Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual

Contact: Madeleine Shopland  Democratic & Electoral Services Specialist

Media

Items
No. Item

45.

Apologies

To receive any apologies for absence

Minutes:

An apology for absence was submitted from Clive Jones.  

46.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 384 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 January 2021.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 January 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and will be signed by the Chairman at the next available opportunity.

47.

Declaration of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest

Minutes:

Councillor Frewin declared a Personal Interest in item 50 Healthwatch Update, on the grounds that he was a First Responder, and his daughter was a midwife.

 

48.

Public Question Time

To answer any public questions

 

A period of 30 minutes will be allowed for members of the public to ask questions submitted under notice.

 

The Council welcomes questions from members of the public about the work of this committee.

 

Subject to meeting certain timescales, questions can relate to general issues concerned with the work of the Committee or an item which is on the Agenda for this meeting.  For full details of the procedure for submitting questions please contact the Democratic Services Section on the numbers given below or go to www.wokingham.gov.uk/publicquestions

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

 

49.

Member Question Time

To answer any member questions

Minutes:

There were no Member questions.

 

50.

Healthwatch Update pdf icon PDF 182 KB

To receive an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee receive an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough.

 

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

 

·       Nick Durman informed the Committee of information that Healthwatch had received.  This included residents having issues in finding information regarding GP and dental services online. 

·       Healthwatch had heard that many unpaid carers had been caring for longer hours during the pandemic as some services had been reduced.  A survey had been undertaken to hear about their experiences during Covid.  Nearly 100 responses had been received.  Focus groups had also been held with carers.  The information was currently being analysed and the Committee would receive the review report once complete.

·       Following a review of GP websites, six recommendations had been made which the CCG had agreed to take forwards.

·       Disappointingly the Local Dental Council had indicated that they had no authority to ask the dental practices to amend their websites.  Nick Durman suggested that the Committee again invite a representative from dentistry to discuss local dental provision.

·       Dental services availability was a national issue and NHS England had produced a report following feedback from Healthwatches. 

·       It was requested that the dental surgery website report be sent to Members so that they could contact practices within their wards directly to encourage them to make changes to their website for the benefits of residents.

·       The three Healthwatches across Berkshire West had been involved in the development of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  Each Healthwatch had assisted in public engagement by holding focus groups.  Healthwatch Wokingham Borough had held focus groups with adult and young carers and adults with learning disabilities.  Likely key priorities included adult and children’s mental health and health inequalities.

·       Healthwatch’s online reach had increased considerably during the pandemic.  In Q4 2019/20 1,800 had been reached via Facebook, Q1 2020/21 16,000 and Q2 15,000 people.  With regards to Twitter there had been 4,500 interactions in Q4 2019/20, Q1 12,000 and Q2 12,000.

·       A Member asked how the information around anxiety about returning to school would be shared with parents and schools.  Nick Durman indicated that the report had been publicised on Healthwatch’s social media and published on its website.  He indicated that national resources had been used and it would have been useful to have had a local video of a young person discussing their anxiety around returning to school during the pandemic.

·       In response to a Member question regarding the GP Patient Survey results, Nick Durman agreed to circulate the results to the Committee.  He indicated that there was no obligation for surgeries to publish the results of the survey on their websites, but that the CCG had agreed to implement this recommendation from Healthwatch.

·       A Member suggested that the Healthwatch reports contain a priority lists of matters to be considered in the future.  It was agreed that Healthwatch would discuss this suggestion further with the Member.

·       With regards to the perinatal report, a Member commented that multi births could be stressful for new mothers,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

51.

Update on change in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Tier 4 service model pdf icon PDF 482 KB

To receive an update on change in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Tier 4 service model.

Minutes:

Louise Noble, Clinical Transformation Lead, CAMHS Tier 4 and Crisis Services, Berkshire CAMHS, provided an update on the change in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Tier 4 service model).

 

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

 

·       Willow House had been the 9 bedded inpatient service since August 2015.  It was based in Wokingham Hospital.  It worked with young people between the ages of 12 and 18. 

·       Willow House had been established as an inpatient service on the basis that it had a limited shelf life because the internal layout of the building could not be adapted in way that would continue to meet the necessary service requirements.

·       Work had been undertaken with NHS England on a Transformation Plan to create a new service.

·       NHS England had undertaken a review of the Accelerated Bed Programme for the South East in early 2020.  This, in addition to the New Care Model agenda, had determined a new transformation agenda. 

·       It had been determined that the needs of the Berkshire population could be better met through alternative models of provision and increased utilisation of existing CAMHS GAU services.

·       NHS England has requested that a new model be worked up to deliver a hospital at home service as opposed to an inpatient service.  This model was based on evidence and research and models demonstrating success elsewhere in the country,

·       It was noted that the current Willow House inpatient provision would close on 30 April 2021 with the transition to the new model commencing in March.  Work had been undertaken with NHS England and also with Oxford Health who would become commissioners under the New Care Models programme from April.

·       Louise Noble outlined what the new service meant for the children and young people.  Currently 50% of those who required such a high level of care, went to units other than Willow House as the Willow House was a General Adolescent Unit.  The new service would also support those who required an Eating Disorders bed.  Care could now be provided locally to between 75-80% of those requiring Tier 4 level care.  The new service would have the capacity to support up to 16 young people at one time.

·       Young people who required an inpatient response would still be able to access this.  Most would go to units within the Provider Collaborative such as Huntercombe in Maidenhead and Highfield in Oxford and Marlborough House in Swindon.  Some young people might still need to go to units outside of the area, but it was hoped that this number would reduce.

·       Members were informed that the new service would work more closely with the inpatient clinical team with the aim of reducing length of stay where it was considered safe and effective to do so.

·       Louise Noble outlined how the new service would work.  She reminded Members that Tier 4 services were required by a very small number of children and young people.  It was only accessed via community CAMHS. 

·       The consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.