Agenda item

To consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting the joint performance report from NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council which provides an overview of progress against key improvement priorities and performance indicators relevant to the Board at Quarter 3, 2009/10.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report presenting the joint performance report from NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council which provided an overview of progress against key improvement priorities and performance indicators relevant to the Board at Quarter 3, 2009/10.

Appended to the report was a copy of a document entitled ‘Leeds City Council/NHS Leeds – Health Scrutiny Board Joint Performance Report – Quarter 3 2009/10 March 2010’ for the information/comment of the meeting.

The following officers from NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council were in attendance to present the key issues highlighted in the report and to address any specific questions identified by the Scrutiny Board:-

John Lawlor, Chief Executive – NHS Leeds

Nigel Gray, Director of Commissioning and Development (Adult Services) –  NHS Leeds

John England (Deputy Director – Adult Social Services) – Leeds City Council

NHS Leeds’ Director of Commissioning and Development (Adult Services) and Leeds City Council’s Deputy Director (Adult Social Services) offered the following matters as positive and improving aspects of performance:

• Achievement of the 18-weeks referral to treatment target generally and across the majority of speciality areas (with the exception of ‘Plastics’
• Access to Cancer Services – improving for Leeds’ patients.
• Good improvements in the number of MRSA incidents
• Overall achievement of the standard for A&E waiting times

Concerns were raised in relation to the following matters:

• Levels of obesity among primary school aged children
• The level of teenage conception rates
• The level of ‘all cause mortality’ and the continued level of health inequalities within deprived areas across the City.

Significant discussion followed, primarily focused around the level of teenage conceptions across the City.  In summary, members of the Board identified the following points:

• Concerns that limited progress had been made around teenage conceptions over the last fifteen years and this indicated the need for a radical change in the approach to address the issue  – including examining approaches in other countries;
• The need for a clear lead agency on Leeds’ approach to addressing the levels of teenage conceptions, and to ensure the approach was not fragmented;
• The need for a clear and consistent approach to the delivery of Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) within schools;
• The need to focus on alternative opportunities for young people and raise levels of aspiration

In response, it was highlighted that:

• The level of teenage conceptions was a national issue of concern and there was no easy solution;
• The issue represented a significant challenge for all concerned, with a significant amount of work still to be undertaken;
• Comparative information was being sought and shared with other core cities, with the aim of identifying and sharing areas of good practice
• The need to make best use of resources, including better partnership working and service integration, focusing work on localities
• There was some evidence that investment in services was having the desired impact in some areas of the City, but  there was a need for both the NHS and the Council to be more flexible around the allocation and use of resources;
• Currently, there was no national framework for the delivery of clear and consistent Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) within schools; 

• The Director of Children’s Services was the lead officer for teenage pregnancy in Leeds

RESOLVED- That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.