Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks

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

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 60 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 6 February 2019 as a correct record.

 

Minutes:

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Board, held on 6 February 2019, be noted and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

Any interests not already registered.

Minutes:

No additional declarations of interest were made.

 

3.

Actions from the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Minutes:

The action was noted.

Members raised questions relating to stroke services and were advised that services were centralised across two hospitals in Kent. The Head of Housing and Health advised she would provide additional information on stroke services in Sevenoaks.

4.

Sevenoaks and Swanley Dementia Forum Update pdf icon PDF 5 MB

The Chair of Sevenoaks Dementia Communities Forum in attendance to update Members on the progress of the Dementia Forum in Sevenoaks and Swanley.

Minutes:

The Board welcomed Symone Salwan, the Co-Chair of Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Community Forum who alongside the Council’s Health Team Leader, Anton Tavernier-Gustave, delivered a presentation on the Dementia Forum in Sevenoaks and Swanley. They explained history of the forum in Sevenoaks and the services it offered.

 

Members were advised that Dementia was used as an inclusion term for several diseases of the brain and was sometimes categorised under mental health, however that was not the approach taken by the Community Forum and support services in Kent. Difficulties were highlighted around the split of health services, which were not by district boundaries but by Clinical Commissioning Group coverage (West Kent for central and south of the District and Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley (DGS) for Swanley and northern parishes). This occasionally resulted in different services being available in different parts of the district. The presenters advised that the forum were trying to raise dementia awareness.  The Forum was founded and staffed by volunteers with very little funding. It was explained that the type of service appropriate for individuals often depended on the personal experiences of those living with dementia and their families.

 

The Forget-Me-Not Cafes were said to be free and open to all. Attendees would be self-supporting or would attend with a carer, some professional support would be available at the cafes. The venues used were free or subsidised donations helped keep the cafes running within community venues. There were said to be 8 Dementia Café’s in the district with 4 organised by the forum which were split almost equally between the north and south of the district. Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services (ADSS) also ran 4 café’s in the northern part of the district. 

 

Members were advised that there was a new brochure outlining the services of the Dementia Forum and request this be circulated to Members.

 

The presenters advised that a new position had been introduced by the Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust of Lead Dementia Nurse in the community. This was considered a break through by the forum and the post holder would work primarily in community hospitals with those with dementia and encouraging dementia friendly adaptations in the hospitals.

 

In response to questions, Members were advised that the forum were happy to share knowledge and promote other dementia services.

 

The Chairman thanked Symone and Anton for their presentation and expressed his interest in arranging a further update from Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Communities Forum next year.

5.

West Kent Mind update pdf icon PDF 1 MB

The CEO of West Kent Mind in attendance to update Members on the West Kent Mind Service in Sevenoaks.

Minutes:

The Board welcomed the new Chief Executive of West Kent Mind, Stevie Rice. She gave an overview  of the services offered by West Kent Mind and explained North Kent Mind also operated within the district and between the two services, the whole district was covered. Members were advised that a key objective of Mind was to make mental health services accessible to all and this was reflected in their approach.

 

The Board were informed that Mind services were accessed by a variety of ages. Members wished to highlight the importance of providing help for young people requiring mental health services and she advised that of those suffering from mental health issues, these would begin before the age of eighteen in 75% of cases. It was highlighted that Mind did a lot of work in both Primary and Secondary Schools and recognised that some people may be reluctant to approaches services and get help. In response to Members questions around mental health services in Swanley, the Council’s Health Team Leader advised that mental health services were also provided at The Oak Surgery and a new Mental Health Crisis Drop in Service at Citizens Advice offices. The presenter stressed that different approaches worked better for different people and despite lack of funding for mental health services, charities and organisations had been innovative in their approaches.

 

Members raised questions on the locations of supported housing and were advised that the majority were in Sevenoaks town with one in Westerham, as part of KCC commissioned services, however a key issue is finding suitable properties. It was noted that the Solace café Tonbridge was assisting individuals who are frequent users of other such as ambulance service, the police, hospitals and GPs. Members were advised that Mind’s ‘New Beginnings’ hoarding project, which received funding from Sevenoaks District Council, was decreasing the need for Environmental Health to step in to provide decluttering services in hoarding cases. In response to Member questions, it was confirmed that MH4 Business and MH4 Schools mental health awareness training was provided by Mind and available across the District.

 

The Chairman of the Board thanked Stevie Rice for attending.

6.

Mental Health Crisis Drop In Service Update pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Minutes:

The Community Safety Manager, Kelly Webb, presented a report on the Mental Health Crisis Drop in Service in Swanley. She explained that three year funding for the project had been provided by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent County Councillor Michael Horwood and the Community Safety Partnership and delivering in partnership with North Kent Mind. The provision was split between a drop in time for 14 – 17 year olds, vulnerable adults and a separate adult service. Members questioned if crisis support was available for under 14 year olds and were advised that Kent County Council’s Early Help Service provide support for this age bracket. Kelly advised that this service focused on individuals accessing one on one sessions at drop in times, three trained volunteers and two mental health supervisors would be available at the drop-in based in Swanley Citizens Advice offices.

 

It was highlighted that the aspirations for the service included visiting rural areas in the district in a community van and potentially extending the drop in service so as to be available in other locations around the district. Members questioned how many individuals had used the service and it was reported that four adults and two young people had attended drop in session in the first month.  However, this figure would rise in the coming months. 

 

7.

Updates from Members

Minutes:

There were none.

8.

Workplan pdf icon PDF 34 KB

Minutes:

Members discussed future additions for the work plan, to include updates on: GP services; the new Edenbridge Health facility; the future of Sevenoaks Hospital; supported accommodation; District Nursing services; Hospital Transport; new Acute Stroke Services in Kent; and obesity.

 

Members were advised that a directory of local services in the district could be found at https://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/yourlocalservices.  The Head of Housing and Health, Hayley Brooks, undertook to circulate Sevenoaks District Council’s 10 point health plan and a list of healthy living projects the Council’s Health Team were running in the District.

 

The Board agreed to add an update on GP Services and their distribution across the district and an update on hospital transport to the work plan for 4 September 2019, and Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Communities Forum in a year’s time.

 

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