Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Brodie-Browne and J. J. Kelly; and Councillor Cummins, Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care.

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.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 3 January 2023

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 January 2023, be confirmed as a correct record.

Anne-Marie Stretch, Managing Director, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, to attend.

Anne-Marie Stretch, Managing Director, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, and Ann Marr, Chief Executive at Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust, attended the meeting and made a presentation that updated on the next steps in the proposed partnership between Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust. The presentation outlined:

·       Issues facing Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals.

·       Agreement for long-term collaboration, a One Team One Trust working together for patients which began September 2021 with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

·       Performance which included information on progress on fragile services; Aintree and Southport activity; additional trust funding secured; and that this was the best performing Acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside for A&E 4-hour performance (new target for 2023/24 76%, S&O currently 75.9%).

·       Looking to the future in respect of formal transaction; the new Trust priorities; and shaping care together.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The availability of services at Southport and Ormskirk District General Hospitals including the frontline digitisation and the provision of the 2nd CT Scanner (Southport Site).

·       The length of stay/bed occupancy during the last month at Southport and Ormskirk District General Hospitals.

·       Reassurance was sought that the proposed partnership was not a “takeover” by St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust.

·       The importance of communications in getting the message across to residents that the proposed partnership was not a rationalisation that would result in the dilution of local service provision.

·       Reference was made to a recent survey on the time taken for ambulances to travel between the Southport and Ormskirk sites and a request was made for the survey results to be made available to Members.

·       Thrombectomy services.

·       The importance of meaningful consultation and engagement with staff over the proposed partnership.

·       TUPE and the transfer of terms and conditions of staff.

·       Worries of staff that they may be forced to move from their current place of work to other sites; and to cover shifts for colleagues at other sites.

·       The focus of Commissioners on the transition to Integrated Care Boards.

·       How the ratings of different Trusts would be specified upon merger and the inspection regimes to do this.

·       What was in place to improve the quality of the hospital estates/buildings and the timescales for doing so.

·       Community services provision at Southport District General Hospital and the services provided by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED:

That the information provided on the next steps in the proposed partnership between Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust, be noted.

Jon Hayes, Managing Director, Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, to attend

The Committee considered the report of the Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance that provided an overview of the activities of Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance in Sefton and was submitted for information and discussion.

Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance was an NHS organisation that brought healthcare providers, commissioners, patients, cancer research institutions and voluntary and charitable sector partners together to improve cancer outcomes for the local population.

The Alliance was responsible for:

·       Delivering the NHS Long Term Plan objectives for cancer, including the ambition that, by 2028, 75% of cancers would be diagnosed at stages 1 and 2.

·       Reducing unwarranted variation in care, access, patient experience and outcomes.

·       Improving performance against cancer waiting times standards.

·       Supporting innovation and safeguarding the long-term sustainability of cancer services.

The Alliance was funded by, and accountable to, the national cancer programme within NHS England and the Alliance was hosted by The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

The attached report highlighted the work of the Alliance with particular reference to improving cancer outcomes for the population of Sefton.

Jon Hayes, Managing Director, Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, attended the meeting to present information and to respond to any questions or issues raised by Members of the Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Information was sought on whether the incidences of cancers had changed due to the reduction in industrial working environments.

·       Work being undertaken, particularly with Public Health colleagues, to raise awareness of the dangers of obesity, tobacco and particularly alcohol in increasing the risks of cancer within our communities.

·       The importance of early screening to achieve early diagnosis of lung cancer incidences across the Cheshire and Merseyside area.

·       The referral for cancer services from general practices.

·       Reference was made to residents across south Sefton being invited for a free lung check as part of an NHS targeted lung health check programme and a drop-in event aimed at raising awareness of the programme and the symptoms of lung cancer that would be held in the Tesco superstore on Hawthorne Road on Friday 24 February 2023. A concern was raised about the late notice given about the event.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report and the information provided be noted; and

(2)      a further update on the activities of Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance in Sefton be provided to the Committee in 6 to 9 months’ time.

Michelle Creed, the independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board, to attend to give a presentation on progress and priorities

Michelle Creed, the independent Chair and Joan Coupe, Board Business Manager, of the Sefton Adult Safeguarding Board (SSAPB), attended the meeting to give a presentation on the Board. The presentation outlined:

·       Membership of the Board

·       The key purpose of the Board

·       Sub-Groups:

o   Communication, Quality and Process

o   Wellbeing and Learning

·       Merseyside Safeguarding Adults Review Group (MSARG)

·       Achievements so far

·       Key Priorities

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       To help residents who could be digitally excluded, the potential for information about SSAPB to be displayed in community centres/libraries/etc.

·       A concern was expressed that due to the current problems being experienced with Children’s Social Care, some recipients of safeguarding services may not have much faith or trust in such services; and that the lack of faith and trust may transition with the service users as they transferred to the Adult Safeguarding service.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation and information provided be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health / Place Director

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health / Place Director the aim of which was to allow Members to carry out effective scrutiny of the Council company Sefton New Directions to provide a level of assurance that both the Council’s interests and the services or products provided by the company to our residents, were safe and well managed and offered good value for money.

