Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Officer, Health Partnerships Team which provides an update on the progress made in delivering the actions contained within the Leeds Health and Care Plan following the previous engagement with the Committees in autumn 2017.

The report details progress made in implementing the emerging Local Care Partnerships (LCPs), outlines the rationale for refreshing the Leeds Plan, progress made to date and seeks Members consideration in appointing  representatives from this Committee onto the Local Care Partnership (LCPs)

(Report attached)

The Chief Officer, Health Partnerships Team submitted a report which provided an update on the progress made in delivering the actions contained within the Leeds Health and Care Plan following the previous engagement with the Committees in autumn 2017.

The report detailed progress made in implementing the emerging Local Care Partnerships (LCPs) and outlined the rationale for refreshing the Leeds Plan, the progress made to date and sought Members views in appointing  representatives from this Committee onto the Local Care Partnership (LCPs)

The Chair welcomed to the meeting: Tony Cook (Chief Officer Health Partnership Team, Tim Reilly (Head of Leeds Plan, Health Partnership Team, Helen Thurston, lead for Delivery Support Health Partnership Team and Georgia Kaye (Project Officer, Health Partnership Team)

Addressing the report, the Chief Officer, Health Partnership Team explained:

·  What is the Leeds Health and Care Plan

·  What are Local Care Partnerships

·  The progress made in the last year – Engagement

·  Progress made through the Leeds Plan

·  The next steps

·  Appointing Elected Members to Local Care Partnerships

·  The role of Elected Members on Local Care Partnerships

In offering comments Members suggested there had been a similar initiative to this one back in 2012, was this a case of reinventing the wheel.

In responding Members were informed that since that time significant progress had been made: there were now in place contractual agreements, timescales were been set, new robust information sharing mechanisms were now in place, with Leeds being looked upon as one of the most progressive areas within the country.

Commenting on waiting times for GP appointments, Members pointed out that there was no consistency across the city, for example, in one GP Practice in the Headingley area you could obtain a same day appointment, but this was not typical in other practices in other areas. It was also suggested that people who were experiencing difficulties in obtaining an appointment or people who were not registered with a GP would attend Accident & Emergency simply to be seen by a doctor, when would evening appointments at GP Surgeries be compulsory.

In responding officers reported that weekend/ evening appointments were available in all areas but not in all practices. It was acknowledged there was a need to strengthen General Practices and practitioners were working hard to improve waiting times but there were many workforce challenges.

Members were informed it was the NHS who negotiated the contracts with the Care Partnerships and currently conversations were taking place with the General Practitioners about the contract rules.

Members expressed the view that the Local Care Partnership did not have the “contractual levers” to change the process. It was the General Practitioners that determined how the service would be delivered, the service were self-organised.

Members were informed that changes had taken place, the contracts would now be agreed nationally with significant contractual changes in place to develop the Primary Care Network.

Members queried how change would be monitored over the next 12 month period.

Members were informed that a series of indicators would be developed in order to measure change. There was a need to understand the demand and evidence for each area and make sure all partners were engaged in sharing the partnership.

Members made reference to the increase in demand for mental health services, querying if it was the case that more people were presenting with mental health issues or that such issues tended to be reported more than they had in the past.

In responding officers suggested that these day’s people were more able to discuss stress and other related mental health issues but in all cases the individual required assessment and therefore the demand for mental health services was on the increase.

The Chair thanked officers for their attendance and contributions suggesting that engagement with the Local Care Partnership was key issue.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the overall progress in delivery of the Leeds Health and Care Plan

(ii)  That Councillor N Harrington be appointed a this Committee’s representative on the Local Care Partnership

(iii)  To note that waiting times for GP appointments was a local priority