Agenda item

Councillor Mark Booty, Dr Mary Keenan and Dr Joe McManners gave oral progress reports on recent activity of each of the three Partnership Boards. Sue Butterworth also gave the last LINk report before it ceased to exist on 1 April 2013.

Health Improvement Board

Councillor Mark Booty gave an update on activity since November 2012. This included:

·         A joint workshop with the Adult Health & Social Care Partnership Board had taken place in January, its theme being ‘preventing early death and keeping people well’. This enabled the Board to contribute to the prevention elements of the Older People’s Commissioning Strategy; gave an opportunity for members of the Adult Health & Social Care Board to learn about the ongoing work on primary prevention (for example, NHS health checks and promoting healthy lifestyles; and it gave an opportunity to hear from partner organisations. Gaps were identified and suggestions were put forward for the way ahead;

·         The major issues to be discussed and addressed  at the next meeting were:

-       Establishing arrangements on Housing Related Support – to agree the Terms of Reference for the Supported Housing Group and its role and remit;

-       Consideration of how best practice is being implemented with regard to preventing homelessness between District Councils and others;

-       Discussion of ideas of how the Board could help to raise the profile of important work being undertaken by initiatives such as ‘The Affordable Warmth Network’, ‘Warm Homes, Healthy People’ and the Green Deal;

-       A basket of indicators relating to housing and health would be put together to facilitate monitoring and plans would be put forward to improve outcomes.

He reported that Councillor Iain Brown had stepped down from his appointment due to other commitments and Councillor David Nimmo – Smith had taken his place as a Oxfordshire County Council representative..

Children & Young People’s Partnership Board

Dr Keenan, Deputy Chairman, gave an update on the activity of the Children and Young People Partnership Board. She began by thanking Councillor Melinda Tilley for her work on the Board as a substitute for Cllr Louise Chapman. She highlighted the following:

·         Discussion had taken place on  governance arrangements for the Children & Young People’s Board and on how;

·         Discussion on how the Children’s & Young People’s Plan might be refreshed;

·         The Board had looked at the improvement in Ofsted school ratings and the statistical reduction in NEETS (Young People not in Education or Employment).

Dr Keenan reported on the workshop held to address issues affecting educational attainment. She spoke of how impressed she had been with the young people and the groups of parents from diverse backgrounds who had attended to speak of their own educational experiences and parenting of children in education.  The Board was also planning a workshop on integrating care pathways.

Adult Health & Social Care Partnership Board

Dr McManners reported on the following:

·         The Board had discussed, and reached agreed recommendations on pooled budgets between the CCG and  Social Care and their implementation.

·         The Board had measured feedback to date on the numbers accessing Health & Social Care and organised care;

·         The consultation had ended in January for a joint commissioning strategy for older people. There had been good support and input into the consultation and implementation would commence in the Summer, 2013;

·         A joint workshop with the  Health Improvement Board was held on the subject of prevention (priority 1) and had been well attended. This has informed action planning on the Older People’s Commissioning Strategy;

·         A further joint workshop  had been held in February looking at preventing hospital admissions.

·          

Oxfordshire LINk

Sue Butterworth gave the final LINk report before it ceased to exist on 31 March  2013. She reported that, the County Council had offered Oxfordshire Rural Community Council (ORCC) a one year contract to run local Healthwatch.  ORCC had two years experience in successfully delivering the County Local Involvement Network. It had also embedded a community network throughout the County and had a knowledge of public engagement.

She reported that a framework of best practice was in the process of being collated both locally and nationally, which was being utilised by Healthwatch England to build good communication channels. She added that the Oxfordshire LINk staff had been fully involved in the planning for the future, building relationships across the statutory and voluntary sector.

Sue  Butterworth gave a resume of the activities of the LINk since it began and changes to services it had influenced and submitted reports on. These included:

-       Dentistry and Maternity service reports derived from client surveys;

-       Discharge Planning at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust;

-       Involvement with JSNA workshops and had worked with the Public Involvement Network (PIN);

-       Had conducted an independent consultation supporting users of self directed support;

-       Work with the Patient Partnership Group (PPG) network for the Luther Street Medical Centre on best practice for homeless and vulnerable people;

-       LINk had injected  a small grant funding for OMEGA (Oxfordshire Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Group for Care Action) to review the early diagnosis of ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome;

-       LINk had held a Hearsay! Event for Mental Health; and

-       Had continued to ‘Enter and View ‘ of Care Homes.

Sue Butterworth also highlighted some bubbling issues for the PIN including:

-       more advocates and specialist support in transition for children and BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) community organisations;

-       more information for self funding;

-       the need for District Councils and Supported Housing to be aware of the impact of welfare benefit changes;

-       engagement of the sensory impaired;

-       identification of help needed by veterans – link with Criminal Justice; and

-       insufficient links between Mental Health and Physical Health recognising that OCCG had commissioned a new Psychiatric Liaison Service in Oxford University Hospitals Trust..

All were thanked for their reports. Oxfordshire LINk were thanked for their work for the Shadow Board..