Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks

Contact: Democratic Services 01732 227165  Email: democratic.services@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

Change in Agenda Item Order

With the Board’s permission the Chairman brought forward consideration of agenda item 7 and Cllr. Searles’ Member update to be taken before agenda item 4. Agenda item 3a would be postponed to take place under Member updates. The Board welcomed Cllr. Mrs. Sargeant to the meeting.

 

26.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 45 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 3 December 2014, as a correct record

 

Minutes:

The Chairman advised that when noting the minutes the Economic and Community Development Advisory Committee had asked that the last line in paragraph two on the third page be clarified. The Chief Officer Communities and Business advised that the Council did not financially support Food banks but rather should the Council hear of a vacant property, the Food Bank would be advised of this.

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2014 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to Minute 21, paragraph 11 being amended to read, ‘It was reported.’

 

27.

Declarations of Interest

Any interests not already registered.

Minutes:

Cllr. Mrs. Sargeant declared that she was involved in helping the Swanley Food bank find a new location and volunteered there.

28.

Actions from Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 14 KB

Minutes:

The actions from the previous meeting were noted. Members were advised that a date had been set for the energy surgery at New Ash Green.

29.

Patient Participation Group Chairs Cluster

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Tony Broadrick the Patient Participation Group (PPG) Chairman from the West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Rosemary Bolton Lay Member PPG from Dartford Gravesham and Swanley CCG, John Potts, PPG Chairman and Stuart Young Chairman of Edenbridge PPG to the meeting. 

 

Tony Broadrick advised the Board that the PPG’s main roles were to give patients a voice, work with staff at doctor practices to improve services and co-ordinate patient views on new commissioned services. 95% of the time was spent in communication with members of the PPG and the other 5% was reporting to the CCGs where activities and Doctor surgeries were monitored.

 

Rosemary Bolton advised that one of her roles was to engage strategies. The PPG was a place for practice issues to be raised and give the PPG Chairs space to discuss. The Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CCG was making slow progress but patient engagement was a key area and their views were often sought by the CCG. John Potts informed Members that PPG Chairs from the local area all met regularly where experiences, priorities and challenges could be shared.

 

It was emphasised that one key priority for all PPGs was the use of local community hospitals. The PPG Chairs advised that processes were improving and that it was encouraging to see that their views were being considered and respected.

 

A Member of the Board queried how to encourage and attract people to be on the PPG. In response Tony Broadrick advised that each PPG was run individually but one way was to have the Practice Manager identify who may be willing to join. However the same problem occurred in many PPGs of encouraging the ‘younger generation’ to join. Rosemary Bolton advised that some were trying to encourage college students as part of their health related courses to join. Communication was key, whether this was carried out through questionnaires, or information put in parish magazines, website and libraries. The Chief Officer Communities and Business advised that information on PPGs could be included in the Council’s InShape Magazine.

 

Action 1: For the Chief Officer Communities and Business to investigate whether an article could be published in InShape magazine.

 

Tony Broadrick informed Members of the NHS 5 year plan and working with Kent County Council (KCC) Social Services, NHS England and the CCGs and the delivery from central hospitals to local hospitals.

 

Members expressed their appreciation for the volunteers who sit on the different groups and the problems which they face in regards to large and deprived areas or practices which do not have a PPG. It was suggested that electronic communication may be the best way to reach young people. The Chief Officer Communities and Business advised that one of the best ways to reach young people that the Council had found was to go to them.

 

The Committee thanked Tony Broadrick, Rosemary Bolton, Stuart Young  and John Potts for attending.

 

30.

Adult Mental Health Services

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Jill Roberts who was the Chief Executive of Sevenoaks Area Mind. Members were advised that Sevenoaks Area Mind worked with national Mind but they had their own board of trustees. The Charity worked directly with people who had mental health problems, however this was not always straight forward as mental health was complex and could not always be understood. The successes were measured by nationally recognised recordings which then went into national data to help learn and develop ways forward.

 

Members were advised that most of the people that went to them suffered with mild to moderate mental health issues. Mild mental health issues included areas such as anxiety, mild depression, and phobias of which 1 in 4 people suffered from. They were not supported medically but rather through ‘Healthy Mind’ which included 1 to 1 counselling and cognitive behaviour therapies available across West Kent. Adults who suffer from more moderate to severe mental health issues were also referred and of those 60% had seen an improvement.

