To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 9 January 2014, as a correct record.

Resolved:  That the meeting of the Health Liaison Board held on 9 January 2014, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any interests not already registered.

No declarations of interest were made.

Actions from the previous meeting and matters arising.

Action 2

The Health and Communities Manager confirmed that the information packs would arrive at the Council shortly and placed in Members pigeon holes.

Action 3

The Accommodation Strategy was still being worked on by Officers. Once it was completed it would be circulated for Member comment.  The Accommodation Strategy would be added to the work plan.

Action 4

Members thought that there were some sites not listed, and were unclear on the housing provisions available.  It was thought that it may be helpful to have an Officer come back to the Board to update Members or investigate whether Moat, or West Kent Housing Association could be invited to a future meeting.

Action 1: For the Health and Communities Manager investigate whether the Housing Officer could back to a meeting of the Board or whether Moat, or West Kent Housing Association be invited to a future meeting

Action 5

Under new guidance for the Allocation Policy, the housing lists were being reviewed and many were being updated.  Members noted that some of these issues may be something that the Housing and Community Safety Advisory could be looking at.

Action 2: For the Health and Communities Manager to see whether the Housing and Community Safety Advisory Committee would be looking at the Housing Allocations Policy.

Action 6

The Health and Communities Services Manager advised Members that there would be new services provided by the West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for Autism and Asperger Syndrome.  It was suggested that once this was implemented it should be should be back to the Board.

Action 3: For the Health and Communities Services Manager to find out when details on the Autism and Asperger Syndrome service would be available.

The Chairman advised that the Board had received a referral from the Economic and Community Development Advisory Committee, which asked the Health Liaison Board to look at the survey and draft responses to be brought back to the Portfolio Holder.  The Survey was regarding what the Council wanted to see in the NHS. She asked Members to look at the survey.  The Health and Communities Services Manager advised Members that there was a new survey, ‘Who’s health is it anyway’ also available for comments.

Action 4: NHS – A call to action survey and Who’s health is it anyway to be circulated by the Health and Communities Manager.

Presentation for future plans following the review.

The Board welcomed Heather Robinson the Sevenoaks District Children’s Centre Manager to the meeting, who gave a short presentation on the changes since the recent review.  In response to questions, she advised that the obesity figures were missing the overall District rate, the figures provided were based on children’s ages from 0 – 6 years.  Members were also advised that there has been a shift in the services provided by Spring House from when it was founded to identify those in need.

Members were advised that an evaluation on the success of Rhythm Babies was taking place and training with Health Visitors for ‘Babies on tummies’ was taking place, which encouraged babies to crawl and use their arms and legs.

Healthy schools were yet to be commissioned to work with the early years.  Work was being undertaken to make links with other schools to help prepare 4 and 5 year olds for when they start school such as how to eat with a knife and fork.

Members were advised that more work to encourage teenagers not to smoke whilst pregnant was taking place.  This was due to 70% of pregnant teenagers at Darent Valley hospital smoking whilst pregnant.  It was brought to Members attention the baby resuscitation programme was very popular with parents.  Due to its success the group for Polish Mums had merged with the English mum’s group.

Members were informed of the data challenges and the diminishing resources.  Work was being carried out with Sevenoaks District Council and other partners such as South East Dance, teenage pregnancy and Father’s groups. 

The Health and Communities Service Manager advised Members that targets and outcomes were monitored within Mind the Gap, the health inequalities plan.  Members were also informed that many of the services were reliant on referrals from social services, but not solely from them.  This meant that there was learning from others.

The Board thanked Heather for the presentation and the information provided.

With the Board’s agreement the Chairman brought forward consideration of agenda item 9.

The Health and Communities Service Manager tabled a report from Cllr Searles regarding the 15 health related meetings he had attended since the last meeting on the Board.

Action 5: For the Health and Communities Services Officer to send an email to find out which Councillors sit on Patient Participation Group (PPG)  and a list to be to be compiled and request for notes of their meetings to be circulated to the Health Liaison Board.

Cllr. Davison informed Members that he had attended a Chair’s PPG meeting and would circulate the minutes when they were received. He advised Members that he had attended 9 health related meetings, and tabled extracts of the West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) agenda and minutes.  He had also attended a meeting regarding patient transport where it was hoped that it would go to the CCG in the future.  It would be up for tender which was worth £2 million a year. He expressed concerns raised that voluntary groups within health were not mentioned.

The West Kent CCG had also discussed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMH Services) which was also within the Sussex Partnership.  It was up to six months that children and adolescents were waiting to be seen.  The delays did not meet the contract.  Two updates from the Primary Care Support Services Transformation Programme were tabled.

Cllr. Davison advised Members that the Better Kent Care fund was discussed at the West Kent Health and Wellbeing Board, and there was a draft document for opinions.  Monies were being moved from existing funds into one fund to ensure better spending.  The money would be spent locally and the CCGs and Health and Wellbeing Boards would manage the money.  Services were being streamlined to work together and not separately to that there was a holistic approach.

Action 6: For the extracts of the CCG agenda, minutes and the Primary Care Support Services Transformation Programme updates be circulated.

Cllr Brookbank advised Members that the Kent County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) had limited powers.  Quality checking programmes were running throughout Kent with regard to hospital and acute services.  Maternity services came out well and HOSC had not had any reports of West Kent having any problems with maternity services.  Crowborough maternity ward had moved to Hastings.  Only 6 births from Sevenoaks took place at the Crowborough hospital last year.  The maternity unit at Pembury seemed to provide a very good service.

The Chairman advised Members that she was aware that there were general midwife and health care specialist shortages but there were not any problems in the West Kent area.  It was noted that cases of mothers who were suffering with obesity was increasing, and some specialist midwives were working with these women.

The Health and Communities Services Manager advised Members that obesity was an increasing problem and Sevenoaks District Council ran groups to help people to lose weight.

Action 7: For the Health and Communities Service Manager to speak on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

Verbal update

The Chairman advised Members that this item had been covered under Member’s updates.

It was agreed by the Board to put back this discussion item until information had been received from the Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Verbal update

The Health and Communities Services Manager informed Members that the Children’s Partnership was now called the Children’s Local Operational Group.  A letter to the group from KCC had stated that group would in future feed into the local CCG Health and Wellbeing Boards but would continue to be based on the District boundaries.  A report would be provided to the Health and Wellbeing Boards biannually.  It was an Officer operational group which the Health and Communities Services Manager and the Community Planning and Projects Officer sat on and administered the meetings.

Action 8: For the Health and Communities Manager to circulate the minutes of the Children Local Operational Group to be circulated to the Health Liaison Board when they are available.

Members agreed that obesity should be included on the work plan, and that the theme for October would be discussed in July 2014.