Agenda and draft minutes

The committee is asked to note the following membership and terms of reference for the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee which were agreed by Council on 17 May 2023 and subsequent changes.

Membership:

10 Members (5:3:1 Ind Gp, 1 LD)

Quorum 3

Chair:

Vice Chair: K. Nisbet

Terms of Reference:

(a) To promote well-being and reduce health inequality, particularly in supporting those people who feel more vulnerable or are at risk.

(b) To discharge the functions conferred by the Local Government Act 2000 of reviewing and scrutinising matters relating to the planning, provision and operation of health services in Northumberland.

(c) To take a holistic view of health in promoting the social, environmental and economic well-being of local people.

(d) To act as a consultee as required by the relevant regulations in respect of those

matters on which local NHS bodies must consult the Committee.

(e) To monitor, review and make recommendations about:

Adult Care and Social Services

Adults Safeguarding

Welfare of Vulnerable People

Independent Living and Supported Housing

Carers Well Being

Mental Health and Emotional Well Being

Financial inclusion and fuel poverty

Adult Health Services

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol and drugs misuse

Community Engagement and Empowerment

Social Inclusion

Equalities, diversity and community cohesion

The committee was asked to note the following membership and terms of reference for the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee which were agreed by Council on 17 May 2023 and subsequent changes.

10 Members (5:3:1 Ind Gp, 1 LD)

Quorum 3

Chair: 

Vice Chair: K. Nisbet

Terms of Reference:

(a) To promote well-being and reduce health inequality, particularly in supporting those people who feel more vulnerable or are at risk.

(b) To discharge the functions conferred by the Local Government Act 2000 of reviewing and scrutinising matters relating to the planning, provision and operation of health services in Northumberland.

(c) To take a holistic view of health in promoting the social, environmental and economic well-being of local people.

(d) To act as a consultee as required by the relevant regulations in respect of those matters on which local NHS bodies must consult the Committee.

(e) To monitor, review and make recommendations about: 

Adult Care and Social Services

Adults Safeguarding

Welfare of Vulnerable People

Independent Living and Supported Housing

Carers Well Being

Mental Health and Emotional Well Being

Financial inclusion and fuel poverty

Adult Health Services

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Smoking Cessation

Alcohol and drugs misuse

Community Engagement and Empowerment

Social Inclusion

Equalities, diversity and community cohesion

RESOLVED that that the membership and terms of reference of the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing year be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors E. Chicken, C. Humphrey and M. Richardson.

Minutes of the meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 2 May 2023, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 2 May 2023, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

The Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee is also asked to confirm the membership and refreshed terms of reference of the Working Group, which comprises of four members including the Chair and Vice-chair of the Health and Wellbeing Overview Scrutiny Committee, plus two other members.

Also, to note the monitoring report of the Primary Care Applications Working Group.

The Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee was asked to confirm the membership and refreshed terms of reference of the Primary Care Applications Working Group, which comprised four members including the Chair and Vice-chair of the Health and Wellbeing Overview Scrutiny Committee, plus two other members.   The current membership was Councillors K. Nisbet (Chair), V. Jones (Chair of OSC), L. Bowman and I. Hunter.

Also, to note the monitoring report of the Primary Care Applications Working Group.  (A copy of the monitoring report has been filed with the signed minutes).

RESOLVED that:

(a)      the terms of reference of the Primary Care Applications Working Group for the ensuing Council Year be noted;

(b)      the membership of the Primary Care Applications Working Group be agreed as Councillors K. Nisbet (Chair), the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing OSC (once elected), L. Bowman and I. Hunter for the ensuing year, and

(c)      the monitoring report of the Primary Care Applications Working Group be noted.

The minutes of the Health & Wellbeing Board held on 13 April 2023 and 11 May 2023 are attached for the scrutiny of any issues considered or agreed there.

RESOLVED the minutes of the Health & Wellbeing Board held on 13 April 2023 and 11 May 2023 be noted.

