Agenda and draft minutes

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from the following:

 

DrPeshen;

Councillor Parsons, substituted by Councillor Wright.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 113 KB

  • View the background to item 2.

To receive any declarations of interest. Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda. If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form

Minutes:

There were no declarations made at the meeting.

3.

Terms of Reference pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Minutes:

The terms of reference were noted.

4.

Health & Wellbeing Partnership Minutes pdf icon PDF 46 KB

Minutes:

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.