Agenda and minutes

None.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held 10 September 2020 be approved subject to the following changes:

1. Councillor S Shirley advised that the minutes of the previous meeting stated she had sent her apologies, but was also present at the meeting. Her attendance to the meeting was confirmed.

2. A correction to Dr. J Povey’s title in the Declarations of Interest.

None.

To receive a presentation from Liz Noakes, Director for Public Health, Telford and Wrekin Council and Helen Onions, Consultant in Public Health, Telford and Wrekin Council on COVID-19.

To receive a report from Amadeep Grewal, Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Work and Adult Social Care, Telford & Wrekin Council on easements relating to the Care Act 2014 duties.  

The Board received a presentation on COVID-19 in Telford and Wrekin by the Director for Public Health. The presentation covered the latest infection, testing and hospital admission rates, the opening of new testing facilities, communication and engagement and the Health Protection Hub. The Board heard that for the week ending the 29th November 2020, there were 308 cases of COVID-19 detected, giving the population an infection rate of 171 per 100,000. This was a 30% reduction compared to the previous week and that the rate of infection had halved since the peak of the second wave on November 11th 2020.

The Board were informed that testing rates were currently higher than the West Midlands average, which was made possible through the new walk-through testing centres that had opened in October and November, targeted communication to areas with low testing and the introduction of PCR and rapid testing to Domiciliary Care works and teachers. The next section focused on communications and engagement such as “Get Tested” for main and precautionary symptoms and the “For the Love of Christmas” campaign along with the promotion of Tier 2 restrictions. Finally, the Board heard an update on the Health Protection Hub, and their work in supporting a range of settings which included schools, workplaces and care providers to manage outbreaks.

Members asked if hospitals in the borough were accepting patients with COVID-19 and whether this also applied to overflow patients from outside the area. The Director of Public Health confirmed that Hospitals in Telford and Wrekin were accepting COVID-19 patients. David Evans, Account Officer for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups explained that at the start of the second wave, there were out-of-area patients in the intensive treatment centres at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) sites as there was capacity, which formed part of a mutual aid agreement with neighbouring systems. However, this had concluded some weeks ago and at present, were no out-of-area COVID-19 patients in SaTH.

Members were concerned that the most vulnerable individuals in care homes would not be able to access the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine given the low temperatures needed to store it. The Accountable Officer for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups said it appeared there were a number of other vaccines that would be licensed for use along with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, which would be logistically easier to distribute to vulnerable individuals.

Members asked the Director for Public Health if there were concerns surrounding the temporary lifting of restrictions over Christmas and whether these were fluid and likely to change. The Director for Public Health responded by saying she thought the guidance wouldn’t change and that everyone should be careful and sensible in their approach to the Christmas period (such as those exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms not partaking in household mixing) and that everyone should still follow national guidance on “Hands, Space and Face” and keeping rooms as ventilated as possible.

Members asked what percentage of testing was being utilised for pre-cautionary  ...  view the full minutes text for item HWB30

To receive a report from Sam Tilley, Director of Planning, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups on the Sustainability Transformation Partnership Winter Plan.

To receive a presentation from Sarah Dillion, Director: Adult Social Care, Telford & Wrekin Council on the Winter Plan for Adult Social Care – To Follow.

Members received a report on Winter Planning from Sam Tilley, Director of Planning, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups that was taken as read by the agenda item presenter. The Director of Planning summarised that:

·         The Winter Plan continued to be developed.

·         A process of refinement had been undertaken to identify high impact winter schemes which managed winter capacity, some of these schemes had been implemented in November and December 2020.

·         Four schemes had not progressed as much as wanted, due to recruitment issues. However most other schemes were at a point of implementation.

·         Winter Planning more complicated this year due including COVID-19, however some pleasing signs that hospital admission had reduced for COVID-19 patients. 

·         The manifestation of the second wave of COVID-19 was different, not so many patients in critical care but greater number of patients were on oxygen and for longer.

·         Social distancing arrangements, infection prevention control arrangements as well as slightly higher staff sickness levels has created a challenging situation.

In conjunction with this report, the Board also received a presentation on the Adult Social Care contribution to the system winter planning by Sarah Dillon, Director: Adult Social Care, Telford & Wrekin Council which outlined some of the schemes referenced in the report from the Director of Planning, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups. The presentation focused on four areas:

·         Adult social care winter plan requirements from the Department for Health and Social Care, these include:
- Distribute Infection Control Fund funding made available
- Treat and investigate cases of COVID-19
- Ensure care providers carry out COVID-19 testing
- Work to re-open day services and respite
- Continue to prevent avoidable admission and support safe and timely discharge.

