Agenda and draft minutes

The Democratic Services Officer notified the Committee that due to unforeseen circumstances she had received apologies for absence from both the Chair and Vice Chair and therefore asked Members to nominate a Chair.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Dave Neary be appointed as Chair for this meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Adult Social Care and Heath).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Desmond, Lunn-Bates, and Myers.

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 15 October 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 October, be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive a presentation of the Programme Director, Shaping Care Together, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital.

The Committee received a presentation by the Programme Director, Shaping Care Together, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital Trust.

The presentation provided information on the “Shaping Care Together” Programme and informed the Committee about the recent pre-consultation public engagement events and emerging themes. The feedback received and emerging themes would inform the pre-consultation business case.

Halima Sadia, Programme Director, Mersey and West Lancashire Hospital Trust was in attendance to present the information and to respond to any questions from members of the committee. The Committee was advised that whilst no firm proposals were being presented to the Committee at this meeting, the Committee was asked to note that the developing options all involved co-location of adult and children's emergency services.

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

·       Focus in some of the public engagement sessions attended by Ward Councillors, was also on neighbourhood services and not just A&E Services.

·       Confirmation that the final proposals would be fully consulted on with the Public.

The Chair requested Committee Members present to indicate agreement that the developing proposals represented a “substantial” change for Sefton residents to enable the Committee to progress arrangements for a joint meeting with Lancashire County Council.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the proposals as part of the Shaping Care Together Programme be confirmed as a potential substantial variation of current service provision.

(2)          That a Joint Health Scrutiny Committee with Lancashire County Council be convened.

Report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside.

The committee received a report from the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) that informed the Committee that at the ICB meeting on 28 November 2024, the ICB approved the recommendation that the ICB commences a period of public consultation regarding the proposal to cease NHS funded gluten free prescribing (bread and bread mixes) across Cheshire and Merseyside. The ICB had a duty to engage with Local Authority Health and Overview Scrutiny Committees (HOSC) to seek confirmation as to whether the HOSC believed the proposals constituted a substantial change to NHS services, known as a Substantial Development or Variation of Services (SDV).

The Committee was informed that currently across Cheshire and Merseyside there are differences in the prescribing availability of gluten free products for patients due to previous arrangements of the individual predecessor Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) organisations. Work has been undertaken to rectify this position and recommend a harmonised approach to gluten free prescribing.

Currently in Sefton, 336 people would be affected by the change.

The Committee queried the following points:

·       The likely impact on families on low incomes who have one or more family members requiring gluten free bread or bread mixes.

·       Had any work been carried to identify those impacted and to assess the severity of the impact upon household incomes.

Following further discussion, whilst noting that the proposals affected a relatively small number of people in Sefton, the change would impact those in receipt of prescriptions and the Committee considered that it was a substantial change in service.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee agreed that the proposals represented a substantial development or variation to services to Proposed Changes to NHS Gluten Free Prescribing.

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:

·       Work around Mental Health Support and Integration

·       South Sefton Primary Care Network won Primary Care Network of the Year for significantly improving capacity and access for patients, adding over 20,000 appointments into general practice via their South Sefton Access Service, all the while remaining responsive to local priorities, patient needs and patient voice.

·       Details of the latest NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Board Meeting.

The Committee noted the recent award for South Sefton Primary Care Network and asked that it be noted that the Committee offered its congratulations to those involved in the work to improve access and capacity for patients.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the update be noted.

(2)          That a letter of congratulations be sent from the Committee to South Sefton Primary Care Network staff.

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. Ambulance response times were also included within the data.

RESOLVED:

That the information on Health Provider Performance be noted.

Report of the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

It was reported that this item would be deferred to the next meeting due to the item being requested by the Chair, Councillor Lunn-Bates who had s apologies for this meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the item be deferred until the meeting of the Committee to be held on 25 February 2025..

To receive a verbal update from the Sefton Place Director, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside.

The Committee received a verbal update by the Sefton Place Director, that provided an update on the preparations for Care Quality Commission (CQC) Assessment.

The update contained the following information:

·       The first assessment interview was due to take place in the next few days regarding areas of focus.

·       The assessment would take place week commencing 27^th January 2025.

·       The outcome letter was expected later in the year.

·       The priority is making sure the date being presented to the CQC assessors is accurate.

A Member of the Committee queried to what extent the CQC assessors take in to account the Adult Social Care budget position. It was confirmed that issues such as commissioning, market sustainability and workforce would be considered rather than the overall budget position.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.

Report of the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care and Health.

Consideration was given to a report which provided an overview of Adult Social Care’s performance against a number of required national and local metrics. The report was part of the regular cycle of reporting to the Committee and key information in terms of the preparation for Sefton’s upcoming Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment.