 

Members were informed that some funding was received from the Council to help support some of the services provided. This included ‘befrienders’, ‘singing for mental health and wellbeing,’ and providing community services such as the community garden.  There were also health checks for physical heath to give a holistic approach to health. For long term sufferers of mental health supported housing could be offered however this was limited to only 15 spaces.

 

It was reported that 9 in 10 suffers of mental health issues experience discrimination which in some cases was more difficult to deal with than the health issue itself. Training courses were also offered to people working with people who suffered from mental health illnesses to support them. Anti-stigma work was important for all.

 

Jill Roberts explained to Members new work which was being undertaken such as working with young people in schools and colleges as an early intervention and to reduce the stigma around mental health. ‘Mind Fitness’ was a workshop also run in schools providing information on ‘six ways to wellbeing’.  It was hoped that further development of teenage mental first aid courses would be run in the future to give teachers and helpers enough resources to benefit parents and young people.

 

In response to questions, Members were advised that 25% of people who came to see Mind were suffering from pre or postnatal depression however it was estimated that 40% of women suffered from this but were too afraid to seek help due to the stigma around it. There were many gaps still within mental health and that it would continue until it was treated in the same way to physical health however there were great efforts to improve the services.

 

Some Members expressed concern that there was little support in the North of the District. The Chief Officer Communities and Business advised that the Council’s grant scheme was widely advertised throughout the District.

 

In response to a question Jill informed Members that there were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

31.

Children's Mental Health Services

Minutes:

The representative from Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services was unable to attend the meeting.

32.

To note minute 36 of the Scrutiny Committee held on 3 February 2014 pdf icon PDF 20 KB

To follow

Minutes:

The Board thought that the meeting was well attended and that Mr. Ayres, Chief Officer and Accountable Officer of the West Kent CCG was very honest.

 

Resolved: That the minutes were noted.

33.

Updates from Members

Minutes:

Cllr. Searles provided an update to the Board, detailing the 10 health meetings that he had attended since the last meeting. There were different initiatives taking place in Swanley to become a Dementia Friendly Community with banks, supermarkets and local businesses were also getting involved.

 

The Dartford Gravesham and Swanley Health and Wellbeing Board had a presentation from Kent Fire Brigade on how they were adding value to the Health and Wellbeing of Kent & Medway, which included helping people who suffer from falls which the Council also ran courses for. It was discussed taking a policy forward to encourage people to not call 999 when it was not an emergency. Members were informed that Darent Valley Hospital achieved a 4 hour wait at 96.4%, 3 hour wait at 95% and 94.5% just under a 3 hour wait.  It was also discussed how to encourage patients to return the hospital equipment they borrow.

 

At the January meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board there were discussions around the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 agreements and how this money could be fed back into hospitals. Cllr. Searles advised Members that Community Wardens would become Community Care Agents and after attending Care Act Training, from April 2015 anyone can ask for an eligibility assessment for certain benefits.

 

Cllr. Brookbank advised Members that Pembury Hospital had been inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and had received a ‘good’ in respect of the care aspect however there were some criticisms. A proposal for improvement would be taken to the KCC Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC).

 

Members were advised that the Council had received a copy of the CQC Ofsted inspection at Sevenoaks Childrens Centre which would be circulated to Members.

 

Action 2: That the Health and Communities Manager circulate a copy of the report to Members.

 

Cllr. Mrs. Sargent advised Members that Darent Valley Hospital had been praised in comparison to hospitals in East Sussex and it was encouraging that Darent Valley was improving. She informed Members that Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals Cancer Centres would be providing services at Oxleas Trust Hospital in Sidcup.

 

Cllr. Fittock advised that he had attended a Dementia awareness day, and expressed concern that there were not many new faces. He had attended the Dartford Gravesham and Swanley CCG where the patient transport group was raised again. The ‘Dementia Friends’ training session at the Council had been well attended by staff however more Members should be encouraged to attend the next training day.

 

Cllr. Mrs. Cook advised Members that West Kent Health and Wellbeing Board had a sub-group to look at obesity however progress was slow.

 

Cllr. Davison advised that 300 new homes in Edenbridge was being planned for, however there were problems with trying to identify who within the Health organisations would comment on the plans. In regards to Edenbridge hospital kitchen facilities, the construction of the temporary facilities would be starting on 26 February 2015 and the Edenbridge PPG were developing a questionnaire.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

Work Plan pdf icon PDF 14 KB

Minutes:

Members discussed the work plan and it was agreed that Sunrise Residential Home and Alzheimer’s and Dementia services would be added to the work plan for the meeting on 22 April 2015. Young people’s sexual health services would be added to the Summer 2015 meeting.

 

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