Agenda and minutes

Introductions took place.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr. R. Hutchings, Healthwatch; Councillor Cummins, Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care; and Councillor Moncur, Cabinet Member – Health and Wellbeing.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

In accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declaration of personal interest was made and the Member concerned remained in the room during the consideration of the item:

Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2021

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2021, be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Head of Primary Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI)

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Primary Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) on the current challenges faced by dentistry in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact this is having on service delivery.

The report set out the background to the matter, together with the current position, in that some practices were not yet able to offer the full range of services that they would want to at this point in time. The report concluded that current infection prevention and control arrangements would continue to prevent a return to pre-pandemic practice, and that income protection measures to support the restoration of the service would be retained.

Martin McDowell, Deputy Chief Officer, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG was in attendance to present the report and to respond to questions raised by Members of the Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:

·       The agenda item should be deferred to enable a representative of NHS England to attend in order to respond to questions.

RESOLVED:

That the agenda item on the Current Challenges Faced by Dentistry in Light of the Covid-19 Pandemic be deferred to the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 7 September 2021, to enable a representative of NHS England to attend in order to respond to any questions on the matter.

Joint report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group

The Committee considered the joint report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group on access to general practice and NHS 111 services during the covid-19 pandemic.

The report outlined the access to general practice and services available to patients since the start of the pandemic; together with access to NHS 111 telephone and online services, where patients were able to access advice or a clinical pathway within a given timeframe, if appropriate.

Martin McDowell, Deputy Chief Officer, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG was in attendance to present the report and to respond to questions raised by Members of the Committee.

A Member of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issue:

·       The increase in NHS 111 activity in Southport and Formby appeared to be low in comparison to the overall North West activity. Additional information could be sought.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report on access to general practice and NHS 111 services during the covid-19 pandemic, be noted; and

(2)      the Chief Officer of the NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG be requested to provide information to the Senior Democratic Services Officer on the following, for circulation to Members of the Committee:

the comparatively low increase in NHS 111 activity in Southport and Formby compared to the overall North West activity.

Report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group

The Committee considered the report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on a proposal for clinical integration of haemato-oncology services in North Merseyside. The proposal was presented to the Committee with a request to review the process for developing the proposal as the Health and Social Care Act required NHS bodies to consult with local Overview and Scrutiny Committees on service change proposals.

The Committee was asked to consider a recommendation that due to the minimal impact of the proposal on Sefton patients, it did not represent a substantial variation in the way the service was delivered and that the proposal development process, including the approach to patient engagement, was commensurate with the scale of the proposed change. Details of the travel time impact analysis, together with an overview of engagement activities and findings to date, were attached to the report.

Billie Dodd, Deputy Director: Commissioning and Delivery, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG; and Dr. Lynny Yung, Consultant Haematologist, Clinical Director for Haematology, Aintree Hospital, were in attendance to present the report to the Committee and to respond to questions put by Members of the Committee.

A Member of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:

·       How the long-term follow-up of care would be addressed and the availability of clinicians who addressed secondary conditions, as part of the whole service.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      it be agreed that the proposal for clinical integration of haemato-oncology services in North Merseyside does not represent a substantial variation and that the approach taken to engage with patients to inform the proposal is commensurate with the scale of the proposed change; and

(2)      Billie Dodd and Dr. Lynny Yung be thanked for their attendance.

Joint report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group

The Committee considered the joint report of the NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the NHS Southport and Formby CCG, providing an update about the work of the CCGs. The report outlined details of the following:

·       New Chair for CCG in South Sefton;

·       Single Primary Care Network (PCN) for Southport and Formby;

·       Promoting GP Practice Access;

·       EConsult;

·       Covid-19 Vaccination Programme;

·       Praise for Covid-19 Vaccination Volunteers;

·       Changing Commissioning Landscape;

·       Borough-Based Working;

·       Sefton Mental Health Review;

·       Shaping Care Together – Update;

·       CCG Self-Assessment 2020-21;

·       Financial Framework;

·       Urgent Treatment Centre to go Live from end of June;

·       Mersey Care now the Sefton-wide Provider of Community Services;

·       Transfer of North West Boroughs to Mersey Care

·       Macmillan Right By You;

·       Staff Friends and Family Test (FFT) for Provider Organisations;

·       Collection of GP Data for Planning and Research to start on 1 September;

·       Relocation of CCG Headquarters; and

·       Governing Body Meetings.

Martin McDowell, Deputy Chief Officer, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG was in attendance to present the update report and to respond to questions raised by Members of the Committee. Dr. Kati Scholtz, GP Clinical Director for Primary Care, Southport and Formby CCG, responded to questions on access to general practice.

Further to Minute No. 37 of 23 February 2021, a verbal update was also provided on Hightown Village GP Surgery. A meeting of interested parties had taken place on 10 March 2021 to discuss the concerns raised regarding the Hightown GP surgery contract and a further meeting was scheduled for 30 June 2021.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:

·       What services were available at Hightown Village GP Surgery and what should the community feel it could expect from their local surgery?

·       Access to general practitioners at Hightown Village GP Surgery and the delivery of appointments available.

