Agenda item

10:10

Report by Director Customer and Culture for OCC and CDC.

This report is about the Council’s response to protecting shielded/vulnerable people during the COVID19 response and in particular the setting up of the shielded phone line in the Customer Service Centre and how this has worked in practice.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to note the work undertaken to support clinically extremely vulnerable residents (CEV) as identified by the NHS.

Mark Haynes, new Director Customer and Culture, introduced himself and the report.  He had joined the Council on 17 March at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis.  The Council responded quickly to assist those who needed shielding (identified by the NHS as clinically extremely vulnerable).  A helpline was set up within a couple of days.

The original estimate was that 13 to 14,000 people would possibly be shielding but the number quickly escalated to around 20,000.  Those with particular needs such as delivery of food, medicine or social care requirement, were identified.

Working with the City and District Councils a seven-days-a-week service was set up to ensure that nobody slipped through the net.  Library and customer care staff supported the service.  Up to 400 or 500 new customers who had registered online following receipt of the NHS letter were being sent by the NHS on the daily file.

The whole process greatly strengthened the link between health and social care.  The voluntary sector played a vital role.  It should also be noted that all of this had to be done remotely.

The next steps are to be prepared for a second wave, to deal with test and trace and to adapt to changes in shielding guidance due by the end of the month.

Councillor Glynis Phillips asked if information has been made available in different languages and for those with disabilities.  She noted that there was concern that the lack of information in different languages may have been a contributory factor in Covid-19 hitting minority ethnic communities worst.

Mark Haynes responded that most of the information was coming from the NHS.  The Council had translation services available but they were not needed in this period by the shielding service.

Robin Rogers added that the council website linked to information in different languages and formats.  The Council made sure that everyone on the shielding list was engaged, even to the extent of getting wardens to call on them.

Councillor Mike Fox-Davies asked what they would be doing differently in a second wave based on learning from the last few months.

Mark Haynes responded that the Health Protection Board will be primarily responsible going forwards with District Community Hubs also involved.  He was unsure that the extended hours of service were sustainable in the long term.  Robin Rogers added that systems such as phone-trees were being put in place to respond quickly.

Councillor Judy Roberts asked about the big difference between the numbers of people who initially received letters on shielding and the final numbers identified.  Mark Haynes noted that the NHS was keeping the lists.  There was a lot of data manipulation required to identify duplicate records and match inconsistent formats.  The total numbers had reduced from the peak of 20,000 as people could de-register when they developed their own support systems.

Councillor Nick Carter asked if a second wave would primarily be handled at a local level and who will have the primary authority in terms of imposing a local lockdown.  Mark Haynes confirmed that the Health Protection Board will provide a county-wide response.  The County Council will focus on social care while the districts will deal with food and medical issues.  He said that he would have to come back after the meeting with a response to the point on a local lockdown.

Stephen Chandler, Director for Adult Services, added that the response to any second wave will be much quicker.  The numbers of people vulnerable will fluctuate.  A positive result of the crisis is that it has strengthened relationships between health and social care.

Councillors thanked the officers and praised the magnificent efforts of staff during the crisis and also the way in which private businesses stepped up, for example restaurants providing meals.