Agenda item

To receive the Design our Neighbourhoods Update. (25 mins)

The Board received the Design our Neighbourhoods Update.

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

·         Martin Sloan provided a presentation on a locality and neighbourhood approach to the Covid 19 pandemic.

·         The Wokingham Integrated Partnership had developed a platform for integration and joint working. 

·         There had been active Wokingham participation in Wave 1 of the Population Health Management Development Programme (Optum).

·         The challenge had been to create an integrated and coordinated approach to provide tailored, proactive social and medical support to the ‘shielded’ and isolated/vulnerable population across the Borough during the Covid 19 pandemic.

·         It had been important to ensure that Shielded and Non Shielded Vulnerable had access to medication and food, that social isolation was mitigated so far as possible and that advice and information could be accessed, if required.

·         A Partnership Team had been established pre lockdown and this met on a weekly basis.

·         Data had been taken from various sources including; General Practice lists of shielded patients, NHS Digital shielded lists, Adult Social Care clients and other databases that could indicate isolation and that support was required.  A combined database had been established and Adult Social Care had undertaken welfare calls using an agreed 11-point script.  When required, residents were referred to the “Wokingham Borough Community Response.”  Over 2800 calls had been made.  The outcomes had been recorded and feedback provided to the GP services.  In addition, the work of the Social Prescribing link workers had been integrated into the process.

·         Martin Sloan referred to the combined Wokingham Borough community response, a combined group of Council staff and the voluntary sector.  This included a “One Front Door” via the Citizens Advice with embedded WBC staff, to field public calls.

·         The approach would be extended to a test cohort of elderly and frail (not including those who were shielded, those in care homes, and others that had already had welfare calls).

·         Work would be carried out to support shielded residents who had lost their mobility and the confidence to go outside their home.

·         Martin Sloan outlined two recommendations to progress the Design our Neighbourhood work at neighbourhood level;

Ø  Implementing the WBC Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy 2020-2025 with a focus on integration of services at a neighbourhood level.  This would deliver improved coordination of multi-agency service response and improved signposting and use of technology to meet the social needs of residents.

Ø  Deliver the Strategy into Action Plan with a focus on what could be delivered as locally as possible, and also maximising the use of the local neighbourhood resources.

·         As part of delivering the above two actions a mapping exercise of all local neighbourhood resources which would support the three priorities of the Wellbeing Strategy, would be undertaken by 30 November.  In addition, a Partnership Forum would be set up by 1 September, to enable communication and the sharing of ideas.

·         A number of Board members commented that this work highlighted Wokingham’s committed approach, and thanked the voluntary sector for their work and support.  In response to a question from Philip Cook, Councillor Margetts agreed that a statement would be issued thanking the voluntary sector for their work.

·         Graham Ebers commented that it would be useful to pick out some of the outputs from the neighbourhoods event held in January and establish what could be addressed through learning and connectivity.

·         Carol Cammiss stated that she wanted to develop the community and voluntary sector approach around children too.

RESOLVED:  That the next steps for the delivery and implementation of a neighbourhood approach to meeting the three priorities, be considered.