Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 26 January 2023 as a true and correct record.

The minutes of the last meeting held on 26 January 2023 were signed by the Chair as a true and correct record.

There were no requests from members of the public to speak on this occasion.

To consider the Executive and Cabinet Member decisions within the portfolios of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Community Health and Wellbeing taken since the last meeting of the Committee.

The Committee noted the decision taken since the last meeting.

To provide an overview of the work of the Adult Services directorate including financial position.

Ms Karen Smith, Director of Adult Services presented the report to the Committee and highlighted the ongoing challenges with workforce. She noted that staffing gaps were being managed through use of additional hours and agency workers. Support was being provided to staff with innovative ways of approaching tasks used where appropriate.

The ongoing work in adult social care health linked services and community based work was discussed in detail and it was noted that the capacity of the Coopers at Ambleside respite and short breaks service had doubled and the service was now supporting 63 families on a regular basis. The work of the primary night care team was also commended as was the introduction of the warm space at Nibbles Café.

With regards to the financial position of the service, it was noted that demand had continued to increase in addition to the increased cost pressures on service provision resulting in a £2.1 million pressure on the budget some of which might be offset with NHS and other streams of funding. Members raised concern that positions might be held vacant in order to achieve cost savings and in response Ms Smith advised that positions remained vacant due to an inability to recruit and positions had not been held vacant to achieve savings.

In response to further questions, Ms Smith advised that there had been some successes in recruitment more recently, she clarified that support was provided to staff in order to ensure they were not overworked and that employees off long term due to sickness were supported back to work appropriately.

In reference to the Adult Social Care Community Based Team it was noted that the backlog had not yet been cleared and it was hoped that the Agency Manager role would be extended for a short period in order to conclude this work. It was also reported that joint working between the NHS and Council continued to work well.

The Committee queried whether the agreed budget for 2023/2024 would be deliverable and in response, Ms Smith advised that the pressures on services were expected to continue and it was expected that the financial position for the service in the next financial year would be challenging.

The market reform delays were also noted< it was reported that as part of the grant conditions for this financial year a Fair Cost of Exercise had been published on the Council’s website on the 1 February 2023, with an updated Market Sustainability Plan to follow in March 2023. It was agreed that the Plan would be circulated to Members when completed.

To provide an overview of the continuing development of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).

Professor Sarah O’Brien, Chief Nursing Officer, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Karen Smith, Director of Health and Care Integration (Blackpool) at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB and Blackpool Council Director of Adult Services (joint appointment) gave a joint presentation on the ongoing development of the ICB and the action to be taken to integrate health and social care more closely together.

It was reported that NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) was established on 1 July 2023. The eight Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Lancashire and South Cumbria had been closed and the ICB had taken on the local commissioning functions as well as some of NHS England’s commissioning functions and was now accountable for NHS spending and performance within the system. At this time the Integrated Care Partnership was also established as a statutory committee with Blackpool Council as a statutory member. The aims of the ICB were set as to:

•      Improve outcomes in population health and healthcare

•      Tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access

•      Enhance productivity and value for money

•      Help the NHS support broader social and economic development

In addition to the wider priorities, specific areas for improvement had been targeted by the ICB and a 10-year vision was being developed covering areas such as urgent and emergency care, how to deliver a challenging budget and to further integrate community health and social care services. Work on a draft strategy had commenced with workshops held with Blackpool partners and would be circulated for public consultation in due course.

It was noted that a key concern of the Committee had been the size of Blackpool in comparison to the overall size of the area of Lancashire and South Cumbria and Members were pleased to note that the borders had been redefined and now included Blackpool as a ‘place’ in its own right. This had led to the appointment of Ms Smith as the Director of Health and Care Integration (Blackpool) and allowed for priorities and services to be identified for Blackpool as its own entity.

In reference to the ICB priority ‘start well’, Members queried what this priority would entail. In response, Professor O’Brien advised that the importance of living well from birth to death had been reflected in the ICB priorities and that it was considered that many problems expected for adults in later life could be positively affected and improved if different approaches were taken when they were children. It was noted that Better Start was actively involved and services were working together for the benefit of all. The importance of other social determinants for a healthy life such as housing life was also noted.

In response to further questions, it was noted that the intention was that a joint committee would be established in the Blackpool ‘place’ which would be able to take decisions on funding. The main role of the Director of Health and Care Integration (Blackpool) would be to enable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To report back the outcomes of the scrutiny meeting held to review the recommendations of the Healthy Weight Scrutiny Review and feed in to the development of the Healthy Weight Strategy.

Mrs Sharon Davis, Scrutiny Manager presented the report of the Healthy Weight Scrutiny Review to the Committee.

The Committee agreed:

1.      That a full response to the recommendations of the Healthy Weight Scrutiny Review be provided to the October 2023 meeting of the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee.

2.      That the update to recommendation 6 (to explore the feasibility of providing free gym access to young people aged 11 to 18) in particular be noted with the Committee’s acceptance that alternative ways of promoting activity amongst young people as detailed be explored.

3.      That the Committee receive the draft Healthy Weight Strategy in due course.

To review the work of the Committee, the implementation of recommendations and identify any additional topics requiring scrutiny.

The Committee noted its workplan and agreed to add in an update on the Integrated Care Board to the plan. It was also requested that an update be provide on suicide prevention and awareness work and to ensure that vaping was covered in the public health item on smoking cessation. It was noted that the workplan would be reviewed in the new Municipal Year following Annual Council.

The Chair highlighted the site visit that a number of Committee Members had undertaken at The Harbour on 22 February 2023 and advised that Members had been very impressed with the welcome and facilities. She encouraged all Members to take up any similar opportunities and noted that Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust had also offered a site visit to the facility at Wesham.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as subject to confirmation at Annual Council.

The date and time of the next meeting was noted as in 6 July 2023, subject to confirmation at Annual Council.