Agenda and minutes

Co-opted Member present – Dr J Beal

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25* of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(* In accordance with Procedure Rule 25, notice of an appeal must be received in writing by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting).

There were no appeals.

1.  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2.  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3.  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

  No exempt items have been identified.

There were no exempt items.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies had been received from Councillor M Iqbal, with Councillor R Jones attending as substitute member.

Apologies had also been relayed by Councillor F Venner, Executive Member for Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2024.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th January 2024, be approved as an accurate record.

Minute 69 – Members were advised that following the Board’s discussion regarding out of hours bereavement arrangements, further information was being gathered from Registration Services and the Leeds GP Confederation and will be shared with Board Members in due course.

Minute 72 – The Principal Scrutiny Adviser confirmed that the Scrutiny Board’s observations regarding the proposed budget proposals had been incorporated into a composite Statement from Scrutiny and shared with the Executive Board as part of its meeting on 7th February 2024.

To receive a report from the Director of Public Health which seeks the views of the Scrutiny Board on the draft Leeds Drug & Alcohol Strategy 2024-2027 in terms of the strategy vision and priorities/outcomes.

The Director of Public Health submitted a report setting out the current position and planned processes for refreshing and updating the Leeds Drug & Alcohol Strategy and Action Plan.  The report also sought the Scrutiny Board’s views on the proposed approach to refreshing the drug and alcohol strategy and on the draft 2024-27 strategy vision and priorities/outcomes.

The following were in attendance:

·  Councillor Salma Arif, Executive Member for Adults Social Care, Public Health and Active Lifestyles.

·  Caroline Baria, Director of Adults and Health.

·  Victoria Eaton, Director of Public Health.

·  Anna Frearson, Chief Officer - Consultant Public Health.

·  Magdalena Boo, Head of Public Health.

·  Dan Burn, Health Improvement Principal, Public Health.

·  Andy Maddison, Yorkshire & Humber Programme Manager (Substance Misuse), Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, DHSC.

·  Nick Rank, Assistant Director, Forward Leeds.

The Executive Member for Public Health and Active Lifestyles gave a brief introduction and then handed over to the Chief Officer – Consultant Public Health and other invited contributors to highlight key aspects of the report.  In summary, the following points were made:

Ø  In December 2021, the Government published its ten-year Drug Strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’, followed by delivery guidance in June 2022 that set out a series of key actions and timescales, which included forming a local combatting drugs partnership and creating a local Drug Strategy and delivery plan.  However, at that stage Leeds already had a partnership (Leeds Drug & Alcohol Partnership Board) and an existing Leeds Drug & Alcohol Strategy and Action Plan covering the period 2019-2024.

Ø  The Leeds Drug and Alcohol Partnership (LDAP) Board continues to provide strong strategic leadership locally and supports effective partnership working around drugs and alcohol.

Ø  With the existing Strategy due to expire this year, the proposed refresh gives the city and its strategic partners ownership of the strategic priorities and the direction of travel for Leeds on drug and alcohol issues, while also reflecting national priorities.

Ø  The LDAP Board has benefited from new allocations of new increased funds for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery from the Universal Grant 2021/2 and the Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant (SSMTRG) 2022-2025.

Ø  The refreshed draft Strategy and Action Plan is being reviewed by all the sub-groups of the LDAP Board: Co-occurring Mental Health Alcohol and Drugs; Children and Young People; Criminal Justice (via Reducing Reoffending Board); Performance and Intelligence; Social Marketing Planning; Healthcare Sub-group.

Ø  There is robust scrutiny, both nationally and locally, with the provision in Leeds considered as good practice by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).  The Leeds Strategy also mirrors national expectations.

Ø  Forward Leeds, as the main provider, has also been rated as “Outstanding” overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).  However, it aims to enhance and expand the delivery of its services even further, with links to the ‘Inclusive Recovery Cities’ programme which aims to promote visible recovery, challenges stigmatising and discriminatory attitudes and champions multiple pathways to addiction recovery.

