, which included Social Work and Telford Mind as constant partners.

Ms Wain said that the NHS funded cafes were open and accessible to those who needed wrap around support within community locations and that the aim of cafes was to reduce demand on statutory services.  She was pleased to announce that some new cafes, specifically for 18- to 25-year-olds, were launching soon in Dawley and Meeting Point House.

The timetable of calm cafes in Telford and Wrekin and the summary of demographics in terms of their use, were noted.

Members were invited to attend one of the cafes to see the impact these were having in the local community and to receive any feedback from Members.

It was acknowledged that the cafes provided tremendous support and comfort to those who attended. If asked whether Town and Parish Council’s within the borough were aware of the cafes and or promoted them, officers advised that the Council had a good relationship with the borough’s Town and Parish Councils but would look to reach out to them to see if they promoted the cafes.

RESOLVED, that the presentation, be noted.

To receive an update from Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin on the findings of the recent Veterans Health and Wellbeing Survey.

The Committee welcomed Simon Fogell, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin to the meeting.

Mr. Fogell delivered a presentation, which provided an update from Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin on the findings of the recent Veterans’ Health and Well-being Survey. 

Members raised the following points during discussion:

·       The Chair said that he was a veteran, as was his brother, both of whom did not get treated any differently.  He said that his brother was now blind, and that he took his brother took to all his appointments etc. but no long-term support was looked into.

·       Consideration should also include support to those veterans who worked with the army but not in the army. 

·       The Committee would like to bring this matter back for further discussion.

RESOLVED that the presentation, be noted.

The Chair announced that an additional meeting of the Committee was scheduled for Thursday 11 December at 2pm and that a formal invitation would follow in due course.