·         Telford & Wrekin Council Winter Planning and actions that had been taken such as:
- Regular demand and capacity modelling and monitoring of flow through enablement.
- Regular contact with West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) around 111 and 999 to ensure maximisation of admission avoidance pathways.
- Continued integrated working across rapid response and TICAT (7 day services). 
- Additional bed and domiciliary care purchased.

·         Telford & Wrekin Council Winter Planning Schemes for 2020 and 2021 such as:
- Live in carers – 24h care at home to avoid admission to hospital
- Two carers in a care
- Strengthen Voluntary Sector Support to enhance Pathway 0 discharges
- Health and Social Care Rapid Response winter scheme such as communication campaigns, ambulance diversions, additional Advanced Care Practitioners and additional physio support.

·         Telford & Wrekin Council Winter Planning and actions to support the market such as:
- Weekly welfare calls to care providers
- Quality monitoring visits done remotely or in person
- Dedicated joint communications to care providers.
- Regular testing continuing for all care homes and domiciliary care.

Members requested that the Severe Weather Emergency Programme for the homeless is included in future updates relating to winter planning.

To receive the Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin Annual Report from Barry Parnaby, Acting Chair of the Board, Healthwatch Telford & Wrekin and to be presented by Paul Shirley, General Manager & Engagement Manager, Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin.

Members received the Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin Annual report for 2019-2020 from Barry Parnaby, Acting Chair of the Board, Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin and was presented by Paul Shirley, General Manager & Engagement Manager, Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin. The report included topics such as the highlights of the year, the difference Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin had made, the Long Term Plan, helping residents find answers, volunteers, finances and plans for the next year. The Board heard about how 2118 people had engaged with Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin regarding improvements they would like to see in Health and Social Care Services in 2019-2020, which had consequently informed their six priorities:

1.       How specialised and acute services will be provided.

2.       How mental health services will offer support to people.

3.       How adult social care is providing support to people and their carers.

4.       How primary care will support people through different ways of working.

5.       Learning disability and Autism, long-term conditions.

6.       Explore prevention and Placed Based approaches and how it will work for people.

Members thanked the Acting Chair of the Healthwatch Telford & Wrekin, the General Manager and Engagement Manager, and the wider team for the report and for the service they had provided. Members noted that there were some concerning issues that had arisen in Telford and Wrekin such as homeless individuals not feeling welcomed by their Doctors which led them to not wanting to attend. However members were pleased to see key topics highlighted such as cancer services, acute services and mental health services as items that would be continued to be explored by Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin. The Acting Chair of Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin confirmed that children mental health services would be an area of work they explored and would be liaising with all the relevant agencies moving forward.

To receive a presentation from Gavin Ashford, Strategic Planning Team Leader, Prosperity & Investment, Telford & Wrekin Council on Local Plan: Issues and Options.

The Board received a presentation on the Telford & Wrekin Local Plan – Review on the Issues & Options stage by Gavin Ashford, Strategic Planning Team Leader, Telford & Wrekin Council. Members were provided with some context in regards to the origins of the Local Plan, what the Issues & Options stage covered and the objectives that underpinned the review. Following on from this, members heard the health and wellbeing influence on the local plan, which highlighted:

1.    Climate change, air pollution and encouraging physical activity.

2.    Green spaces to create a bio-diversity net gain, protect Local Nature Reserves and protecting interconnected green spaces.

3.    Better homes for working from home, spaces standards and amenity spaces as well as supported and specialist accommodation.

4.    Creating healthy food environments and controlling uses in town centres while encouraging footfall in those areas.

5.    Employment and new land for inward investment and job creation.

6.    Infrastructure – working with Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, education and transport for planning.

Members welcomed the presentation from the Strategic Planning Team Leader and asked if there was anything being done to address issues that arose from houses with multiple occupancies as they did not foster good health and wellbeing. The Strategic Planning Team Leader acknowledge this as an issue however believed it would be difficult to respond to through the Local Plan due to the national policy on Permitted Development rights. Members concluded by emphasising the importance on the way land was used to influence physical and mental wellbeing, which was based on the physical and social “place”. Likewise, Members also noted that it was important for the Local Plan to link in at an early stage with the planning of healthcare with the soon to be established Integrated Care Systems, not just for primary care but also with secondary care.