Agenda item

To receive 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 and areas of priority within the Board’s terms of reference. The following information was appended to the report:

·  The Best City Ambition

·  Leeds Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2016-2021)

·  A summary of the Council’s 2022/23 budget proposals relevant to the remit of the Scrutiny Board (Adults, Health and Active Lifestyles).

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

·  Shona McFarlane, Deputy Director, Social Work and Social Care Service

·  Steven Baker, Head of Active Leeds

·  Rob Newton, Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

·  Joanna Forster Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

·  Dr Lucy Clement, Liaison Officer, Leeds Local Medical Committee representative

Apologies had been received from Councillor Helen Hayden, Executive Member for Infrastructure and Climate. 

NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust had also sent apologies, with no suitably senior representatives available to attend.  Board members expressed their disappointment in this regard. 

The Chair invited those present to introduce themselves, then to outline key issues and potential areas of work for the Scrutiny Board to undertake during the current municipal year.

In summary, the following key areas were highlighted as potential areas of focus:

·  Continued oversight of the Integrated Care System development and progression.

·  Impact of the cost of living crisis.

·  The health and housing breakthrough project linked to the Best City Ambitions.

·  Health inequalities – including a specific focus on gypsy and travellers’ health outcomes.

·  Implications of the commitment to Leeds becoming a Marmot city.

·  Exploring barriers to accessing the Council’s Leisure Centres.

·  Social Care reform – including fair cost of care reform, charging reforms, and the re-introduction of the Adult Social Care inspection regime

·  Introduction of the Liberty Protection Safeguards.

·  Health impact of climate change.

·  Learning from COVID and the Council’s long-term trusted relationship with its communities

·  Elective (planned) care recovery within health services – waiting lists and waiting times.

·  Non-elective (emergency) care and patient flow.

·  LTHTs new hospitals programme.

·  Responding to and managing increases and changes in demand for mental health services – for example adolescent eating disorders and primary care referrals. 

·  Workforce Strategy – including workforce challenges, wellbeing and diversity.

·  The role of health estate and investment in estate in providing the right care in the right place for patients

·  Health equity in physical and mental health. 

·  Targeted accessibility to mental health services.

·  Using patient experience within services.

·  Capacity and access to GP services and the relationship between primary and specialist (secondary) care services.

·  Service access criteria and expedite letters.

·  The Council’s Physical Ambition

·  Active travel

·  Engagement with the Care Quality Commission as the health and care regulator.

·  Focusing on specific areas of influence and outcomes.

·  Supporting people to maintain a healthy diet and healthy weight.  

·  Specific neurodiversity mental health pathways.

The Chair thanked those present for their input and contributions to the discussion. 

RESOLVED –

That the contents of the report and the suggested areas of work, as set out above, be noted.

Following consideration of this item, there was a short adjournment at 2:42pm.  The meeting recommenced at 2:50pm.

Councillor Iqbal left the meeting following consideration of this item.