During the Board’s discussions on this matter, the following issues  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

To receive a report from the Director of Public Health that provides the Scrutiny Board with an update and overview of the Leeds Suicide Prevention Action Plan (2024–27).  The report also shares thefindings from the latest Leeds Suicide Audit 2019–21.

The Director of Public Health submitted a report that provided an update and overview of the Leeds Suicide Prevention Action Plan (2024 – 27).  Also appended to this report were the findings from the latest Leeds Suicide Audit 2019 – 21.

The following were in attendance:

·  Councillor Salma Arif, Executive Member for Adults Social Care, Public Health and Active Lifestyles

·  Caroline Baria, Director of Adults and Health

·  Victoria Eaton, Director of Public Health

·  Caron Walker, Chief Officer – Consultant Public Health

·  Rachel Buckley, Health Improvement Principal (Public Mental Health), Public Health

·  Jules Stimpson, Operations Manager, Leeds Mind

·  Eddie Devine, Head of Mental Health Pathway Integration, Leeds ICB

In introducing this item, the Chair acknowledged the sensitivities surrounding the issue of suicide and emphasised the importance of using appropriate language, with reference made to the sensitive language guide ‘Creating hope through language’ that was included in the meeting agenda pack.

The Chief Officer – Consultant Public Health, also highlighted that talking about suicide can be distressing and upsetting and therefore referred to the support available through the Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service, which is a peer led service.

The Executive Member for Adults Social Care, Public Health and Active Lifestyles and the Chief Officer – Consultant Public Health gave a brief introduction to the report and highlighted the following key points:

Ø  Suicide is a complex and devastating event and leaves lasting impacts on families, friends and entire communities.

Ø  The Leeds Suicide Prevention Action Plan has been collaboratively developed by the Leeds Strategic Suicide Prevention Group, which meets quarterly and brings together key strategic stakeholders from the city to also oversee the delivery of the action plan.

Ø  Engagement through the Leeds Suicide Prevention Network, which is chaired by Leeds Mind, ensures the development of the plan includes the voices of those with lived experience of being bereaved and affected by suicide as well as those who work directly with people who may be at higher risk of suicide.

Ø  Local data is used to ensure actions and priorities are targeted and based on common risk factors and target populations in Leeds.  This includes data from the Leeds Suicide Audit (2019 – 21) and real time suspected suicide surveillance data supplied through partnership working with West Yorkshire Police.

Ø  The action plan demonstrates citywide investment, ambitions and actions matched to key areas of action in line with national strategy and policy too.

During the Board’s discussions on this matter, the following issues were also raised:

·  The reporting of ethnicity in Coroner’s records – The Board was advised that the reporting of ethnicity in Coroner’s records is often limited due to inconsistencies with how it is recorded by numerous sources, such as within police and medical records.  This is an ongoing national issue which can impact the quality and interpretation of suicide data.  Linked to this, the Executive Member highlighted her intention to write to the Chief Coroner to stress the importance of this data and suggested that the Scrutiny Board may  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2023/24 municipal year.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report that presented the

Board’s latest work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year.

Members were asked to formally note that in view of timeframe changes made to the Community Health and Wellbeing Service pilot programme, an update report on this will now be scheduled for the Scrutiny Board’s July 2024 meeting.

The Chair explained that the Board’s March meeting is scheduled to be the final meeting in the current municipal year.  As such, this will include a draft work schedule of the successor Scrutiny Board for the 2024/25 municipal year.  Members were therefore invited to share any suggested areas of work for the successor Scrutiny Board to pursue in the new municipal year.

Suggested areas of interest included mental health crisis services; workforce planning in health and social care; winter planning and system resilience; the prevalence of asthma and other respiratory diseases and the potential of a joint piece of scrutiny work around tackling damp and mould in local housing given the recognised health risks.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2023/24 municipal year be noted.

(b)  That a draft work schedule of the successor Scrutiny Board for the 2024/25 municipal year is considered during the Board’s March meeting.

Tuesday, 12th March 2024 at 1.30 pm (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 1.00 pm)

RESOLVED – To note the next meeting of the Adults, Health and Active

Lifestyles Scrutiny Board is scheduled for Tuesday, 12^th March 2024 at

1:30pm (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 1:00pm)