Agenda and minutes

Members and officers must declare any pecuniary or personalinterest in any business on the agenda. They should also make declarations at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. Consideration should be given to leaving the meeting if the nature of the interest warrants it.  If in doubt please contact Democratic Services before the meeting.

42.1   In accordance with the code of conduct, the following personal interests were declared: -

·         Dr Walsh in respect of item 5, Forward Plan of Key Decisions, as Leader of Arun District Council in relation to the proposed decision on the Procurement Housing Related Support Services

·         Mr Turner in respect of item 6, Self-harm and West Sussex Suicide Prevention Strategy Priorities as a locum pharmacist

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2020 (cream paper).

43.1   Resolved – that the minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2020 are approved as a correct record and are signed by the

Chairman.

The Committee is asked to note the responses to recommendations made at its 15 January 2020 meeting from: -

a)  The Cabinet Member for Adults & Health

b)  The Chief Executive of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

c)  The Chief Executive of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

44.1   The Committee considered the responses from the Cabinet Member for Adults & Health, Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (copies appended to the signed minutes).

44.2   Summary of responses to the Committee’s questions and

comments: -

·       A whole system response was needed to meet the challenge of nursing and medical vacancies

·       Members felt that to careers in health should be promoted in schools - 
ACTION: Chris Clark, Joint Strategic Director of Commissioning, to liaise with the hospital trusts to find out what they were doing about promoting health careers in schools

·       A request was made for vacancy figures from acute trusts and other services with the direction of travel – this would be a priority as an item on a future agenda

44.3   Resolved – that the Committee notes the responses to recommendations.

Extract fromthe ForwardPlan dated 2 March 2020.

Anextract fromanyForwardPlan publishedbetween the date of despatchof the agenda and the date of the meetingwill be tabled at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to consider whetheritwishes to enquireinto any of the forthcoming decisions withinits portfolio.

45.1   The Committee considered the Forward Plan of Key Decisions (copy appended to the signed minutes).

45.2   Summary of responses to the Committee’s questions and

comments: -

·         Technical ability had been taken into account in the proposed decision on Specialist Advocacy Service Award of Contract – ACTION: Kim Curry, Executive Director for Adults ? Health, to circulate a briefing to committee members on how the service will work

·         The Local Resilience Forum was putting together plans for extra mortuary capacity in case this was needed as a result of Covid-19 – ACTION: Anna Raleigh, Director of Public Health, to provide a briefing update to the Committee

45.3   Resolved – that the Committee notes the Forward Plan of Key

Decisions.

Report by Director of Public Health.

The report outlines current activity to address self-harm in the county and additional proposed strategic priorities to be included in the updated West Sussex Suicide Prevention Strategy.

46.1   The Committee considered a report by the Director of Public Health (copy appended to the signed minutes) which was introduced by Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults & Health and Daniel MacIntyre, Public Health, who told the Committee: -

·         The Suicide Audit showed that a third of people who committed suicide had also self-harmed and that suicide and self-harm were priority areas of focus for Public Health

·         Emotional wellbeing and mental health issues should be considered as to why people self-harmed

·         Although there were links between self-harming and suicide, most people that self-harmed were young women, whereas most people that committed suicide were middle aged men

·         The West Sussex Self-harm Needs Assessment gave a good overview of self-harm in the county

·         Significant resource was being allocated to targeted interventions to reduce self-harm

46.2   Summary of responses to the Committee’s questions and

comments: -

·         Public Health now had an officer working on an 18-month project to educate pupils and parents about the risks of self-harming

·         The project covered primary schools to colleges and had identified the need for training for both those at risk of self-harming and teachers so that they knew how to spot signs and speak to pupils/students

·         Guidance would be introduced on how to manage self-harming in educational settings including a digital offer

·         A mental health support team was being piloted in two areas to help with emotional wellbeing amongst young people

·         Work was going on with West Sussex Parent Carer Forum to support parents of children who self-harmed

·         Healthwatch West Sussex would be issuing an information pack for young people on 24 March after a review showed that there was a need for peer support and continued communications amongst this age group

·         Figures for self-harming were higher in West Sussex than the rest of England possibly due to more referrals of low-level incidents or a shortfall in community services

