Agenda and minutes

Committee 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.

12.1     In accordance with the code of conduct, the following personal interest was declared: -

12.2     Cllr Turner in respect of item 5, Primary Care Restoration and Future Planning in West Sussex as a pharmacist.

Items not on the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances, including cases where the Committee needs to be informed of budgetary or performance issues affecting matters within its terms of reference, which have emerged since the publication of the agenda.

13.1     The Chairman reported that since the publication of the agenda there had been three new appointments to the Committee.

13.2     Resolved – that the Committee notes the appointments of Cllr Joss Loader (representing Adur District Council) and Cllr Bob Burgess (representing Crawley Borough Council) to the Committee and the appointment of Cllr Sean McDonald to fill the Conservative substitute vacancy.

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 9 September 2020 (cream paper).

14.1     Resolved – that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 September 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 the 9 September 2020 meeting from: -

a)   The Cabinet Member for Adults & Health

b)   West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group

15.1     Resolved – that the Committee notes the responses to recommendations made at its 9 September 2020 meeting.

The purpose of this agenda item is for the Committee to scrutinise how the West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group is planning to commission General Practice moving forward and how the enablers of this provision are supported in West Sussex. 

Key areas for discussion include how learning from the delivery of general practice throughout the Covid-19 pandemic can be developed, as part of the overall restoration of services for West Sussex residents. 

Enablers for the Committee to focus on are restoration; digital; workforce and estates.  

16.1     The Committee considered a presentation and reports by West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group and reports by Healthwatch West Sussex (copies appended to the signed minutes). The presentation was introduced in four parts – Restoration and Recovery, Digital Access, Workforce and Estates.

16.2     Sarah Henley – Director of Primary Care introduced the section on Restoration and Recovery highlighting the following: -

• No West Sussex GP practices were in special measures despite the pressures of the pandemic
• The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was supporting GP practices to return to normal and keeping them resilient whilst responding to the second wave of the pandemic
• The reinstatement of non-essential services that had stopped during the first few months of the pandemic, had begun in August
• 30 workstreams with five key objectives were outlined in the presentation
• The most vulnerable people in the county had been identified for prioritisation during the pandemic

16.3     Hugo Luck – Deputy Director of Primary Care added the following: -

·         The CCG’s winter plan would focus on resilience and those most at risk

·         It would also focus on getting patients to the right care at the right time, freeing up A&E as much as possible backed up by a system-wide communications campaign

16.4     Laura Robertson – Associate Director of Communications and Engagement told the Committee that the system-wide communications campaign is being carried out in conjunction with partners across the whole of Sussex and work was taking place with community groups to help spread the word, especially to those without computer access.

16.5     Summary of responses to committee members’ questions and comments: -

• The target for flu vaccinations was 75%, so far 72% of over 65s had been vaccinated and 30% to 40% of other groups (43% of 2 to 3 year olds) with more vaccination supplies for the under 65s coming soon
• The aim was to vaccinate as many people as possible against flu as soon as possible, to lessen potential delays in Covid vaccinations if people couldn’t have both close together
• It was suggested that information on Covid could be handed out to people receiving vaccinations
• Venues for Covid vaccinations would be chosen which did not disrupt other primary care services
• Elderly people living alone may be on the highly vulnerable list – GPs would decide if they needed home visits
• The elderly was a priority group with appropriate care plans in place where needed
• GPs were to get funding for a frailty service for care homes that would start on 1 December
• Enhanced help for care homes had begun in October
• There was a query on the number of patients waiting to catch-up on services – ACTION: Pennie Ford to supply the figures
• The effectiveness of the communications campaign would be measured by digital access, a baseline survey and regular meetings with Healthwatch and voluntary groups to understand feedback from the public on key messages and approach
• The immunisation programme for children had continued during the pandemic and was up to date
• Screening for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The Committee is asked to consider recommendations included in the report and agree that they be shared with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health (Chairman of West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board) and the West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group Managing Director.

17.1     Before considering the Task and Finish Group’s report the Chairman invited Dr Tony Hill, Interim Director of Public Health, to give an update on the Covid-19 situation in West Sussex: -

• The average number of cases in West Sussex was 100 per 100,000, lower than both the average for South East England (130.5 per 100,000) and the whole of England (243.3 per 100,000)
• Figures ranged from 73.1 per 100,000 in Adur to 129 per 100,000 in Crawley
• Around 20% of people with Covid were over 60, around another 20% were between 18 and 25
• Positive test results ranged from 2.9% in Worthing and 5.9% in Crawley – in some parts of the country the rate was 10%
• The rate of increase was doubling every 21 days in West Sussex
• Local test and trace should begin on 26 November and run in conjunction with the national system
• The local system would contact people that the national system could not reach after 48 hours – these people would then be contacted by the national system
• West Sussex was not included in the first tranche of mass testing as it was not one of the worst affected areas
• Vaccinating the UK population would take time – as not enough doses were available so people would be prioritised based on need
• University students would be offered tests before returning home for Christmas

17.2     Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults & Health, told the Committee that: -

• Wide ranging communication about the vaccination was being planned
• The Council was working closely with care homes about plans for vaccinations and visits

17.3     The Committee considered a report by the Chairman of the Task & Finish Group on Covid-19 Preparedness and Restoration, Recovery Planning in West Sussex.

17.4      Resolved – That the Committee agrees that the recommendations of the Task & Finish Group be shared with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health (Chairman of West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board) and the West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group Executive Managing Director.

Extract fromthe ForwardPlan dated 2 November 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.

18.1     Resolved – That the Committee agrees that a briefing on the proposed decision on extension of contracts for the provision of Specialist Health Services for people with learning disabilities and autism in West Sussex, should come to the next meeting of the Business Planning Group.

The Committee is asked to review its draft work programme for the remainder of the County Council term and mention any items which they believe to be of relevance to the business of the Scrutiny Committee, and suitable for scrutiny, e.g. raised with them by constituents arising from central government initiatives etc.

If any member puts forward such an item, the Committee’s role at this meeting is just to assess, briefly, whether to refer the matter to its Business Planning Group (BPG) to consider in detail.

19.1     Resolved – That the Committee notes its draft work programme.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 13 January 2021 at 10.30 am by a virtual meeting.  Probable agenda items include:

·         Adults Services Improvement (Inquiry Day)

·         Proposals to improve Mental Health Services in West Sussex (outcome of public consultation by West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust)

Any member of the Committee wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by 24 December 2020.

20.1     The next meeting of the Committee will take place on 13 January 2021.