Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich SE18 6PW. View directions
Contact: Raymond Bruce-Cathline Email: scrutiny@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
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Apologies for Absence To receive apologies from Members of the Committee. Minutes: No apologies for absence were received.
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Urgent Business The Chair to announce any items of urgent business circulated separately from the main agenda. Minutes: There were no items of urgent business. |
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Declarations of Interest Members to declare any personal and financial interests in items on the agenda. Attention is drawn to the Council’s Constitution; the Council’s Code of Conduct and associated advice. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved-
That the list of Councillors’ memberships as Council appointed representatives on outside bodies, joint committees and school governing bodies is noted.
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Cabinet Member Update To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Member Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary. Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary provided an update on their recent activities and key issues impacting health and social care. She began by expressing gratitude to their predecessor, Councillor Denise Scott McDonald, for her significant contributions to the portfolio stating that much of the current work builds on her previous efforts.
The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary highlighted the importance of the Health and Well-being Strategy, a statutory five-year document approved and monitored by the Greenwich Health and Well-being Board. She recommended that members, especially those new to the board, review the strategy to understand the council's objectives better. The strategy adopts a life-course approach, focusing on various life stages: start well, be well, feel well, stay well, and age well. This approach emphasizes preventative measures and maintaining good health throughout a person's life.
The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary noted the financial strain on councils over the past 14 years and its impact on public health, exacerbating inequalities. She highlighted a concerning decline in life expectancy in England, particularly among women, which has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of adequate funding for the NHS.
The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary outlined several key priority areas:
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Health and Adult Services Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024-25 Update Note and consider this report which provides an update on the delivery areas of the Health and Adult Services (HAS) contribution to the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. Minutes: The Director of Adult Social Care provided an update on the Health and Adult Services Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2024-25. The update began with an overview of the context and key highlights. The Director of Adult Social Care emphasised the importance of the corporate plan and the Health and Social Care Vision, which covers the period from 2021 to 2024. The Vision, which will be refreshed this year, focuses on people’s strengths and independence, influencing social work and occupational therapy practices. Members were encouraged to review this Vision on the website, where accessible videos are also available.
The update highlighted the significant financial challenges faced in the previous year, which included an additional pressure of around £15 million in Adult Services. This pressure stemmed from the transition of children into Adult Services and increased costs of care provision, particularly home care, residential, and supported living services. The Director of Adult Social Care explained that rise in care costs had been exacerbated by inflation and the need for providers to pass on these costs. Government funding has not kept pace with these demands. The Director of Adult Social Care stated that for the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024-25, the strategy has focused on building upon existing programs, embracing innovation, and involving residents and the community in co-producing solutions. Key areas of focus include:
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Musculoskeletal Update (MSK) To receive a presentation on Musculoskeletal (MSK) tendering. Additional documents: Minutes: The Director of Adult Social Care provided a brief update on the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Services. It was noted that the previously circulated set of slides was withdrawn to allow for necessary updates. The Director assured the panel that the revised slides would be shared in the next few days. He explained that the update focused on the ongoing process of recommissioning MSK services. The new service is scheduled to be in place by April 2025.
To circulate updated slides to the Panel. Action: Director of Adult Social Care
Resolved –
That the Musculoskeletal update be noted. |
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Work Programme Schedule 2024/25 To note the 2024/25 work programme items and agree the scope. Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel discussed the work programme schedule and suggested the following:
Items suggested to be added · Livewell · Mental Health · NHS Financial Decisions · Maternal Mortality (focus on Black and Asian Communities)
Items suggested to be removed · Vaccination Rates · Health Ambassadors
The Chair reminded the Panel that the Chief Executive has been given delegated authority to vary the work programme of scrutiny panels in consultation with the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Resolved –
That the work programme schedule 2024/25 be noted. |
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Commissioning of Future Reports To note the work items that are scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel taking place on 19th September 2024. Minutes: The Panel note the work items that are scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel taking place on 19th September 2024. |