Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda. A list of general personal interests previously declared are attached.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. Members requested the following amendments and additions to the standing interests already declared:

Councillor Boyce            Mother in receipt of Care Services

Councillor Doughty Volunteers for Our Celebration and partner also works for this charity.

Councillor Funnell Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council

                                                Trustee of York CVS

Councillor Hodgson                    Previously worked at York Hospital

Councillor Wiseman Member of the Health City Board – remove from declarations as this body no longer exists.

Member of the Adoption Panel and Consultation Meetings with looked after children “Show Me That I Matter”

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 2 March 2011.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 2 March 2011 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Friday 17 June 2011.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

A representative of the Older People’s Assembly (OPA) made reference to Agenda Item 5 and in particular to the City of York Commissioning Strategy for Older People which highlighted the need to consider all aspects of Older People’s care. He referred to the Strategy’s reference to the significant need for additional help in maintaining homes, making adaptations to keep homes safe and accessible to enable people to remain in their own homes for longer. In order to facilitate this Yorkshire Housing had provided a Home Improvement Service, which provided a hassle free service helping older and disabled customers organise repairs and improvements to their homes. Unfortunately this service had ceased in April 2011 as the City of York Council had withdrawn funding unlike North Yorkshire County Council. Following previous personal experience of this valuable service he requested Members to support its continuation.

This report highlights this Council’s current structure for the provision of the Overview and Scrutiny function and the resources available to support it. It also details the agreed terms of reference for the individual Overview & Scrutiny Committees.

Consideration was given to a report, which highlighted the Council’s current structure for the provision of the Overview and Scrutiny function and the resources available to support it.

The report also detailed the agreed terms of reference for the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Members commented on various aspects of the report and in particular questioned whether equality and sustainability ran through all the Committee’s remits. The Scrutiny Officer confirmed that they did.

RESOLVED:             That the reports contents be noted.

REASON:                  To inform Members of scrutiny arrangements.

The Council’s Corporate Strategy Manager will be in attendance to present the following key papers to Members and to discuss ongoing and future planned work within the Directorate:

• City of York Commissioning Strategy for Older People 2006-2021 (2010 Refresh)
• Commissioning Plan for Older People 2010-13
• The Vision for Older People’s Health and Wellbeing in York 2010-15

The Council’s Corporate Strategy Manager was in attendance and presented the following key papers to Members:

• City of York Commissioning Strategy for Older People 2006-2021 (2010 Refresh)
• Commissioning Plan for Older People 2010-13
• The Vision for Older People’s Health and Wellbeing in York 2010-15

The Strategy Manager confirmed that, although these key papers related mainly to older people, there were also a number of other customer groups however older people comprised the largest number, which would continue with known demographic changes.

She reported on ongoing and future planned work and demands within the Directorate including:

·        There was an increase in the numbers of residents with complex Learning and Disability needs. More inclusion was required to improve lives.

·        Clients with mental health needs and the crossover between physical and impairments.

·        Changes around health commissioning.

·        Additional role of Overview and Scrutiny to receive the Adult Social Care Annual Report.

She responded to the issue raised under Public Participation regarding the Home Improvement Service (HIS), it was confirmed that this was a Housing issue. The Director of Adults, Children and Education confirmed that he would respond directly to the speaker in relation to the HIS. Confirmation was also given that members of the public could now register their own scrutiny topics. ^1.

Members then went onto raise a number of points including:

• The last survey of older people had been carried out in 2008. Confirmation that this had been prepared with the assistance of the OPA and other bodies and that it was certainly planned to re run this exercise however at the present time there was no timeframe.
• Appropriate support was required for elderly residents in their own homes to take account of mental health needs/dementia when residents were no longer able to give their views or decide for themselves. Confirmation that where concerns were raised there were procedures in place to overcome this issue.
• Details of the CRILL (Capturing Regulatory Information at a Local Level) data provided by the Care Quality Commission and concerns regarding this data.
• The Strategy confirmed that there were no discrete community based health intermediate care services within the city and it was questioned whether this led to ‘bed blocking’. Confirmation that joint working was underway to address the issue and gaps in services although there is a challenge to ensure that resources were in the correct place to provide care in the right place at the right time.

Members thanked Officers for the informative documents and discussion on the long term goals. They also requested Officers to continue to provide the Committee with update reports, as this was a rapidly changing area.  

RESOLVED:             That the updates be received and noted.

REASON:                  To provide Members with details of ongoing and future planned work with the Directorate.

This report presents the Committee’s draft work plan for the forthcoming year for consideration. It asks Members to consider any additions and/or amendments they may wish to make to it.

Consideration was given to a report, which presented the Committee’s draft work plan for the forthcoming year. Members were asked to identify some broad topic areas to take forward to a future meeting between all scrutiny Members, Cabinet Members and chief officers. They were also asked to consider holding an ‘information sharing event’.

Following discussion Members suggested the following broad topics:

1.            Neurological Services (Primary, Secondary & Social Care) (Hospital, PCT, CYC)

Ø      Service Provision for vulnerable groups of people

Ø      How safe and effective is the current service provision

Ø      Quality of provision

Ø      Ways to improve

2.         Safety & effectiveness of older people’s services & personalisation agenda

Ø                  Contract monitoring

Ø                  Commissioning of services

Ø                  Challenge around processes

Ø                  Quality/Standard of provision

Ø                  Quality of outcomes

3.         Health impact of the recession on deprived areas in York

Ø                 How do we target social and mental health services at or in the most deprived areas of the City

Ø                 The growing/widening gap between the better off and disadvantaged

Ø                  Do we have the right resources?

Ø                  Are the resources targeted in the right way

Ø                  Link between income levels and health

4.         ‘Social Capital’ – The influence & importance of local self interest groups

Ø                  Local interest groups/voluntary sector groups who work towards the well being of their members and the well being of the community

Ø                  Effects of social networks/voluntary support in York - It was suggested that if all the voluntary organisations in the city stopped work for a month the City would be without many services, especially those for more vulnerable people.

5.       The importance of physical activity

Ø                  Opportunities when public health is transferred to local authorities

Ø                  Provision of leisure facilities, cycling, swimming

Officers also confirmed that update reports on changes to the NHS and the terms of reference for the new Health and Wellbeing Board would also be brought to this Committee as and when details became available.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:             i) That the draft work plan for 2011/12 be received and noted.

ii)That the 5 topic areas set out above be put forward to a future meeting of Scrutiny Members, Cabinet Members and Chief Officers

iii)That arrangements be made for an ‘information sharing event’, to be held on Thursday 4 August 2011, late afternoon or early evening open to all Council members. ^1.

REASON:                              In order to provide the Committee with a work programme for future meetings.

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