Agenda and draft minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor C. Humphrey.

Minutes of the meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 6 December 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Health & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 6 December 2022, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

To note the latest Forward Plan of key decisions.  Any further changes to the Forward Plan will be reported at the meeting.

The Committee considered the Forward Plan of key decisions (a copy of the Forward Plan has been filed with the signed minutes).

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The minutes of the Health & Wellbeing Board held on 10 December 2022, 8 December 2022 and 9 January 2023 are attached for the scrutiny of any issues considered or agreed there.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Health & Wellbeing Board held on 10 December 2022, 8 December 2022 and 9 January 2023 be noted.

North Tyneside and Northumberland Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2021-22

To provide an overview of the work carried out under the multi-agency arrangements for Safeguarding Adults during 2021/22.

North Tyneside and Northumberland Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) Annual Report 2021-22

The purpose of the report was to provide an overview of the work carried out under the multi-agency arrangements for Safeguarding Adults during 2021/22.  (A copy of the report has been filed with the signed minutes).  

P. Mead, North Tyneside and Northumberland Safeguarding Adults Board Independent Chair and K. Wright, Service Manager – Safeguarding Adults introduced the report which detailed the work of the North Tyneside and Northumberland Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) during 2021/22, and provided information about operational safeguarding activity during the year.  The report described a range of improvements in safeguarding arrangements and detailed the work carried out during 2021-22 across all partner organisations, working together to improve safeguarding arrangements for vulnerable people. 

Following on from the significant increases in safeguarding activity reported last year, in 2020/21 Northumberland continued to experience increases in safeguarding demand. Northumberland data showed a 38% increase in safeguarding concerns, and a 6% rise in safeguarding enquiries, compared to last year.  In terms of local trends there has been a continued rise in domestic abuse, physical abuse, and self-neglect.  

A key focus for the SAB this year had been understanding the impact of the pandemic on local safeguarding activity. 

The report set out the SAB’s work in response to the five key strategic priorities in the SAB Annual Strategic Plan, which had been informed by local safeguarding data; experiences and feedback; partner self-assessments; and regional priorities. It also outlined some key highlights of the SAB’s work during the year, which had included a focus upon a range of themes and awareness campaigns. 

There have been no Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) undertaken in Northumberland during this reporting year, however a number of new case referrals have been considered, and two learning reviews have commenced.  

It was noted that this would be the final Annual report of the North Tyneside and Northumberland Safeguarding Adults Board. 

 In response to member questions the following information was provided:

·       Northumberland had experienced an increase in safeguarding concerns and in safeguarding enquiries, but this was in line with other areas of the county.  Northumberland continued to benchmark against others.  Both nationally and regionally safeguarding boards were seeing similar trends, and many had identified the same key priorities.

·       There had been surges in activity relating to Covid including self-neglect, isolation, domestic violence and mental health issues.

·       There had been a focus on understanding the impact of the pandemic on local safeguarding activity enabling a response to changing safeguarding needs, identifying lessons learnt and informing future planning and priorities both regionally and nationally.

·       The main location of abuse had again been within people’s own homes, though there had been an increase in safeguarding reports related to nursing or Care homes.  

·       Safety in nursing and care homes remained a top priority.  It was reassuring to see those risks and actions being addressed and showed that any concerns were being looked into and taken very seriously.  Partnership work with other agencies was crucial to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Health and Wellbeing OSC Work Programme

To consider the work programme/monitoring report for the Health and Wellbeing OSC for 2022/23.

Health and Wellbeing OSC Work Programme

The Committee reviewed its work programme for the 2022/23 council year.  (A copy of the work programme has been filed with the signed minutes).

Members asked if data on local response times could be made available at the meeting where North East Ambulance Services were to be invited to attend.  

RESOLVED that the work programme and comments made be noted.

The date of the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 1.00 p.m.

RESOLVED that the next meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee be held on Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 1.00 p.m.