Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 27^th March 2019 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            The Board received a report from Theresa Woods, a representative of Halton Family Nurse Partnership, who outlined the 1001 Critical Days programme which provided support to first time young parents aged under 19. Support was provided to Clients from early pregnancy until the child was 2 years old. The programme aimed to:

·         Improve pregnancy outcomes;

·         Improve child’s health and development;

·         Develop parents’ knowledge & skills;

·         Help parents’ achieve their aspirations, such as getting a job or returning to education.

            The Board received a report from Theresa Woods, a representative of Halton Family Nurse Partnership, who outlined the 1001 Critical Days programme which provided support to first time young parents aged under 19. Support was provided to clients from early pregnancy until the child was 2 years old. The programme aimed to:

·         Improve pregnancy outcomes;

·         Improve child’s health and development;

·         Develop parents’ knowledge & skills; and

·         Help parents’ achieve their aspirations, such as getting a job or returning to education.

            The Board was advised on the profile of those women on the programme and were provided with examples of improvements achieved in the lives of those clients supported by the Team.

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

            The Board considered an overview of the Chief Social Worker (CSW) for Adults Annual Report 2018-19. The CSW worked from Government Office and her Annual Report which was themed around ‘social work leadership in changing time’ set out:

·         How social workers were taking a practice leadership role in delivering safe and best outcomes for people with health and care needs; and

·         Priorities over the coming year to further raise the quality and profile of adult social work across an integrated system.

The Annual Report also offered examples of social workers demonstrating leadership, professional oversight and co-operation with individuals, families and wider health and care sector. It also looked at the way organisations collaborated across health, community and voluntary sectors to maintain people’s quality of life and independence and the CSW priorities for 2019/20.

            The Board was also advised on the role of the Principal Social Worker (PSW). The Care Act 2014 stated that local authorities should arrange to have a PSW in place who was a qualified and registered social work professional practice lead who would oversee excellent social work practice. It was the Principal Social Workers role to take a professional leadership role across the organisation and act as a bridge for better communication and understanding between Senior Management and Social Workers. The report highlighted areas of progress achieved by the PSW during the past year.

            RESOLVED: That the Board

1.    note the Chief Social Worker’s annual report; and

2.    recognise the role of the Principal Social Worker Adults and the progress to date.

            The Board considered a copy of the Falls Strategy 2018-2023. The Strategy was first developed in 2013 and was now due for review. The Board was advised that the primary aims of this Strategy were to:

·         Reduce the numbers of serious injuries that result from a fall;

·         Reduce the number of Emergency hospital admissions for injuries due to a fall (65+);

·         Reduce the number of Emergency hospital admissions due to fracture of neck of femur (65+);

·         Reduce the numbers of falls that affect older people and those at higher risk of falling;

·         Commission an integrated, evidenced based, falls prevention pathway across Halton; and

·         Reduce the fear of falling among older people.

            The Board discussed the collaboration of all partners on the development of the Falls Strategy. It was reported that there had been a mapping event, workshop and a steering group, which involved a wide range of organisations to develop the Strategy.  It was recognised that it was important that the Falls Strategy would be joined up with other similar Strategy documents and the good work that was ongoing in this area would be scrutinised with a future report brought back to the Board.

            Arising from the discussion, Rachel Macdonald requested that she would like to attend future Falls Strategy development activities on behalf of community pharmacists.

            RESOLVED: That the Board approved the updated version of the Falls Strategy 2018-2023.

             The Board received a report of the Director Adult Social Services, which advised on the Improved Better Care Fund (iBCF) allocation for Adult Social Care in 2019/20. This was the final year of iBCF and the Board was reminded that a small number of grant conditions continued to be applied; specifically the funding was to be spent on schemes in the following three areas:

• meeting adult social care needs;
• reducing the pressures on the NHS, including supporting more people to be discharged from hospital when they were ready; and
• stabilising the social care provider market.

            The report outlined the proposed schemes which would be funded by the allocated iBCF for 2019/20.

            RESOLVED: That the Board note the contents of the report and support the allocations outlined.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, which outlined the key findings and associated recommendations of a comprehensive study to examine access to healthy and affordable food in Halton. An action plan to address these recommendations and a final study report had also been circulated to the Board.

            Overall the study identified the following 3 local centre areas where retail provision could be improved to increase access to healthy food and a number of recommendations to assist this:

·         West Bank, Widnes;

·         Bechers, Widnes; and

·         Halton Brook, Runcorn.

These areas were identified using the following criteria.

·         High deprivation and low car ownership;

·         Low availability of fresh fruit and vegetables; and

·         No alternative shops within walking distance.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report “Access to Healthy and Affordable Food in Halton” be noted;

2.    the implementation of the associated action plan be supported; and

3.    Board members promote the report and its findings within their own organisations and use the findings to inform future interventions to improve food access.

            The Board received an update report on the development of One Halton including the work of the One Halton Forum, the Integrated Joint Commissioning Group and the Provider Alliance. It was noted that One Halton had a dedicated budget of £966,570 available for 2019-20. The majority of the funding was already committed for the year and details of the expenditure was outlined in the report.

            The Health and Wellbeing Board was the decision making body for One Halton, therefore oversight of the budget would sit with the Board. The report recommended that the Board delegates authority and management of the budget to the Chief Executive/One Halton Senior Responsible Officer, in consultation with the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder. This would allow decisions regarding spending to be made in a timely manner and projects initiated quicker.

            In addition, the Board noted that a One Halton Forum Terms of Reference had now been produced and a copy was circulated to the Board for information.

            It was noted that an update report would be brought back to the Board on the expenditure of the One Halton budget.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the contents of the report be noted; and

2.      authority to spend the One Halton budget be delegated to the Chief Executive/One Halton Senior Responsible Officer in consultation with the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Portfolio Holder Health and Wellbeing.

             The Board considered an update report from the Integrated Commissioning Group. The purpose of the Group was to provide an oversight of commissioned services on behalf of One Halton. The report outlined the Group Membership, Governance and meetings held to date.

            The Board also noted that there was a requirement from Cheshire and Merseyside Health Care Partnership to write a fire year Strategic Plan that considered the NHS Long Term Plan as well as Health Care Partnership Programmes. The Plan would be produced collaboratively with providers and specific workshop would be held to undertake this. In addition, the Plan would also need to be signed off by the Board prior to 29^th November 2019.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report be noted; and

2.    the Terms of Reference for the Integrated Commissioning Group. (Appendix 1) be approved

            The Board considered a report which provided an update from the One Halton Alliance. The purpose of the Alliance was to bring about effective collaboration across the whole of the health and social care system in Halton and for the system to support an end to competitive behaviour between providers. The report highlighted the Alliance membership, meetings to date, terms of reference, six priority areas (workstreams) identified and key decisions made.

            It was noted that a request for a community pharmacy representative on the One Halton Alliance would be reported back to the Chair.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report be noted;

2.    the six priority areas (workstreams) identified by the Provider Alliance be noted; and

3.    the terms of reference for the Provider Alliance be approved.