Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were submitted from Councillor Andy Croy and Simon Broad.

To confirm the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 17 January 2023 and the Meeting held on 25 January 2023.

The Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the Committee held on 17 January 2023 and the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 January 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Phil Cunnington commented that he had given his apologies for the meeting on 17 January but these had not been recorded.

To receive any declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There were no public questions.

To answer any member questions

There were no Member questions.

To receive an update on NHS Continuing Healthcare.

The Committee received a presentation on NHS Continuing Healthcare.

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

·       Members were reminded that NHS Continuing Healthcare was where individuals required an ongoing package of health and social care that was funded solely by the NHS as it related to a primary health need that was confirmed through a process of assessment.

·       Sarah Webster provided an update on progress made since the Committee’s previous meeting.

·       The operating model had been reviewed, and a preferred model for the BOB footprint had been agreed.  The next steps would be to bring the Oxfordshire team into the BOB ICB team.  This would be in place from July.  This would enable integration and information sharing.

·       Capacity within the leadership team across BOB and Berkshire West had been reviewed.  A Deputy Director of Continuing Healthcare had been appointed.  One of their first tasks would be to review policies, starting with the disputes policy to ensure that it was clear.

·       Sarah Webster updated around education and training.  The ICB wanted to make sure that health and social care practitioners and members of the public were aware of continuing healthcare and when individuals may need to be referred into the assessment process.  A BOB wide Education and Training Working Group had been established and included local authority representatives.  The Working Group was scoping what education and training was currently available for health and care practitioners and if there were any gaps identified, how to address them. 

·       The joint funding policy for Berkshire West was being reviewed.  If an individual was not deemed to be eligible for full continuing healthcare but some of their health needs should be funded by the NHS and some through the local authority, the ICB wanted to clarify the process and policy around agreeing that.  A Working Group had reviewed and agreed a policy which would take effect from mid April.

·       With regards to ongoing oversight, a Transformation Board had been established after the formation of BOB, which was chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer.  Discussions had also been held at the Unified Executive Officers meetings.  The work of the Unified Executive would feed into the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

·       Members were assured that it was an area of priority.

·       The Chair requested another update in the future as further progress was made.

RESOLVED:  That the update on NHS Continuing Healthcare be noted.

To receive an update on the Adult Social Care Transformation programme.

The Committee received an update on the Adult Services Transformation Programme.

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

·       Members were advised that there was one overarching governance for the programme and a number of streams underneath this – Health and Wellbeing Board, Optalis, Wokingham Integrated Partnership and Adult Social Care Change Projects.  There was some cross over and interdependency between these.

·       Ingrid Slade indicated that the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Berkshire West was approved just over a year ago.  High level Wokingham Strategy into Action priorities had been added.  The Wellbeing Board with its partners had worked through the data for Wokingham and created specific priorities for Wokingham Borough under each of these areas.  An action plan was in place for each of the project areas.  Ingrid Slade went on to explain how additional reporting bodies specific to the projects reported progress to the Wellbeing Board via the Wellbeing Board Steering Group.

·       Ingrid Slade outlined the governance and reporting arrangements around the Wellbeing Board and the Wellbeing Board Steering Group.

·       A Member questioned why ARC was not a member of the Wokingham Integrated Partnership (WIP).  Ingrid Slade explained that there were different elements to mental health treatment in the Borough and that ARC was part of the community mental health response.  MIND was part of a WIP project.

·       The WIP was a primary forum for the local authority to interact with Primary Care Network colleagues.

·       The WIP’s strategic aims were to –

Ø  Keep People as People, Not Patients.

Ø  Reduce the number of people that have High Level Support Packages

Ø  Find and support people before they become a high risk

Ø  Meet the Better Care Fund Targets

·       In response to a Member question Ingrid Slade indicated that the WIP focused on adults whilst the Children and Young People’s Partnership focused on children and young people.  The Wellbeing Steering Group received updates from both the WIP and the Children and Young People’s Partnership.

·       Wesley Hedger highlighted the Adult Social Care Change projects including the Adult Services Workforce Strategy and the Recovery College.

·       A Member referred to retention and recruitment problems experienced by Optalis and asked about the possibility of a subsidised creche for adult social care workers.  Wesley Hedger stated that Optalis was the Council’s strategic partner and that adult social care as a whole was traditionally underfunded.  He suggested that the Adult Services Workforce Strategy be brought to a future committee meeting.

·       Wesley Hedger drew Members’ attention to the Specialist Accommodation project.  36 new supported living spaces had been created to support a number of vulnerable residents.  A Member queried how many of the units were full and whether there were wait lists.  Wesley Hedger indicated that there was a list of those transitioning to adulthood and that there were around 5 per year.  There was a high waiting list and more assets were needed to accommodate a greater number of people.  A review of the first stage of the project had recently  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

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

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

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

·       Healthwatch had nearly achieved its work plan and were now asking the public what priorities they would like them to look at.

·       An Enter and View had been carried out at Wokingham Medical Centre.  150 people had responded to the Enter and View survey and the report would be available shortly. 

·       With regards to asylum seekers in inappropriate accommodation, the ICB Safeguarding Team would be undertaking an assurance visit to the accommodation, in the near future.

·       Healthwatch Wokingham Borough would be championing maternal mental health outcomes.  Healthwatch England had undertaken a survey in December.  30% of women who had been surveyed had not received a post-natal check up and mental health was not seen as a high priority.  Healthwatch Wokingham Borough would be asking the public about their experiences and how this could be improved.

·       Healthwatch had been involved in Building Berkshire Together.  Plans for the Royal Berkshire Hospital site had been presented at a meeting at Wokingham Cricket Club the previous week.  Alice Kunjappy-Clifton suggested that representatives be invited to a future Committee meeting to present these proposals.  A Member commented that two of the locations which were proposed as possible new locations, were in the Borough, and the Committee and the Council as a whole needed to be kept informed of proposals.  Members expressed disappointment that the meeting at which proposals had been presented had been poorly attended and felt that it could have been better promoted and more notice given.

·       A Member stated that it was possible that Wokingham Hospital would be used for interim care and that the Committee needed to monitor this proposal.

·       With regards to specialist health support for people with learning disabilities, a Member questioned whether the work that Healthwatch was undertaking with the ICB related to conditions and the support for individuals, or accessibility.  Alice Kunjappy-Clifton commented that accessibility would also be looked at.

·       In response to whether Enter and Views would be carried out in other surgeries in the Borough, Alice Kunjappy-Clifton stated that the Enter and View at Wokingham Medical Centre had been carried out as a result of feedback received.  However, the recommendations that came out of it may be relevant to other areas. 

·       The Chair commented that the Royal Berkshire Hospital was short of governors and encouraged those with an interest to apply. 

·       The Committee had a discussion regarding the forward programme.

RESOLVED:  That the update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough be noted.