Agenda item

To consider and discuss a report from the Head of Democratic Services on potential sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report on potential sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Fiona Venner Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social, Care and Health Partnerships

-  Councillor Salma Arif, Executive Member for Public Health and Active Lifestyles

-  Cath Roff, Director of Adults and Health

-  Victoria Eaton, Director of Public Health

-  Phil Evans, Chief Officer, Operations and Active Leeds

-  Steve Baker, Business Manager, City Development

-  Tim Ryley, Chief Executive, NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group

-  Sara Munro, Chief Executive, Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

-  Sam Prince, Executive Director of Operations, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust

-  Rob Newton, Associate Director Policy & Partnerships, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Suggestions for future areas of work from Members and officers in attendance included:

·  General impact of Covid-19. It was suggested that the Board may wish to receive periodic updates surrounding the general impact of Covid-19 and ongoing recovery measures across the local health and care system. Linked to this, particular interest was raised in relation to the impact on people with learning disabilities and autism, social care services and care homes.

·  Long Covid – The Board expressed particular interest around the support available for addressing symptoms of ‘long Covid’.

·  Backlogs in NHS services. Members expressed an interest to explore the extend to which Covid-19 has impacted waiting times for local NHS treatments, including screening services and elective surgery. It was noted that HealthWatch had also undertaken research on this matter.

·  Improving ‘same day response’ services. While there was particular interest to explore how GP services are planning to safely return to a face-to-face appointment service, it was felt that this could be extended to include other ‘same day response’ services too.

·  The re-engagement of specialist commissioned services. Members expressed a wish to also focus on the re-engagement of other specialised commissioned services, with particular reference made to health checks.

·  Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. The Board had previously kept a watching brief on the Leeds Covid-19 Vaccination Programme and had received a brief progress update during the meeting.

·  Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections. Members noted that CQC inspections of care providers have been impacted by the pandemic, but that routine inspections are anticipated to resume shortly. It was requested that regular dashboards detailing the quality of registered providers continue to be shared with the Board.

·  Integrated Care System (ICS) development. It was suggested that the Board monitor the development of the new ICS, particularly in anticipation of the new Health and Care Bill.

·  Dental health inequalities. Members noted that work was being undertaken by Healthwatch across the region and felt that this could potentially be an area of interest to the West Yorkshire JHOSC.

·  Financial assessments for social care. Members were interested to receive further information surrounding the ongoing consultation around the removal of the maximum assessed charge for care, which ends in August 2021.

·  Access and participation in Active Leeds services. It was suggested that the Board consider how Active Leeds services are being maximised in the most deprived areas in Leeds and how access and participation can be further improved.

·  Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS). It was suggested that, later in the municipal year, the Board consider the impact of the introduction of the LPS on the workforce and how the changes will be practically implemented.

·  Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review. It was suggested that the Board consider the recommendations of the Marmot Review into health inequalities in England ‘10 Years On’ report, and the subsequent ‘Build Back Fairer’ report highlighting the inequalities associated with Covid-19, for development of local needs assessments and strategies moving forward.

·  Staff wellbeing. In recognition of the challenge faced by staff across the health and care system in Leeds throughout the pandemic, Members were advised that the health and wellbeing of staff has been identified as a key priority for the coming year and an area in which the Board’s input would be valuable.

RECOMMENDED – That the contents of the reports, along with Member’s comments, be noted.