Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Adults, Wellbeing & Health Scrutiny & Improvement Committee held on 11 March 2024 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest; NOTED.

Would Members please bring their copy of the Cabinet Workbook with them to the meeting

There were no relevant Cabinet reports to discuss; NOTED.

Consideration of this item was deferred, and discussions will take place at a future meeting; NOTED.

The Director of Delivery (Tees Valley), North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, provided Members with an overview of Integrated Care System arrangements which highlighted the following key points:

·       The distinction between the Integrated Care System, Integrated Care Board and Integrated Care Partnership.

·       Details relating to the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, including demographics and overall costs

·       Information regarding political management of the model, the main stakeholders, the Executive Leadership Team and Directorate Structure.

·       Information included in the Joint Forward Plan 2023-28.

·       An outline of Tees Valley Priorities and an overview of Tees Valley Places Plan.

As part of the ensuing discussion, the following comments and questions were noted:

·       A Member commented on the apparent top-heavy structure in terms of administrative management, which seemed out of proportion with need ‘on the ground’. Members were advised that, as part of restructuring of Clinical Commissioning Board structured into Integrated Care Systems, different organisations had been merged and 30% taken out of the running costs of the organisation. Further to this, the size of the newly-created system should impact on future funding formulae.

·       A discussion took place relating to the distribution of funding across Tees Valley authorities, with members assured that

·       A Member asked what the main achievements of the strategy had been and the Committee was advised that GP-led emergency care and improvements to community mental health services had been implemented to success. Members were also advised that many of the aims outlined in the Strategy were long-term and the outcomes not yet determined.

·       A Member asked how health inequalities would be addressed as part of the Strategy, and Members were advised that there were multiple factors that influence on health outcomes, and that this was recognised in the Strategy. This work was being addressed as part of the Health Determinants Research Collaboration between local authorities and the University of Teesside.

·       Members were advised that ‘place-based’ referred geographically to the Tees Valley area.

·       A Member, referring to the funding formula, asked why so few resources are awarded to the Tees Valley given our metrics. The Committee was advised that the funding formula is nationally determined and the vast majority of the money is committed. Where there is additional money, some discretion is being used to distribute differently; NOTED.

The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care (Operations) provided a presentation giving Members an overview of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which outlined the following:

·       The purpose and legal framework of DoLS

·       The rules by which the safeguards are operated and RCBC commitment to the process

·       Some examples of how the process operates via case studies

As part of the ensuing discussion, the following comments and questions were noted:

·       Potential subjectivity when making an assessment against the criteria for demonstrating capacity was discussed, and Members were referred to the clear framework and legal guidance regarding how the process is evidenced by professionals.

·       Clarification was provided in relating to BIA capacity and allocation across teams, and Members were assured that waiting lists for RCBC were not significant in comparison with other authorities: NOTED.

The Chair referred Members to the Governance Managers report regarding the 2023/24 work programme for the Adults, Wellbeing & Health Scrutiny & Improvement Committee.

Members were also reminded that an invitation to submit topics for the work programme had been issued by email.

The following topics were proposed:

·       The impact of long covid

·       RCBC work towards becoming a stoma friendly authority. Members were advised that the Cabinet Member would work with the building maintenance team to progress the work and progress reported as part of performance updates. It was agreed that SMART objectives would be adopted to facilitate implementation.

·       Management of mould in Beyond Housing stock.

·       Health Impact Assessments – Members to consider how the Adults, Wellbeing & Health Scrutiny & Improvement Committee manage and monitor the implementation of HIAs; NOTED.

Cllr Ovens provided an update on the work of Sir William Turner’s Hospital.

Cllr Cawley provided an update on the progress of the Collaborative Working Group looking into crustacean die-off events; NOTED.

The Action Update was NOTED.

There were no items certified as urgent.