Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2021 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            The Board received an update on the most recent Covid-19 coronavirus figures for Halton, providing a comparison with the previous January 2021 and how the Halton Outbreak Support Team were collaborating with others to successfully identify and manage local outbreaks. The presentation also outlined the most recent information on testing and vaccination for people in Halton, the vaccination figures for those staff employed at the local hospitals and for those employed within Halton Social Services.

            RESOLVED: That the Board note the presentation.

            The Board received an update from Kath Parker, on behalf of Halton Healthwatch, regarding the recent Dental Health Project. There had been 176 responses to the Dental Health survey and the Board noted the feedback received.

            It was noted that there had been a rise in the number of calls from parents who could not access a dentist in Halton for children and concern was expressed at the long term impact this would have. There was also concern that the information available online regarding dentists in Halton appeared to need updating.

            Arising from the discussion, it was recognised that there was national problem with the availability of NHS dentists and the service needed investment and improvement.

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

            This item was deferred until a future meeting. It was agreed that a letter would be sent to NHS England and NHS Improvement North West (Cheshire and Merseyside) to express the Board’s disappointment that a representative did not attend this meeting and also to request that they attend the next Board meeting.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Social Services, which provided details of the Government legislation published on the need to vaccinate people working or deployed in care homes. As a result of the regulations those staff who were not fully vaccinated or refuse to be vaccinated who work within care homes, or were required to visit care homes as part of their role cannot continue to be employed in that role.

            The report outlined to the Board the total percentage number of staff within the Independent Sector and at Council care homes who were either fully vaccinated, received the booster vaccination and the number of those who had either refused the vaccine or were exempt.

            Whilst the legislation was expected to reduce the health risk to care home residents and staff, the restrictions on staff redeployment introduced a number of consequential risks which threatened the operation of local health and care systems. The report considered these risk and the immediate actions needed to prepare for reductions that were expected to arise as a result of the legislation.

            RESOLVED: That the Board note the report.

            The Board considered a report which provided an update on the One Halton Place Based Partnership development with Cheshire Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) context.

            At the previous meeting held in October 2021, the Board had received a comprehensive report which set out the requirements for the formation of the Integrated Care Systems regionally and an Integrated Care Partnership at Place Level. To allow sufficient time for the remaining parliamentary stages, a new target date of 1 July 2022 had been agreed for new statutory arrangements to take effect and ICBs to be legally and operationally established.

            It was noted that the ICB (Cheshire and Merseyside), was progressing towards:

·         developing a constitution and establish Board memberships;

·         working with the nine places within the footprint to disband the CCGs and preparing staff and functions to transfer to the ICB under the new arrangements; and

·         recruiting Senior Executive roles.

            Whilst prior to One Halton becoming the statutory body for health and care arrangements:

·         a self-assessment had been carried out in October 2021 and the outcomes from this were outlined in the report;

·         staff appointments had begun to be made to establish a Programme Management Office; and

·         an overarching Organisational Development Plan was being developed and in the coming months there would be two LGA facilitated workshops, to which Health and Wellbeing Board Members would be invited.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services, which provided an update on the Better Care Fund Plan (BCFP) 2020/21 and Planning Template for 2021/22, for retrospective approval following its submission in mid-November and successful regional assurance.

            The Halton BCFP for 2020/21 was attached as Appendix 1 and set out:

·         Engagement with stakeholders;

·         Governance arrangements including the new ways of working for One Halton;

·         The approach to integration;

·         Supporting discharge from hospital;

·         Disabled facilities grant and wider services; and

·         Equality and health inequalities.

            In addition, the BCF planning template for 2021/22 was included in Appendix 2 and encompassed an Expenditure Plan, planned metrics and confirmation of planning requirements.

            RESOLVED: That the BCF Plan for 2021 and Planning Template for 2021/22 be approved.

            The Board received a report of the Director of Public Health, which provided an update on the decision to award a contract to the provider who, through an open procurement exercise had been assessed as being the most economically advantageous and effective organisation to deliver an Integrated Specialist Adult Community Substance Misuse Service for Halton. The successful application was from CGL (Change Grow, Live) and the Board received a brief update on performance to date.

            RESOLVED: That

1)    the outcome of the formal open procurement exercise for the provision of an Integrated Specialist Adult Community Substance Misuse Service for Halton and the award of a contract to CGL be noted; and

2)    the brief update on the current service performance be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, which provided an update on the recent Marmot Workshop. The Marmot national team had held a workshop across the nine local areas in Merseyside and Cheshire to identify key areas for combined action to tackle inequalities across local areas and to ensure local perspectives were incorporated into the national review report due to be published in 2022. The Halton workshop was held on 25 November 2021.

            It was reported that feedback from the workshop had been themed and linked to work on inequalities and the One Halton Plan as well as fed into the regional Marmot Community Programme. Two themes had dominated the discussions, Children and Families and the role of employment, whilst sub themes were identified that overlapped or linked to one or both of these themes included poverty, the role of transport, housing, physical activity and mental health. Three other themes identified included alcohol and substance misuse, the role of aspiration and resilience as well as a need to focus on the needs of older adults.

            As part of the next steps the Marmot Team would produce a set of indicators and a report which pulled together the outcomes of the workshops across the nine places as well as help shape a regional Marmot Community programme and national review. Whilst in Halton the thematic areas would feed  into the One Halton Strategy Transformation Group.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.