Agenda item

(a)

Public Question in respect of Care for Vulnerable Adults

Adam Butcher asked how all services would work to ensure that the most vulnerable adults in the City were taken care of?

In response, Councillor Mary Lea reported that within Care and Support people were able to remain safe and independent in their own homes with their needs being met.

There was a Safeguarding Board in Sheffield which also had links across Yorkshire. At the same time, all agencies had Safeguarding responsibilities. The people and policies were in place to ensure that all those who needed a mental capacity assessment were able to have one.

The Council worked closely with the Police to reduce hate crime and projects such as the Safe Places Project worked to protect the most vulnerable. Although there were signs that domestic violence was on the increase, there was a Strategy in place to ensure that those who needed health and support were reached.

In conclusion, Councillor Lea reported that all agencies were working to get things right as much as they could and dealing with gaps where they became apparent.

Tim Moorhead added that agencies had to try and anticipate problems in respect of vulnerable adults. Strategies were in place to respond to homelessness. The Health and Wellbeing Board provided the opportunity to develop joined-up plans. It was important to remember that there were some groups who may fall between plans and their needs needed to be accommodated.

In thanking Mr Butcher for the work he had done locally and the interest he had shown in protecting vulnerable adults, the Chair, Councillor Julie Dore commented that as a Health and Wellbeing Board it was important that everybody shared responsibility for protecting vulnerable adults across the City.

(b)

Public Question in respect of Hospital Trust Representation on the Board

Andrew Hanasse referred to the lack of Hospital Trust Representation on the Board. He understood that the Board had responsibility for joined-up care across Sheffield and therefore asked if the Board believed the lack of a Hospital Trust presence would be a disadvantage?

Councillor Julie Dore responded that it had been agreed as a Board to have representation from the Commissioners across the City and the Trusts were Care Providers. It was appropriate for the Board to hold the providers to account. The Board would constantly engage and involve and may invite bodies to a future meeting when considering a specific theme. In answer to the specific question, for the reasons outlined the Chair did not think it was a disadvantage that the Hospital Trust were not represented on the Board.

Tim Moorhead reported that he Co-Chaired the Right First Time Board with a representative of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals which had the aim of improving urgent care in Sheffield. This Board focussed on taking a partnership approach, with commissioners and providers working together to improve services.

(c)

Public Question in respect of the Liverpool Care Pathway

Kathryn Williams referred to recent national publicity in respect of the Liverpool Care Pathway and asked whether following recent severe criticism from the families of elderly dying patients that was acknowledged in the end of life care system review on the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) led by Baroness Neuberger which reported in July 2013, how were the hospitals and nursing homes in Sheffield now ensuring that the LCP was either abandoned, phased out or modified to suit each individual patient with the consent of their relatives?

Tim Furness reported that there was currently a Working Group meeting which focused on End of Life Care. That had recognised the outcome of the review and its recommendations and taken them into account in recommending improvements to local care and support.. Work was undertaken locally alongside national work to meet individuals and families needs at the end of life stage.

Councillor Julie Dore commented that she shared Mrs Williams concerns and was astonished that the problems highlighted by families in Liverpool had been allowed to occur. Within Sheffield every approach was a customer focused approach which centred around the customers needs.

Tim Moorhead commented that he believed it was a useful approach to attempt to define the standards that should be expected which was what the LCP had attempted to do. The issue in this instance however was the implementation across the country where the standards were often paid lip service to and not adhered to correctly.

(e)

Public Question in respect of the Work Programmes for the Joint Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy

Fiona Goudie referred to the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2013-18 on the agenda for the meeting and asked, in relation to the Work Programmes included within the report, had the Board established who the Chair’s for each Programme would be and who the members would be?

Councillor Julie Dore reported that the following would lead on each specific work programme:-

·         A Good Start in Life – Councillor Jackie Drayton and Dr Margaret Ainger

·         Building Mental Wellbeing and Emotional Resilience – Councillor Mary Lea and Dr Ted Turner

·         Food, Physical Activity and Active Lifestyles – Councillor Julie Dore and Dr Tim Moorhead

·         Health, Disability and Employment – Councillor Julie Dore and Dr Tim Moorhead

·         Supporting People at or Closer to Home – Councillor Harry Harpham and Dr Tim Moorhead

Tim Furness commented that Work Programmes had a lot of connection with work already underway and the aim was to enhance this work rather than duplicate it. Councillor Julie Dore further commented that the aim was not to reinvent the wheel but at the same time the Board could not absolve overall responsibility for delivering the Work Programmes.