·       Feedback was requested from the meeting to be held on 30 June 2021.

·       The Committee had discussed issues at Hightown Village GP Surgery during 2018 and residents needed to be assured that a GP service was available.

·       Clarification was sought regarding The Hollies Surgery, Formby, that had been taken over by a new partner.

·       Access by patients to GPs and other practitioners and advice to be offered to residents regarding face-to-face appointments.

·       The pros and cons of telephone appointments with GPs.

·       Patients with complex health conditions and their access to GPs, together with engagement with the public.

·       The cessation of eConsult referrals by some practices.

·       Concerns held by some patients regarding the collection of GP data for planning and research, although this data was anonymised and crucial to support health and care planning and research.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the update report submitted by the Sefton Clinical Commissioning Groups, together with the information provided on Hightown Village GP Surgery, be received; and

(2)      the Chief Officer, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG be requested to provide feedback on the meeting to be held on 30 June 2021, regarding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Joint report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group

The Committee considered the joint report of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), that provided data on key performance areas, together with responses for the Friends and Family Test for both Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Information on the monitoring of the7-day GP extended access scheme for both CCGs was included within the data.

Martin McDowell, Deputy Chief Officer, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG, was in attendance to present the report and to respond to questions raised by Members of the Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:

·       The fact that Friends and Family data had not been available since February 2020 was not helpful.

·       Requests for Friends and Family data were typically undertaken via text message and there was a risk that some messages were being sent to deceased patients.

·       Whether Covid-19 had impacted on cases of MRSA and C.Difficile.

RESOLVED:

That the information on Health Provider Performance be noted.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer submitting the most recent update reports from the Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care, and the Cabinet Member – Health and Wellbeing, whose portfolios fell within the remit of the Committee.

The Cabinet Member update report – Adult Social Care, attached to the report at Appendix A, outlined information on the following:

·       Care Homes – Vaccination Update;

·       Adult Social Care Budget:

o   External grants; and

o   Fee consultations;

·       Adult Safeguarding;

·       Operational Pressures;

·       Mental Health Services:

o   Alternatives to Crisis Provision in Sefton – Crisis Café;

o   Mental Health Recovery Workers; and

o   Sefton Mental Health Review

·       Digital Strategy and Technology Enabled Care;

·       Performance;

·       Integration Update; and

·       Complaints Update:

o   General Overview.

The Cabinet Member update report – Health and Wellbeing, attached to the report at Appendix B, outlined information on the following:

·       Staff Flu Immunisation Programme 2020/21;

·       Public Health Service Plan;

·       Mental Health in Schools;

·       Wellbeing for Education Return;

·       Kooth and QWell;

·       Living Well Sefton Service;

·       Covid-19 Update;

·       0-19 Commissioning; and

·       Leisure.

Councillor Cummins, Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care, and Councillor Moncur, Cabinet Member - Health and Wellbeing, had submitted their apologies for the meeting.

Members of the Committee were invited to submit any questions direct to the Cabinet Member concerned.

RESOLVED:

That the update reports from the Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care and the Cabinet Member – Health and Wellbeing be noted.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer seeking the views of the Committee on the draft Work Programme for 2021/22; reporting on progress of the Mental Health Issues Working Group;identifying any items for pre-scrutiny by the Committee from the latest Key Decision Forward Plan; receiving an update on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and noting the update from Healthwatch Sefton.

A draft Work Programme for 2021/22 was set out at Appendix A to the report, to be considered, along with any additional items to be included and agreed. The Terms of Reference for the Committee were set out at Appendix B to the report.

The report set out progress to date made by the Mental Health Issues Working Group.

There were four Decisions within the latest Key Decision Forward Plan, attached to the report at Appendix C, that fell under this Committee’s remit, and the Committee was invited to consider items for pre-scrutiny.

The report outlined recent activity undertaken by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and set out an update on recent activities undertaken by Healthwatch Sefton, as attached to the report at Appendix D.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer reported on the possibility of a special meeting of the Committee being required to consider information on acute stroke services.

RESOLVED: That:

(1)      the Work Programme for 2020/21, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be agreed;

(2)      the progress made by the Mental Health Issues Working Group be noted;

(3)      the contents of the Key Decision Forward Plan for the period 1 July – 30 October 2021, be noted;

(4)      the update on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted;

(5)      the recent activities undertaken by Healthwatch Sefton, as outlined in Appendix D to the report, be noted; and

(6)      the fact that a special meeting of the Committee may be required to consider information on acute stroke services, be noted.

The Chair requested an update on the situation regarding Covid-19 in Sefton.

Helen Armitage, Public Health Consultant, gave a verbal update on Covid-19 in Sefton, indicating that the numbers of positive cases were increasing, although the rate of the rise had decreased slightly; cases per age ranges were outlined; together with the percentage of the adult population who had received the vaccine. Some changes in behaviour by the public were being observed, and there was a possibility of further mutation of the virus.

A Member of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issue:

·       The possibility of a combined Covid-19 vaccine with the flu vaccine.

RESOLVED:

That the update on the Covid-19 situation in Sefton be noted.