(a)  Contingency Plans and Management Arrangements for Commissioned Adult Social Care Services

This report describes contingency and management arrangements that Northumberland County Council would enact in the event of a social care provider ceasing to operate.

(b)  Update on Pressures in Adult Homecare Services

This report describes the current difficulties facing adult homecare services in Northumberland, steps that have been taken to resolve these difficulties and the plans in place that aim to resolve workforce shortages in that sector.

(a) Update on Pressures in Adult Homecare Services

A. Curry, Head of Commissioning – Adults, presented the report which described the current difficulties facing adult homecare services in Northumberland, steps that had been taken to resolve those difficulties and the plans in place that aimed to resolve workforce shortages in that sector.  (A copy of the report has been filed with the signed minutes).

Members were advised that home care offered a vital service to people who were assessed as needing additional assistance to remain independent.

It was reported that there had been difficulties in arranging homecare services for a significant number of people due to workforce shortages and since the summer of 2021 there had typically been around 200 –220 people that the council had assessed as requiring homecare who had not been able to source homecare.  This number went as high as 270 at one point in 2022.

Workforce shortages in social care were a national problem and neighbouring local authorities were facing similar difficulties.

The problem appeared to be worse in more rural areas generally, including the most rural parts of Northumberland.

Northumberland County Council had implemented some initiatives over the past 18 months to try to resolve workforce shortages, including funding incentives to increase carer pay rates and work with providers on upskilling their management teams and improving their recruitment programmes.  Whilst this support appeared to have arrested the growth in the shortfalls of available care, it had not increased the workforce enough to enable social care providers to pick up significantly more homecare packages.

It was noted that the council would be using additional funds from the latest Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund 2023/24 to attempt to make it more attractive to work in homecare and increase the size of the workforce.

The following comments were made:

·       It was felt that those who worked in the care sector were highly skilled but underpaid.  Even with the revised hourly rate of pay it would not be enough to resolve the problem of staffing levels. 

·       It was suggested that Northumberland needed to be more radical and lead the way for the rest of the county in its thinking to fix this national problem.

·       A query as to whether members should be monitoring this issue further.  There were initiatives in place and further planned schemes to try and help with the pressures being seen in homecare.  It was thought a report in six months’ time to see if those initiatives had resulted in progress being made was needed.

·       A comment that the problems being faced by adult homecare services needed more than simply more money being put into the sector.

·       Confirmation that the number of people whom homecare could not be sourced for had reduced in numbers recently, but work was needed to understand why there had been a reduction. 

·       An acknowledgment that the cost of living, energy prices and fuel costs had further impacted on the workforce and added to the pressures being faced.

·       Members were informed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

(a)  Forward Plan

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

(b)  Health and Wellbeing OSC Work Programme

To consider the work programme/monitoring report for the Health and Wellbeing OSC for 2023/24.

(a) Forward Plan

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.

(b) 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 for the following items/issues to be considered for the Work Programme:

·       Adult Home Care data and progress monitoring.

·       Care Academy.

·       Newcastle Oncology Services – waiting times.

·       Dentistry.

·       NEAS – local data.

·       Older Persons Care Homes – specialised complex dementia services in Northumberland.

·       Water Fluoridation.

RESOLVED that the work programme and comments made be noted.

To note future meetings proposed for the Health and Wellbeing OSC and Task and Finish Group.

OSC Meetings starting at 1 p.m. - 5 September 2023, 7 November 2023, 9 January 2024, 5 March 2024, 2 April 2024 and 7 May 2024.

Task and Finish Group Meetings starting at 1 p.m. – 3 October 2023, 5 December 2023 and 6 February 2024.

        It was suggested that the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be moved from 5 September to 12 September 2023. 

RESOLVED that the following dates be noted:

OSC Meetings starting at 1 p.m. - 12 September 2023, 7 November 2023, 9 January 2024, 5 March 2024, 2 April 2024 and 7 May 2024.

Task and Finish Group Meetings starting at 1 p.m. – 3 October 2023, 5 December 2023 and 6 February 2024.

Members took a few minutes to recognise and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service which took place on 5 July 2023.