Agenda item

To consider the controls being implemented to manage the strategic risk relating to the pandemic infection.   

[Ms Kate Aldridge, Head of Delivery and Performance joined the meeting during consideration of this item.]

The Committee considered a progress report outlining the individual risks identified within the Strategic Risk – Pandemic Infection. Consideration was given to the sub-risk ‘Impacts on the Council's ability to deliver critical services and wider impacts on the town,’ with Ms Liz Petch, Consultant in Public Health providing an update. Ms Petch informed the Committee that Dr Arif Rajpura, Director of Public Health attended weekly Covid-19 regional meetings withPublic Health England and other national and regional stakeholders. In addition, Dr Rajpura attended weekly meetings with the Chief Medical Officer in order to receiveupdates on Covid-19 risks and national action. Ms Petch outlined numerous regular meetings and decision-making forums in place across Lancashire which were attended by Blackpool representatives and highlighted the co-ordinated and proactive testing regime in place across the region which was sensitive to the emergence of new variants. She reported that Blackpool had increased testing as soon as this had become available and noted that Blackpool was one of the first local authority areas to pilot community testing, as well as the introduction of the ‘Local Zero’ contact tracing, which had both assisted in providing essential data in quickly identifying any outbreaks of the virus. She noted that whilst Blackpool reported low levels of infection currently, areas of concern still remained such as the emergence of new variants and international travel and as such partnership working continued on a local, regional and national level.

The Committee asked Ms Petch to identify the biggest challenge currently faced by the Public Health team as well as asking what the impact of the pandemic had been on the wellbeing of the team. Ms Petch reported that the provision of timely and accurate data was currently proving to be a challenge in terms of the results of self-administered tests carried out by individuals in their own homes. She informed the Committee that the initial pressures experienced by Public Health at the start of the pandemic had eased, aided by the provision of additional capacity in the form of health protection expertise and support from the wider Council community as a whole.

The Committee questioned whether plans were in place to deal with data collection as the summer season approached, noting that as a seasonal resort holiday-makers would be attracted to the area and as such an increased capacity for testing would presumably be required. Ms Petch advised that the Council’s Communications team had been utilised to broadcast key messages to the community to encourage the continuation of testing and the importance of maintaining social distancing to limit the spread of infection. She reported that partnership working had also been utilised, for example via holding regular meetings with headteachers to receive feedback on any current issues within schools and to provide current data on infection rates.

With regards to seasonal variations, the Committee sought information on the plans in place for autumn, with the anticipated increase in testing that would be needed at that time, as well as questioning whether the tests currently in use would need to change to keep pace with new virus variants. Ms Petch reported that current advice confirmed that the tests presently in use would be suitable to detect new variants of the virus. In respect of testing beyond the end of June 2021, Ms Petch informed the Committee that further guidance was awaited from the government, with confirmation not yet received as to the continuation of the supply of free testing kits beyond that date.

The Committee asked whether any learning from the pandemic had been identified and if any resulting examples of best practice would be shared between local authorities. Ms Petch informed Committee Members that conversations identifying examples of good practice and lessons to be learnt from the pandemic were already ongoing and that a Public Health Annual Report for 2020/2021 was planned in order to collate all the learning and impact across Blackpool. Mrs Tracy Greenhalgh, Head of Audit and Risk advised that a lessons learned exercise would be undertaken to determine how the response to the pandemic could inform how the Council responded to future medium and long term incidents and which would be drawing on the expertise of the Lancashire Resilience Forum as well as other local authorities and partners, with lessons learned to be factored into the Council’s emergency planning and business continuity arrangements.

The lack of reporting around the management of the mental and physical wellbeing of Council employees within the Strategic Risk Register was queried. With regards to the Public Health directorate, Ms Petch advised that support and advice were available across the team and that employees were regularly contacted to check on their wellbeing. Referrals to occupational health for cases of long Covid were also in place. Mr Neil Jack, Chief Executive noted that employee wellbeing had been included within the Strategic Risk Register under the responsibility of the Head of Organisational and Workforce Development and as such comprehensive sickness support and monitoring was in place across the Council. The Committee sought further clarification, asking what support was specifically in place for employees who were medically well and not suffering from Covid but who had been placed under pressure as a result of an increased workload. Mr Jack confirmed that the offer of support via the Employment Assistance Programme was open to all employees and their families and staff could be self referred without seeking approval from their manager. In addition, to ensure resilience, staff had been redeployed to other areas to provide support where needed.

The Committee sought assurance that due to the increased demand on Adult Services, sufficient capacity within the directorate remained to horizon scan for non-Covid issues. Mr Jack reported that additional staff had been recruited to Adult Services to deal with the pandemic, thereby releasing employees to focus on other issues such as the recovery plan and the delivery of climate change targets. He reported that partnership working had improved, for example with colleagues at the NHS and with neighbouring local authorities and care providers, particularly as part of the implementation of the vaccination programme.

With regards to the provision of Covid testing sites by the Council, the Committee questioned whether these would be adequately publicised to tourists visiting the area during the summer season and whether transport companies would be contacted to distribute relevant information to passengers traveling to the town. Ms Petch reported that engagement was underway with local hoteliers to provide advice around the testing of their staff and visitors, as well as the availability of community testing within the Houndshill shopping centre which would continue to be advertised via social media and the Council website. Discussions were underway with coach companies to emphasise the importance of ensuring vehicles were covid-secure and to encourage passenger testing prior to boarding. In response to the Committee’s concerns regarding the possible ending of the provision of test kits after the end of June 2021, Mr Jack advised that whilst the decision would ultimately be taken by the government, further guidance was anticipated as to the details of the roadmap as the June date approached.

[Mr Alan Cavill, Director of Communications and Regeneration left the meeting during consideration of this item.]

[Ms Kate Aldridge, Head of Delivery and Performance left the meeting on conclusion of this item.]