Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the year 2020-21.  The Board's terms of reference state that the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board shall be appointed by Full Council unless Full Council otherwise determines but the Full Council did not identify a Chairman when it met on 3 September 2020.

It was proposed by Cllr Spencer Flower and seconded by Seth Why and that Cllr Rebecca Knox be elected Chairman for the remainder of the year 2020/21.

Decision

That Cllr Rebecca Knox be elected Chairman for the remainder of the year 2020/2021.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the year 2020-21.  The Board's terms of reference state that the Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board shall be appointed by Full Council unless Full Council otherwise determines but the Full Council did not identify a Vice-Chairman when it met on 3 September 2020.

It was proposed by Cllr Rebecca Knox and seconded by John Sellgren that Forbes Watson be appointed Vice-chairman for the remainder of the year 2020/21.

Decision

That Forbes Watson be appointed Vice-chairman for the remainder of the year 2020/21.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Patricia Miller.  Eugene Yafele attended in her absence.

To note the Board's Terms of Reference as follows:-

(a) The Health and Wellbeing Board shall be primarily responsible for:

(i)         the development and updating of a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, any Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and the Better Care Fund;

(ii)        assisting in the development and overseeing of various other plans and strategies with relevance to health;

(iii)       providing a link to and encouraging integration and collaboration with and other key health stakeholders including NHS England and any other health and wellbeing board; and

(iv)       ensuring that a patient/service user voice is effectively heard in connection with relevant decisions.

(b) The Health and Wellbeing Board will consist of 18 persons made up of:

(i)         3 Members (all of whom shall be nominated by the Leader, of which 1 may be the Leader);

(ii)        4 Officers made up of the Director responsible for adult social services; the Director responsible for children’s services, the Director responsible for public health and 1 other Officer with a responsibility for the economy;

(iii)       7 NHS representatives made up of 3 from Locality Executive Teams (GPs), 1 from the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group Board, the Clinical Commissioning Group Accountable Officer; 1 from NHS England and 1 from the Local NHS Provider Trust; and

(iv)       4 others made up of 1 from the Local Healthwatch organisation, 1 from the voluntary sector, a representative of the Police and a representative of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority.

(c)        The quorum of the Health and Wellbeing Board shall be 5 persons at least 3 of whom are Members of the Council and/or Officers of the Council.

(d)        There shall be power to appoint substitutes for both Members and non-Members to the Health and Wellbeing Board. A non-Member substitute must be from the same organisation as the non-Member.

Appointment of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board shall be appointed by Full Council unless Full Council otherwise determines.

Meetings

(a)        The number of ordinary meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board each year will normally be six unless otherwise determined by Full Council.

(b)        The Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board shall have the power to call one or more special meeting(s) of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

(c)        The Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board may determine that a meeting should be cancelled for insufficient business.

(d)        There shall be power to appoint substitutes to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Delegated powers and powers of recommendation of the Health and

Wellbeing Board

(a)        The Health and Wellbeing Board shall have the powers as set out in Functions of the Council - Part 3(1) of the Constitution.

(b)        For the avoidance of doubt the Health and Wellbeing Board and any of its Sub-Committees can delegate any of their powers to any Officer.

The Committee considered its terms of reference.

It was suggested that the terms of reference be amended to take into account the Board's duties with regard to outbreak engagement.  This was agreed.  It was also suggested that this be a standing item on future agendas.

Recommendation

That the Board's terms of reference be amended to reflect its duties with regard to outbreak engagement.

Decision

That an item mon outbreak engagement be put on all future agendas.

To receive any declarations of interest.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2020 were confirmed.  The Chairman would sign them at the earliest opportunity.

To receive questions or statements on the business of the committee from town and parish councils and members of the public.

Please note that public speaking has been suspended during the Covid-19 crisis. Each question or statement is limited to no more than 450 words and must be electronically submitted to helen.whitby@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by the deadline set out below. The question or statement will be read out by an officer of the Council and a response will be sent to the person submitting the question or statement following the meeting.

All questions/statements and the responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

The deadline for submission of the full text of a question or statement is 8.30am on Friday, 18 September 2020.

There were not questions or statements from Town and Parish Councils and members of the public.

(a) To receive an update on COVID-19 Communications Strategy and the role of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board.

(b) COVID-19 Insights dashboards - to receive a presentation from the Director of Public Health on locally developed information tools.

The Board considered a report by the Director of Public Health which provided an update on the development of a Communications Strategy to support the Dorset Council COVID-19 Local Outbreak Management Plan and COVID-19 Local Outbreak Engagement Board.

The Director of Public Health drew attention to the need for clear communications particularly given the current situation of increasing cases of COVID-19 so that the public were clear about what they were being asked to do in order to stay safe and protect others.  Most residents had complied with the guidance but there had also been some confusion. The report set out the new Communications Strategy for outbreak management. The report also set out the role of the Trusted Voices Project.

