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Form
Madeline Homer introduced that item and said
that The Health & Wellbeing Partnership minutes were meant to
provide updates on key activities and topical issues being
considered by the Partnership that could be of interest to the cag
and these included the local Special Education Needs (SEN).
In response, Members made comments and asked
questions as follows:
The Partnership had received an
update on relation to the New Zealand computer programme called
Lightfoot;
CAG suggested it would be
interesting to get a presentation on Lightfoot, a programme used to
anonymise patient data that can be used and translated into GP
care;
Barbers and hairdressers were
considered as potential points of contact for the elderly, that
could be used to assist with identifying early intervention for
social care support for the elderly;
Could a presentation be given to the
CAG on what Lightfoot?
Ms Homer indicated that officers would explore
whether the Lightfoot demonstration could be brought to the cabinet
advisory group.
Members noted the minutes.
5.
East Kent Partnership Update
Minutes:
Ms Homer and Ms Penny Button gave the
following updates:
A group of officers had been working
on public health projects that included campaigns against smoking
at public spaces like school gates and the sale of illegal
tobacco;
Two successful operations against
the sale of illegal tobacco were conducted in summer and towards
the end of 2019;
A cross county project on obesity
was currently underway;
Officers were also working on the
East Kent health structure, which would see the establishment of an
Integrated CCG (integrated care partnership);
TDC would like to ensure that the
council was represented on that proposed body. Madeline Homer was
pursuing that issue with Caroline Selkirk
CEx will report back to the cabinet
advisory group.
Members then raised the following points:
Could the cabinet advisory group
look at initiatives that would promote healthy eating like
preventing fast foods from being set up within a certain distance
from schools;
It might mean replacing these food
outlets with social hubs;
It could also mean replacing fast
foods with healthy eating cafés.
Officers were going to consider the issues
raised by Members and report back as some of the suggestions put
forward would raise a number of legal questions.
Thereafter, Members noted the report.
6.
East Kent Health Reorganisation update (Options Report)
Minutes:
CEx gave the following updates to Members:
It was agreed that both options
would be forwarded to NHS England for consideration, from which one
would be chosen. This would be after conducting some cost benefit
analysis on both options;
TDC expressed some concerns about
the impact of Option 2 if it was adopted, particularly with regards
to its impact on employment in the area;
The council needed to keep track of
these developments;
The NHS consultation scheduled to
take place in April is a key date for the cabinet advisory group,
as the council would need to come up with a response to this
consultation.
Members then raised the following points:
The district would not want to lose
the maternity service currently at QEQM Hospital as a result of the
changes;
The council needed to respond to
these developments, particularly on the issue regarding a working
culture at the QEQM Hospital;
Closing down services in some
hospitals was a centralised model which would prevent other areas
from developing;
Due to the complexities of the
demographics of the local community, it was important that
consultant services be provided at QEQM Hospital.
The report was noted.
7.
East Kent Mental Health Services
Minutes:
This item was considered in conjunction with minute item
8.
8.
Discussion on SEN
Minutes:
Ms Homer made opening comments as indicated
below:
This issue had been subject to
discussion at the Thanet Health & Wellbeing Partnership
meetings;
Depending on the outcome of the
discussion at this meeting, the issue could be subject to further
debate by the cabinet advisory group at future meetings.
In response Members made comments as
follows:
The focus should be on getting a
coherent picture with KCC on special education needs and children
in care (looked after);
This is in order to address such
questions as what support do children with mental health needs who
are aged nineteen year and older and are no longer in education
get?
Referrals for both children and
adults were taking too long. This was an important issue that
required further consideration. How could this be best done? Was
this within the remit of the cabinet advisory group?
Was there more scope for TDC to be
more accessible to constituents with mental health needs? This
could be through providing front line staff and councillors with
awareness training on identifying individuals with such needs in
order to improve communication with residents;
Can the CAG get an update on the
Crisis Café at the next meeting?
It was important for the health
service to use appropriate communication and show sensitivity when
relating to patients who are already stressed by their
conditions;
It was important that all these
concerns be raised with the CCG.
Responding to Member comments and requests Ms
Homer advised as follows:
Representatives from CCG and KCC
would be invited to the next meeting of the CAG to respond to all
those questions raised by members (including getting an overview
presentation on special educational needs in Thanet);
There might be a need to invite some
of the service providers to inform the CAG deliberations in order
to find how sensible TDC could be involved in health and social
care matters affecting the district.
Members noted the update.
Members agreed that the next meeting should be
arranged to take place in six weeks time.