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

·       The data regarding abuse and 40% of cases being attributed to care workers. It was confirmed that the figure did not represent deliberate harm and was likely to be ‘acts of omission’.

·       The care transfer hub and the work it is doing to ensure people have care packages in place in a timely manner.

·       The reasons for the drop in the number of safeguarding referrals resolved within 28 days.

·       If any quantitative information was available.

·       How feedback from service users was collected.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the contents of the report be noted;

(2)          That it be agreed that regular updates continue to be provided to the Committee regarding the performance of Adult Social Care.

Report of the Assistant Director, Communities.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on the work of the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board and its Mid-Year Report, published in September 2024. The report was presented to Members to provide an understanding of the work of the Domestic Abuse Board and how the Council collaborated with partners to respond to the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act locally.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed duties on Local Authorities across England to ensure that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access the right support in safe accommodation when they need it. The council received £631,105 in new burdens funding for 2024/25 for delivery of this duty. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government had confirmed that the domestic abuse safe accommodation grant would continue in 2025-26.

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

·       If there were any refuge facilities for male victims of Domestic Abuse

·       Members were pleased to hear about all the successful work around Domestic Abuse Services.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted

Report of the Director of Public Health.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health that provided an update on the Public Health Outcomes Framework.

A briefing previously received by the Cabinet Member - Health and Wellbeing was attached to the report.

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

·       The data for alcohol admissions and if Public Health can be taken in to account when licences are granted for shops and premises selling alcohol.

·       If the interventions that have reduced alcohol admissions had been future proofed so the good work is not undone.

·       If smoking and vaping data amongst secondary age children can be captured.

·       Childhood obesity data and where Sefton sits compared to national statistics.

·       How gambling addiction is measured.

·       The issue of stunting in children.

The Committee welcomed the report and requested that further information on the Gambling data and initiatives be brought to a future meeting.

RESOLVED: That

(1)          the report be received;

(2)          That an update on the work being undertaken on gambling be brought to a future meeting

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 – Public Health and Wellbeing, attached to the report at Appendix A, outlined information on the following:

• Public Health Risk Register
• NHS Health Checks
• Public Health Performance Framework
• Public Health Quarterly Dashboard
• Public Health Draft Work Plan
• Sexual Health Service Re-Procurement
• Smokefree Generation Plan
• “We’re Here” Campaign
• Residential Rehabilitation Placements DPS
• Research on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Childhood Stunting in Sefton
• Change Grow Live alcohol service, including the new Southport Hub.
• Leisure Update
• Junior Park Run.

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

• Preparation for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Assurance and Assessment
• Better at Home Transformation Programme
• Urgent Care and improving access to Adult Social Care
• Quality Assurance of Adult Social Care Practice
• Workforce
• Occupational Therapy Practice and Development
• Domiciliary Care and Reablement
• 2025/26 Fee Setting
• Carers Strategy
• Early Intervention and Prevention Strategy
• Adult Social Care Budget
• Adult Social Care Complaints, Compliments and MP Enquiries

Councillor Doyle, Cabinet Member – Public Health and Wellbeing and Councillor Moncur, Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care were in attendance to respond to any questions/comments by Members of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member update reports be noted.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

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

• seek the views of the Committee on the Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2024/25;
• identify any items for pre-scrutiny by the Committee from the Key Decision Forward Plan;
• seek the views of the Committee on the Programme of informal briefings/workshop sessions for the remainder of 2024/25;
• receive an update on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee;
• receive an update on the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee; and

The following appendices were attached to the report:

• Appendix A – Work Programme for 2024/25;
• Appendix B – Draft programme of informal briefings/workshop sessions for 2024/25;
• Appendix C – Latest key decision forward plan items relating to this overview and scrutiny committee.

A Member of the Committee queried if the Committee could receive further information on the work of GP’s and cited the work of Dr. Unwin at Norwood surgery and his work on diet and type 2 diabetes.

The Committee was asked to note that a visit to Hartley Hospital had been arranged for Monday 13^th January and a visit to North West Ambulance Service HQ had been arranged for 29^th January.

RESOLVED: That

(1)          the Work Programme for 2024/25, as set out in Appendix A to the report be agreed, along with any additional items (as above) to be included and thereon agreed;

(2)          the contents of the Key Decision Forward Plan for the period 1 January – 30 April, be noted;

(3)          the Programme of informal briefings/workshop sessions for 2024/25, as set out at Appendix B to the report, be noted, along with any additional informal items to be included and thereon be agreed;

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

(5)          the update on the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee be noted.