Agenda item

All local authorities with responsibilities for public health were required to develop and publish Covid-19 Outbreak Control Plans by 30June 2020 and to establish new member led Outbreak Management Boards.  Board Members will consider a report providing further information on the council’s response.

Board members considered a report on the council’s response to the Covid-19 emergency.  All local authorities with responsibilities for public health were required to develop and publish Covid-19 Outbreak Control Plans by 30June 2020 and to establish new member led Outbreak Management Boards.  The Director of Public Health (DoPH) for the City of York was in attendance to present this report and plan and to respond to questions.

The following information was provided in response to questions from committee members:

·        The DoPH explained that the Outbreak Control Plan (the plan) sets out how the council would deliver a local outbreak response.  The plan was available to view on the council’s website and was intended to be a ‘living document’ so that as we learn more, it could be reviewed and updated before March next year.

·        Students represented 20% of the population of York at around 40,000 people in the city (figure includes colleges and universities).  A  subgroup of the outbreak management advisory board brings partners together and has representation from universities and colleges, to ensure specific wrap around support to those working and attending in those institutions.

·        Regarding localised lock down (like that currently in place in Leicester), the DoPH outlined the 3 conditions that would need to be met and explained that the relevant local authority would make that decision in consultation with relevant partners and stakeholders.  The Police service would need to be satisfied that all other measures had been exhausted.  Partners would then have to review that decision every 7 days.

Key points arising from board member’s discussion on this item included:

·        The need for simple, clear messages to be communicated to the public who are uncertain about what they should or should not be doing. DoPH responded that this point was more about engagement then communication and offered to meet with board members to consider this further outside of this meeting.

·        Through the crisis, we learnt so much about the way that the whole city works together.  Where do our strengths lie? How do we protect voluntary services? (like toe nail cutting) so that we know how to best support the mental health of people, underlining the vulnerable adult part of the plan.

·        Voluntary services were at risk due to the fact that the volunteers tended to be towards the older end of spectrum, who then had to shield and withdraw their support.  As a consequence, services had to withdraw what they could offer.  If these services cannot be provided, it becomes a big problem to those who are most vulnerable.

·        board members gave brief consideration to the merits of having a covid-19 expert group in the instance of rapid transmission, so as not to confuse the governance of decision making.  The Chair requested that there be further discussion on this point outside of the meeting, prior to the next meeting of this board.

The Chair and board members thanked the DoPH and her team for all of the work involved in producing this plan.

Resolved:  (i)       That the Health and Wellbeing Board noted the Outbreak Control Plan at Annex A to the report and the establishment of an Outbreak Management Advisory Board.

(ii)         That all agencies represented at the Health and Wellbeing Board committed to working together to implement the plan.

Reason:               To assure the Health and Wellbeing Board that the national requirement for producing and publishing a local Outbreak Control Plan has been met.