Members spoke in support of the Strategy.  The possible role of the Fire and Rescue Service to access places not accessible to others was highlighted and the need to protect Dorset as much as possible. 

Cases of COVIC-19 remained low in Dorset, compared to a worsening situation elsewhere so it was a question of having an appropriate balance and reinforcement of the message that self-isolation was necessary even when feeling well because of putting others at risk.  The support of Board members would help ensure the right messages were sent.

The Board noted that the Government had issued a clear message that penalties were to be strengthened and enforced.  This had to be done proportionately in order to not lose public support. 

The Chairman referred to local action cards and asked whether they needed to be updated.  The Director of Public Health explained that the cards were for use by officers involved in the day to day response and covered essential actions.  The six highest risk cards had been identified for Dorset and the right connections made for each.  A message about key themes and actions was to be circulated to partners shortly.

Decisions

(a) That the development of the Dorset Council COVID-19 Local Outbreak management Plan (LOMP) Communications Strategy be noted.

(b) That the key role the Local Outbreak Engagement Board will play in responding to future outbreaks/incidents as highlighted by exercises under the LOMP be noted.

(c) That key members of the Engagement Board share their learning from the table-top exercise due to run on 16 September 2020.

To receive a presentation by the Director of Public Health on how Public Health will continue to assess the current and future health, care and wellbeing needs of the Dorset community to inform local decision-making.

The Board received a joint presentation from the Public Health Consultant and the Service Manager – Healthcare Public Health and Intelligence which provided an update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

The presentation explained the JSNA's uses; that it was underpinned by data;  that the aim was to understand local needs through combining the data with narrative; the plans for the JSNA year ahead; the new JSNA webpages; the data repository; insights informing change; and emerging themes (complex need,  effective partnerships, inflexible processes and communications).

Members welcomed the wealth of information coming forward and its timeliness.  Given the current pressure on resources, this would help embed a proper approach to early prevention and help people with their health and wellbeing and help reduce pressures on primary care.

The Voluntary Sector representative highlighted that the relationship with the Council was better than ever and offered to give a presentation to the next meeting and offered to help Public Health in any way.

The Service Manager – Healthcare Public Health and Intelligence asked members to contact him if they wanted help form his team.  He would put them in contact with the right person.

The Chairman thanked officers for their presentation and asked for an update at the next meeting to see whether there had been any interaction with Board members and moves towards positive outcomes.

There would also be a paper on discharge to assess at the next meeting.

Decisions

1.   That an update be provided for the Board's next meeting.

2.   That a report on discharge to assess would be provided for the Board's next meeting.

The Board received a joint presentation from the Public Health Management Programme Lead and the Executive Locality Team representative on population health management: COVID-19 actionable insights to support integrated care system reset and recovery.

The presentation explained population health management, the Dorset Intelligence and Insights Service, how intelligence could be used to understand the needs of different groups, COVID-19 focussed insights, examples of how it could be used to benefit the population, and social prescribing.

Data was continually being updated and provided a joined-up view of population needs.  A link to the insights content page would be provided for members following the meeting and they were invited to feedback comments when they had used it.  Access to this resource was on request.

Members welcomed this development which had proven useful during the COVID period in providing links across systems so that numbers in hospitals, primary care, care homes and personal protective equipment stocks could be checked daily.  It provided the metrics for population health management, an opportunity to tackle issues as a systems response, an opportunity to shape services to best meeting people's needs, could be used to tackle inequalities, could be used to shape future strategies, might help with the home first agenda and help people maintain their independence, health and wellbeing.

The Chairman highlighted the need for this to be shared with all Dorset Council directorates and noted that it was being rolled out across NHS networks.  It was time now for this to be shared with partners.

The Chairman thanked the Public Health Management Programme Lead and the Executive Locality Team representative for their interesting presentation.

The Dorset Health and Wellbeing Board is asked to nominate a member and deputy for the Dorset Local Nature Partnership.  Dr David Haines was the Board's previous representative.

The Board was reminded that Dr David Haines had previously represented the Board on the Dorset Local Nature Partnership.  As he had now retired the Board were asked to appoint another member to sit on the Partnership and a reserve member.

Members were keen that this link was continued as part of the preventative agenda. No particular expertise was needed and an induction programme for the appointees would be arranged.

The Service Manager – Healthcare Public Health and Intelligence was interested to be part of the Partnership but was not a Board member.  It as also suggested that the Dorset Council's new Lead Members might also want to be involved.

As no Board members came forward for the appointments, the Chairman agreed to hold this position temporarily, The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health and the Executive Director of Place would discuss how the appointments could be taken forward.

Decision

1.   That the Chairman be appointed to the Dorset Local Nature Partnership temporarily.

2.   That the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health and the Executive Director of Place discuss how the appointments could be taken forward.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There was no urgent business.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There was no exempt business.