Apologies for absence had been received from committee member Councillor Alan Seldon.  Apologies had also been received from Councillor Yolande Watson (cabinet support member adults and communities); Chris Baird (director for children and families), Rebecca Howell-Jones (acting director of public health), Paul Smith (assistant director all ages commissioning) and Stephen Vickers (director for adults and communities) (Herefordshire Council); and Dr Ian Tait (NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group).

To receive details of any member nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

Councillor David Summers was present as a substitute for Councillor Alan Seldon.

To receive any declarations of interests in respect of schedule 1, schedule 2 or other interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 13 January 2021 and 26 January 2021.

The minutes of the meetings held on 13 January 2021 and 26 January 2021 were received.

Resolved:     

i.          That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2021 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the chairperson; and

ii.         That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2021 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the chairperson.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

A question received from a member of the public, a supplementary question put at the meeting, and the responses provided by NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group are attached as appendix 1 to these minutes.

The chairperson thanked Andrea Davis for her question and drew attention to the committee’s previous request for a written briefing note and to the response of the executive:

‘With regard to the CHC (NHS Continuing Healthcare) position and the previous requests from scrutiny to be kept informed on CHC outcomes for Herefordshire citizens, the LA (local authority) will request an analysis of the CHC and joint funded position in Herefordshire from the CCG (NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group).  Herefordshire Council will also contribute a report to support the understanding of the committee.’

The chairperson requested that this analysis and report be provided by the end of April 2021 and that this should also address the questions raised in Ms Davis’ recent correspondence to councillors.

The assistant director for adult social care operations said that the council and the CCG were working closely on working practices and processes, and supported the preparation of a joint report.  In response to a question, the assistant director commented on the redeployment of resources to support the health and social care system response to the COVID pandemic and said that further work could now be resumed.

A committee member felt that it was regrettable that a CCG representative was not available to attend this meeting and that responses should have an equal amount of detail and specificity as the questions that had been submitted.

To receive any written questions from councillors.

No questions had been received from councillors.

To consider the attached draft carers strategy for 2021 to 2026 from the adults and communities directorate and to determine any recommendations the committee wishes to make.

The chairperson advised that the purpose of this item was to consider the draft carers strategy for 2021 to 2026.

The head of community commissioning and resources (HCCR) introduced the report, the principal points included:

i.           The document was an early draft of the carers strategy and this was an opportunity for the committee to influence and shape the document; a further version would be presented to the health and wellbeing board in June 2021, and the final version would be presented to cabinet in September 2021.

ii.         Engagement on the strategy would continue with carers and wider stakeholders.

iii.        In addition to the covering report and draft strategy, a review of the joint carers strategy 2017-21 was included in the agenda papers.

iv.        The draft strategy identified five priorities: carers voice; carers in the community; services offered to carers; carers wellbeing; and financial.  It also identified two over-arching themes: ‘think carer’ and ‘carers and technology’.  It was reported that these had emerged from feedback and contributions from carers and other stakeholders.

v.         Attention was drawn to the outline action plan which summarised the key actions proposed under each of the priorities and would be developed further in subsequent versions.

The chairperson invited the attending experts by experience to comment.  Cat Hornsey said that parent carers were not represented enough currently and hoped that the new strategy would help to address this.  Barbara Millman considered that coordination between services could be improved to ensure that the offered solution was appropriate to the needs of both the person being cared for and for the carer, adding that technology could not always be utilised effectively by people with dementia.

Ian Stead said that Healthwatch Herefordshire was pleased to see the draft strategy, particularly the intention to ensure that carers voice was heard and the proposed establishment of a carers partnership board.  Mr Stead commented that carers often felt isolated and there was a need to provide single points of contact to help them to access sources of information, support, and networks.  It was noted that the Talk Community programme could help to identify carers in local communities.

The assistant director for adults social care operations (ADASCO) commented on the modernisation of adults social care pathways, reflecting the rights of carers and aligned to strengths-based practice.  It was reported that anyone who received an assessment through the Care Act would be linked in to community brokers, who could help to identify community resources to support the person.  The isolation of carers during the COVID pandemic had been a significant concern and reviews would be undertaken, utilising Talk Community options and formal services where necessary.

The chairperson welcomed the draft strategy and the direction of travel, especially the strengths-based approach, the extensive engagement, the establishment of a carers partnership board, and the recognition of the challenges around the identification of carers.  It was noted that much of the draft strategy was shaped around long term care but it was questioned whether specific approaches could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

To consider the committee’s work programme.

The chairperson invited the committee to review the work programme, drawing attention to a number of updates to the meeting schedule and associated agenda items.

It was reported that the chairperson and vice-chairperson had recently discussed the possibility of undertaking a task and finish group on the health impact of the intensive poultry industry and, whilst the timing would be dependent on the availability of public health and intelligence unit officers to progress it, it was suggested that a scoping statement be prepared for consideration by the committee at a future meeting.

On the proposed deferral of the agenda item on the domestic abuse strategy, the head of community commissioning and resources explained that the Domestic Abuse Act would become law in April 2021 and, whilst national guidance was still in draft form, this would require the current strategy to be updated and new material to be added to reflect the requirements of the Act.  In response to a question from a committee member, the head of community commissioning and resources briefly explained the appropriate referral pathways where it was suspected that someone was experiencing domestic abuse.

The committee agreed the following resolution.

Resolved:

That the committee work programme be confirmed, subject to following:

1.         That an additional meeting be held on Friday 30 April 2021, 9.30 am, to consider an item on mental health;

2.         That the 10 May 2021 meeting be rescheduled to a date during the week commencing 17 May 2021;

3.         That the item on Learning Disability Services be considered at the 21 June 2021 meeting and the item on Domestic Abuse Strategy be considered at a meeting in October 2021;

4.         The schedule of recommendations and responses, as appended to the report, be noted; and

5.         That a scoping statement for a task and finish group on the health impact of the intensive poultry industry be prepared for consideration by the committee.

Subject to confirmation by the committee, the next meeting will be held on Friday 30 April 2021, 9.30 am.

Friday 30 April 2021 at 9.30 am