Agenda and minutes

Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 18 April 2023 7.00 pm

Venue: Ground Floor Meeting Room G02A - 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH. View directions

Contact: Julie Timbrell, Project Manager (scrutiny) 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

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    To receive any apologies for absence.

    Minutes:

    Councillor Charlie Smith sent apologies and Councillor Sabina Emmanuel attended as a substitute.

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 open section of the meeting on 2 February 2023.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The Minutes of the meeting held on the 2 February were agreed as an accurate record.

5.

Interview with the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing

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    Councillor Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, portfolio is enclosed.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    Councillor Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing,  was invited by the chair to provide an overview of her portfolio , and then members were invited to ask questions .

     

    The following officers provided support:

     

    ·  Pauline O’Hare, Director of Adult Social Care

    ·  Sangeeta Leahy, Director of Public Health

    ·  Martin Wilkinson, NHS full time chief operating officer for Partnership Southwark

    ·  Genette Laws, Director of Commissioning

     

    The interview covered the following themes:

     

    ·  Food poverty

     

    ·  Warm Hubs,  including provision of hot meals

     

    ·  Air filters to care homes & schools

     

    ·  Food in school holidays

     

    ·  Improved local food provision

     

    ·  Defibrillator & Bleed Kit roll out

     

    ·  Adult social care provision approach

     

    ·  Mental Health hub

     

    ·  Respite care - consultation on Orange Street and provision

     

    ·  Paid care workers career progression and investment in skills

     

    ·  Older people : extra care housing, re-enablement to meet population need as well as provision of residential and nursery homes

     

    ·  Council ownership of new nursing homes

     

    ·  Residential care charter and compliance by care homes

     

     

    RESOLVED

     

    A follow up briefing will be provided on Waterloo Health Centre & Lambeth Walk relocation.

     

     

6.

Interview with the Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB)

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    Anna Berry, Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), will attend for her annual interview.

     

    The SSAB Annual Report is enclosed.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    Anna Berry, Independent Chair of the Southwark Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), was invited to provide an overview of the annual report and work of the board.

     

     Pauline O’Hare, Director of Adult Social Care, contributed to the discussion.

     

    The Independent Chair reported that there had been good attendance on the board and sub groups by partners. The main priorities this year had been:

     

     

    ·  Homelessness

    ·  Domestic Abuse

    ·  Complex safeguarding

    ·  Developing a learning network

     

    The chair invited questions and the following points were made:

     

    Members and the Independent Chair discussed growing concerns about the issue of children being violent towards parents and  grandparents, and that this is sometimes associated with behaviour problems, substance abuse and autism. There is specialised support for parents and families to report and interventions.

     

    A member asked about the number of Safeguarding cases in care homes not being upheld and impact on retention of staff.  Officers said there is an escalation process used for children, which is being considered for adults. There are ‘quality alerts’ as well as safeguarding processes. There are no immediate statistics, in part because cases can be complex and result in different remedies.

7.

FGM report

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    Southwark’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is enclosed.

     

    There will be a presentation from Huw MacDonald, Specialty Registrar in Public Health.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The chair explained that this item has been championed by Cllr Naima Ali, who has met with colleagues to prepare.

     

    The chair invited the following to present:

     

    •  Huw MacDonald,  Specialty Registrar in Public Health, who will present.

    •  Sangeeta Leahy, Director of Public Health

    •  Jin Lim,  Deputy Director of Public Health

    •  Martin Wilkinson, NHS full time chief operating officer for Partnership Southwark

     

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

     

    ·  Type 4 FGM can be practices such as a piercing or a tattoo.

     

    ·  Members are asked about smear tests for women with FGM and how this would be addressed by medical practitioners,  and if this would be done with sensitivity.  

     

     

    ·  Officers said that if FGM was detected then it would be recorded and the women would be offered support - if wanted . Officers said that cultural competence and referral pathways had been highlighted as important to consider in prior discussions  to prepare for this item.

     

    ·  Members voiced community concerns that clumsy interventions around smear tests are putting off some women from attending for appointments,  because of fears around being seen as a perpetrator. They added that if the nurse is well trained then this can be okay. 

     

    ·  The Deputy Director of Public Health said that enhanced training is certainly deliverable , for example around smear tests , and using the experience of survivors . Members suggested that there are community leaders and  community organisations, which could lead on in depth training and psycho sexual intervention.

     

    ·  The cabinet lead member said that men also need to be targeted for interventions.

     

    ·  A member welcomed this and commented that there is an interrelationship between domestic abuse and the increased risk for survivors of FGM.

     

     

     

     

8.

Care Contributions update briefing

9.

Care Contributions scrutiny review report

10.

Access to Medical Appointments - scrutiny review headline report

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    The following reports are enclosed:

     

    ·  Notes of a health café conversations engagement event with local residents

    ·  Next steps for Integrating Primary Care: Fuller Stocktake report

    ·  Access to Medical Appointments scrutiny review headline report  

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The chair invited comments on the headline report and the following comments were made:

     

    A member reported that Nexus now give out a specific telephone number to high needs patients – such as  over 75s. This additional information will be added to the report, to support recommendation 4 in particular.

     

    Members noted the importance of engagement with communities where English is not the first language, and noted that Healthwatch  are doing outreach work with the Latin American community and maybe other communities.  A member said she was concerned that the Somalian community is  particularly disadvantaged by language.

     

    RESOLVED

     

    Recommendation One:  This will be strengthened to add more on engagement and communication, with particular reference to language barriers and the importance of reaching all different type of groups, using a range of methods.

     

    Recommendation Three:  This will refer to not only GP receptionists, but also pharmacy receptionists.

     

    Recommendation Ten: This will be more specific.

     

     

11.

Queen’s Oak nursing home and Annual Care Home cabinet report

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    A report is enclosed to note, with a presentation planned for the final meeting in May. .

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The report was noted. There will be an officer presentation followed by a Q & A at the next meeting on this report.

12.

Work Programme