·         Access to services could also be a reason – a combination of psychiatrist vacancies in Worthing and high referral rates meant that there could be a delay of up to two months for patients to be seen

·         There was no evidence that children were self-harming as a result of watching videos on social media

·         Apps are available that prevent children from sending certain messages and ask if they need support

·         The number of patients with mental health issues presenting at A&E had increased sharply as had those who needed psychiatric admission

·         It might be possible to share psychiatric staff between Worthing and Brighton, which was fully staffed

·         Public Health was engaging with workplace settings to promote mental heath awareness and would have a dedicated resource for this next financial year

·         Find It Out was one of the few services for low level need whereas more was available for higher needs

·         The number of children looked after affected by self-harming wasn’t known due to lack of data

·         There were data protection issues around sharing personal information from NHS and social care which meant it couldn’t be used for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

Report by Executive Director, Adults and Health.

The strategy sets out the Council’s and Clinical Commissioning Group’s commitments and provides a framework for further action to ensure the realisation of the vision for dementia in West Sussex.

47.1   The Committee considered a report by the Executive Director, Adults and Health (copy appended to the signed minutes) which was introduced by Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults & Health, Irene Loft, Senior Commissioning Officer, Margaret Bracey, Operational Clinical Manager for West Sussex Dementia Services, Ryan Tyler, Services Manager West Sussex for the Alzheimer’s Society, Tracey Wooldridge, West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group who told the Committee: -

·       The strategy sets out how the Council and Clinical Commissioning Group aim to make West Sussex the best place to live for people with dementia with the support and help they need

·       From prevention to diagnosis there must be adequate and meaningful provision for those with dementia

·       Statutory and voluntary bodies as well as people living with dementia had been involved in writing the strategy

·       It was vital that health and social care worked together

·       Task and finish groups had been set-up to drive the strategy forwards identifying key areas in e.g. learning difficulties, alcohol abuse

·       The Council was looking at doing things smarter as there was no extra funding available

·       A review of the Memory Assessment Service (MAS) had led to a reduction in dropout rates and waiting times although these were still six to nine months

·       MAS referrals were constantly increasing and early diagnosis was a struggle, therefore the model was changing so that people were scanned at their first appointment

·       Many ways were being tried to increase diagnosis rates including working with GPs

·       Increased diagnoses would impact on social care

47.2   Summary of responses to the Committee’s questions and comments: -

·       It was important to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity in preventing dementia

·       The delivery plan for the strategy will be out in autumn and will include details of timetable and budget for proposals

·       Dementia friendly training will be provided via dementia friendly communities

·       The Clinical Commissioning Group was currently helping to fund two positions in eight local dementia action alliances. Commissioners were working with district & borough councils to look at ways to help dementia friendly communities become self-sufficient.

·       The figure for the number of carers was out of date as the strategy was a long time in preparation and would be re-visited

·       Donations to dementia alliances came from local businesses as well as statutory bodies

·       There were four admiral nurses in the north of the county linked to GP practices who dealt with the more challenging cases with Carers’ Support West Sussex providing help for carers across the whole county

·       There were three Older persons’ Psychiatrists in the north of the county and several GPs helped with the MAS

47.3   Resolved – that the Committee: -

     i.        Asks that partners work together to ensure ‘Preventing Well’ is a particular priority within the West Sussex Joint Dementia Strategy 2020-23 when considering its implementation

    ii.        Emphasises the importance of ensuring the West Sussex Joint Dementia Strategy 2020-23 is embedded in the commissioning activities of partners

  iii.        Asks that the delivery plan of the West Sussex Joint Dementia Strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Report to follow.

48.1   Resolved – that the Committee notes the report.

The Committee is asked to appoint a county councillor from a minority group to fill a vacancy on its Business Planning Group.

49.1   Resolved – that Karen Sudan is appointed to the Committee’s Business Planning Group.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 10 June 2020 at 10.30 am at County Hall, Chichester.  Probable agenda items include:

·         Social Isolation / Contract arrangements for Social Support Services

·         Improved Better Care Fund

·         Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by 26 May 2020.

50.1   The next meeting of the Committee will take place on 10 June 2020.