Agenda item

Members of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) are to receive the above report for information, sharing details about the activities of Healthwatch York in 2018/19 (Annex A refers) and providing details of plans for work throughout 2019/20 (Annex B Refers).

The Board considered a report from the Manager at Healthwatch York, which shared details about the activities of Healthwatch York in 2018/19 and their work plan for the year.  In particular, the Board gave consideration to the findings for the NHS Long Term Plan engagement work undertaken in March and April this year.

During discussion of this item a number of various points were raised which included:

(i)           A concern that even where organisations had pledged support for the Times to Change initiative, it does not necessarily follow that employees of that organisation know about it.

(ii)         The direction of care regarding mental health is that, where applicable, it is preferable for that patient to receive care within their home rather than to be moved from hospital to a permanent care situation.

(iii)        In response to questions on p32 of the agenda under the heading ‘emerging issue’ regarding finding suitable care for people with “challenging behaviour” Dr Wells spoke about how lack of access to GPs is a national issue.  In York patients were waiting for up to two weeks for an appointment which would impacted on this concern.  NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group had recently publicised an on line service for appointments classified as non-urgent.  Board Members considered there were still issues of concern regarding vulnerable patients and for those not able to access or use on line services.  During this discussion, Dr Wells spoke of the need to get the patient to the right person and place in terms of their care and to get better at talking about an advanced care plan so that carers and family know what to do.

(iv)        Regarding access to GP services, a Member highlighted that this was a great concern in Micklegate, where  residents are frequently reporting evidence of this.  It was agreed that Dr Lee would look in to this matter further and communicate directly with this Member.

(v)         A Member mentioned how the “challenging behaviour” concern had been discussed previously in relation to elderly people with advanced dementia and that the Dementia Forum were considering this.

(vi)        Where provision is outside of York it is not so accessible for carers who find it challenging to keep in touch.  This is a particular concern for carers in York. 

The Manager at Healthwatch York, thanked Board Members for the issues raised from this discussion. 

Within the Healthwatch York workplan, there were references to two initiatives of importance to the city.  Healthwatch York requested that the Board consider making commitments of support to these initiatives which were:

(i)           being a ‘Time to Change’ organisation; and

(ii)         confirming the Board’s commitment to ‘no permanent placements’ and a system that thinks Home First.

With regard to the recommendation proposed in this report at option (7a) that Board Members consider pledging their support to the ‘Time to Change’ initiative, within their organisations.  Committing to supporting our collective workforces by being mental health friendly employers, using our shared learning to help other employers in the city to make this change.  The Board agreed option (7b) To make no collective decision regarding option (7a), but to ask Board members to consider making such a commitment within their organisations.  The Chair asked The Health and Wellbeing Board Partnership Co-ordinator to find out which Board Members’ organisations had signed up to  (recommendation (7a) ) the ‘Time to Change’ initiative and also to find out what had happened as a consequence subsequent to signing up for this initiative.  It was agreed that these options would be discussed at the next Board meeting.  The Corporate Director, Health Housing & Adult Social Care considered that as a Local Authority the Council had achieved the objectives set out in recommendation (7a) above as an employer and with regard to residents, particularly as the Council’s priority is living and working well.

Resolved:

(i)           That the Health and Wellbeing Board considered Healthwatch York’s Annual Report 2019/19 and their summary work plan for 2019/20.

(ii)         That the Health and Wellbeing Partnerships Co-ordinator would contact Members of the Board to find out if their organisations had pledged their support to the ‘Time to Change’ initiative and collate information regarding subsequent changes resulting from this pledge.  This would then be discussed at the next Board meeting.

(iii)        With regard to ‘No Permanent Placement’ and working towards a health and care system that thinks ‘Home First’,  the Board agreed to ask the Ageing Well Partnership to develop a formal plan for how we work across the system to embed this approach.  This plan would then be presented to this Board in due course.