The report provided information on the aims of the Sefton New Directions Annual Report; expected outcomes; the Council’s objectives for the company; the Council’s governance arrangements including the governance arrangements in place for the company in 2021/22; the key objectives for the Company as per the Business Plan in 2021/22; a review of performance for 2021/22; key areas of risk during the year; evaluation of performance in 2021/22 compared to Council objectives for setting up the company and the approved Business Plan for the year; and the Delivery and Improvement Plans for 2022/23.

The Committee was requested to:

·       consider the content of the report in respect of Sefton New Directions;

·       provide feedback on key issues arising from the report and to advise on further information that would support the scrutiny review in future years;

·       provide feedback on current performance (operational and financial) and how this supported the Council’s strategic aims and ambitions and aligned with the objectives and reasons for setting up the companies; and

·       seek clarification or additional information from officers in order to carry out the scrutiny function.

RESOLVED:

That the report on Sefton New Directions 2021/22 Outturn Review of Council Wholly Owned Companies be noted.

Report of the Executive Director Adult Social Care and Health

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Adult Social Care and Health that provided an update on progress within Adult Social Care against key performance metrics.

The report set out the background to the matter, together with information on Key Performance Updates; Contacts and Activity; Assessments and Reviews; Support Services; Safeguarding; and the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF), including Employment, Housing, and Self-directed support and direct payments.

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report and assurances on the actions being taken in any area requiring increased focus, be noted.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer submitting a stakeholder update that provided information on the Liverpool Clinical Services Review commissioned by NHS England that had identified recommendations for greater collaboration between Liverpool’s acute and specialised hospital trusts. The three priorities identified to be taken forward were:

1)       Solving the clinical sustainability challenges affecting women’s health in Liverpool.

2)       Improving outcomes and access to emergency care, making optimal use of existing co- adjacencies at the Aintree, Broadgreen and Royal Liverpool Hospital sites.

3)       Significant opportunities to achieve economies of scale in corporate services.

The stakeholder briefing was attached to the report at Appendix A.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       A concern was expressed that the review was Liverpool centred; and that it was important for Sefton’s voice in the review to be heard strongly.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the report and the stakeholder briefing be noted; and

(2)      the Committee’s concerns be noted about the review and therefore further clarifications on the proposals contained in the report be submitted to the first meeting of the Committee in the new Municipal Year 2023/24.

Report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

The Committee considered the report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, that provided an update about the work of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, Sefton. The report outlined details of the following:

·       Sefton Partnership Board

·       Sefton Place review meeting

·       Industrial action

·       System pressures

·       Update on COVID-19 vaccination campaign

·       Promoting flu and COVID-19 vaccines

·       Respiratory hubs come to Sefton

·       Long COVID – Eric’s story

·       Social prescribing service – Danny’s story

·       Crisis Café – Brittney’s story

·       NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’sBoard meetings

RESOLVED:

That the update report submitted by the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside (Sefton) be noted.

Report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

The Committee considered the report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, that provided data on key performance areas for North and South Sefton, together with responses for the Friends and Family Test for both Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT). Information on the monitoring of the7-day GP extended access scheme, and ambulance response times were also included within the data.

A supplementary agenda contained an updated version of the data.

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:

·       Update on the National Assurance Framework for Adult Social Care

·       Integration and National Policy Update:

o  Sefton Partnership Maturity

o  Integrated Care Teams Development

·       Life Course Commissioning:

o  Domiciliary Care

o  Day Opportunities

o  Supported Living

o  Care Homes

o  Fee Rates and Cost of Care Exercises 2023/24

o  Winter Planning

o  Charging Reform

·       Adult Social Care Budget

·       Adult Social Care Complaints, Compliments and MP Enquiries

·       Principal Social Worker Update (PSW)

·       Performance and Key Areas of Focus

·       Admission into care and reablement

·       Self-directed support and direct payments:

·       Employment

·       Housing

·       Safeguarding

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

·       Public Health:

o   0-19 Children’s Services Re-commission

o   Drugs & Alcohol Services Re-commission

o   Young Person Living Well Sefton Rename

o   Mental Health We’re Here Campaign

o   Obesity Update

o   Public Health Risk Register

·       Leisure:

o   Physical Activity Strategy Update

Councillor Moncur, Cabinet Member - Health and Wellbeing, attended the meeting to present his report and to respond to any questions.

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

Appendix C - Update of recent activities undertaken by Healthwatch Sefton TO FOLLOW

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that sought to:

·       review the Committee’s Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2022/23;

·       to identify any items for pre-scrutiny by the Committee from the Key Decision Forward Plan;

·       receive an update on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

·       receive an update on the Joint Cheshire and Merseyside Scrutiny Committee, established to scrutinise the work of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board; and

·       receive an update by Healthwatch Sefton.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the Work Programme for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be noted;

(2)      the contents of the Key Decision Forward Plan for the period 1 March to 30 June 2023 be noted;

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

(4)      the update on the Joint Cheshire and Merseyside Scrutiny Committee, established to scrutinise the work of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board, be noted.