Agenda and minutes

Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 2 April 2025 7.00 pm

Venue: 160, Tooley Street, SE1 2QH

Contact: Julie Timbrell, Project Manager (scrutiny) 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

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    To receive any apologies for absence.

    Minutes:

    Cllr Nick Johnson gave apologies.

2.

Notification of any items of business which the chair deems urgent

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    In special circumstances, an item of business may be added to an agenda within five clear working days of the meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were none.

3.

Disclosure of Interests and Dispensations

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    Members to declare any interests and dispensations in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were none.

4.

Minutes

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    To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2025.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

     The minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

5.

Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board

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    Anna Berry, Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), will attend for her annual interview. The Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report is to follow.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The chair welcome Anna Berry, Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), and explained that she is attending  for her annual interview, with support from Pauline O'Hare, Director of Adult Social Care.

     

    The Independent Chair provided a summary of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report, provided in the agenda papers.

     

    The chair then invited questions, and the following points were made:

     

    • In response to a question on who the board are strengthening work with homeless people the Independent Chair refer referred to government guidance. There is a task and finish group and leading on this work. They will be learning from serious case reviews.

     

    • There is a focus on under reporting of people with learning difficulties and autism to understand the reasons and take action.

     

    • More information on actions to address Black and Minority Ethnic under reporting is being provided by the Integrated Care Board.

     

    • Members asked about self-neglect and hoarding, and measures to address this. The Independent Chair agreed that self-neglect is a challenge, included hoarding. Often linked with complex issues and people who sit below the threshold of services. The complex pathway is where this multi-agency work happens to work with people, including fire services. Pauline O'Hare, Director of Adult Social Care gave some examples or different approaches and reason. Hoarding can differ as some types can relate to anxiety, or in other cases to lots of belongings. There are different causes-and so require different approaches. In some cases, working with people with a focus on clearings pathway maybe sufficient, whereas in other cases legal input maybe required and rehousing.

     

    • A member asked what issues are of most concern and the independent Chair said often complex cases are most concerning.Complex safeguarding is a theme of the board.

     

     

6.

Damp and Mould

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    The Housing department have provided the enclosed briefing updating the commission on damp and mould, to support scrutiny of this topic. In addition, Public Health have provided further information on research conducted showing the potential return on investment in damp and mould prevention.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The chair welcomed the  following officers and invited them to present the report circulated with the agenda:

     

    • Hakeem Osinaike, Strategic Director of Housing, Housing
    • Marc Cook Customer Journey Lead - Southwark Repairs , Housing and Modernisation

     

     

    The chair then invited questions and the following points were made:

     

    • A member asked about repeat visits and how damp can be prevented, as some constituents complain this is a reoccurring problem. Officers explained that there is follow up  after 6 weeks . Damp can be seasonal damp and addressed by ventilation such as fans. The Stock Condition Survey will be comprehensive and include communal spaces , and identify any structural issues causing damp, as well inform the investment required .

     

    • There will be demographics details in the Stock Condition Survey, on the advice Public Health . There is a panel including Public Health looking at data which includes demographics .

     

    • Outreach has been conducted with schools to identify children with respiratory problems that may be caused by damp in their homes.

     

    • Members raised concerns about Housing Associations . Officers said there is a panel and offered to get back on this and how the council can help navigate improvement although it was noted that that the council have no enforcement powers . Housing Association have the same responsibilities as the council, as a landlord. 

     

     

    • Officers agreed that the council  need to be more proactive in tackling damp and the Stock Condition Survey will inform decisions and set priorities , given the housing revenue account is insufficient to tackle everything. As such this will be about priorities. There are properties which are very old, need investment, and are hardest and most expensive to tackle. In terms of shortfalls Southwark has called for Decent Homes Standards to be revisited and for funding to be provided to cover this.

     

    • The proactive work has been extensive , impactful and aided the move towards a proactive approach. 

     

    • The Stock Conditions Survey will be 40% completed by by summer of next year. This will be  sufficiently representative of the overall stock and  enable the council to write an asset management programme .

     

    • Members  spoke about previous problems in Arbitration where  tenants were often blamed for their lifestyle but lived in situations where bathrooms with had  no windows , for example. The Strategic Director stressed that structural problems are often a reason . Another member spoke about education to reduce damp . An example was opening windows in the mornings which can actually reduce heating costs .  Officers spoke of the importance of address underlying  building issues , alongside providing  education, for example tenants can worry about loss of heat through ventilation ,  however opening the windows in the morning for a brief period  can lower moisture content, which will reduce the risk of damp and reduce heating costs.  It is important to avoid a blame culture . The service does offer a hydrometer to assist in monitoring damp.

     

    RESOLVED

     

    Officers will provide more information on demographic reporting details.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Pain Management update

8.

Update on Access to Medical Appointments review

9.

Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis review

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    Minutes:

    This was noted.

10.

Safeguarding review

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    Minutes:

    This will be carried over to the following administrative year.

     

11.

Care Home - delivery model

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    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The chair invited the below to introduce themselves and provide and provide an overview of the plans to deliver a new nursing home:

     

     

    Cllr Evelyn Akoto , Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing began by setting out the context for the provision of a new nursing home.  Demand for new nursing home places is predicted to rise from 292 in 2024 to 387 in 2034. Currently 70 % of current placements are in borough, however this will need to increase provision to meet demand. The cabinet member said her challenge to officers has been to ensure high standards are met and sustained; that that our residential home care charter and other standards are met ; and that we keep local people views in mind through the process. She asked officers to keep this in mind when in their presentations and responses to the commission. 

     

    Catherine Brownell, Head of Sustainable Growth North, Planning and Growth provided an overview of the market led approach that the paper provided set out:

     

    The market led approach relies on the interest coming from market specialists.  The expectation is of a high-quality offer, given the attractiveness of the land being offered by the council and the calibre of providers this will attract, particularly the opportunity to provide care in central London.  The officer explained the mechanism used to go out to market will in include policies such as Residential Care Charter and Fairer Future pledges to ensure our values are taken forward. The process of choosing a provider would include visiting providers.

     

    The officer also gave an overview of other options considered but not pursued, as outlined in the paper provided:

     

    A land disposal, where the land is offer to the market, and a development comes forward. This is usually general needs housing. This site is not well suited for housing as there are height restrictions, however this will not impact on a care home, as these are usually low or medium height, moreover the local community is supportive of a care home and the location is well suited in terms of local amenities , including transport.

     

    Direct delivery and the paper set out why this is not being pursued:

     

    • The Capital Monitor Funding allocation of £16m for a new nursing  care home has been largely expended with the purchase of Tower Bridge Nursing and there is no further capital budget allocation. A cost analysis for a new care home  at today’s rates would be circa £25-30m.

     

    • Undertaking the delivery itself would involve entering into a tie-in agreement with an operator over a 4 year development period , which is unlikely to be feasible relationship. In the absence of this there is a risk of the design being less suited to a future operator.

     

    A developmental partner through a procurement process.  Procurement differs from the market led approach as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Work Programme