Agenda and minutes

The Committee received a presentation from Paul Liversidge, Chief Operating Officer at NEAS and Elaine Criddle, ECIP Programme Manager, County Durham and Darlington Local A&E Delivery Board which provided an overview and update on NEAS performance in Gateshead. The presentation also provided an update on Hospital Diverts and Deflects and the measures being put in place to alleviate the pressures.

RESOLVED – that the information be noted.

The Committee received the draft final report in the review of the Role of Housing in Improving Health and Wellbeing.

The Committee has undertaken three evidence gathering sessions which were themed according to the three strands of the Council’s Housing Strategy of:-

·         Housing Standards

·         Housing Supply

·         Housing Support

The Committee also took part in a focus group for elected members to facilitate the submission of evidence to the review.

The Committee were advised that as a result the following recommendations arose out of the review:-

·         Review the actions set out in the Housing Intervention Action Plan, and , where appropriate, provide Public Health support to assist in maximising the benefits to health arising from delivering elements of the Plan. The evidence presented in the review identifies priority candidate elements with the greatest potential to improve health and wellbeing.

·         Ensure that improving health and wellbeing is reflected in the production of local development plan documents (i.e. Making Spaces for Growing Places).

·         Review how health and wellbeing is reflected in Council Letting Policies and TGHC support services (i.e. Health criteria, preventative interventions).

·         Assess the current range of Council private sector housing interventions to maximise their contribution to health and wellbeing (including energy efficiency programmes, private landlord accreditation, selective landlord licensing, financial assistance programmes, falls prevention, making every contact count).

·         Undertake actions to ensure that the greatest proportion of Council housing is maintained to a standard that secures the health and wellbeing of residents within the context of changes to revenue and capital funding.

·         Determine the circumstances where the council seeks to ensure that high design and space standards are delivered, including accessibility.

·         Determine the need for, location of and processes to deliver adequate levels of supported, specialist, and older persons housing.

The Committee received a report which provided the second update on progress made against recommendations and action identified from the review of GP Access in Gateshead.

Access to GP services continues to be a key issue for local communities across the borough as a whole, whether from urban or more rural areas. The Committee received a significant amount of evidence as part of the review and undertook a series of visits to GP practices and other sites across the borough in order to scrutinise current arrangements in place, gain a better understanding of both the challenges and opportunities relating to GP access and the quality of care provided.

In particular,  the evidence gathering sessions and site visits focused on:

·         Key issues relating to ‘Access’ to GP services, drawing on survey findings and other evidence on GP appointments, opening hours, out-of-hours etc;

·         Issues relating to the quality and experience of care;

·         GP Access and quality of care in the broader context of service developments/initiatives relevant to the review topic

The Committee members acknowledged the input of GP practices to the review and expressed their thanks to their practice managers. The Committee also expressed its thanks to Newcastle Gateshead CCG, NHS England Cumbria and North East, Healthwatch Gateshead and Gateshead Community Based Care Ltd. for their contributions to the review.

The Committee note that a strong partnership approach is essential to ensure appropriate, timely and quality GP services can be accessed by Gateshead residents. Patients themselves also have a key role to play in providing feedback to their practice.

It was reported to Committee that Practice Action Plans were developed by all practices working with Newcastle Gateshead CCG and NHS England and are reviewed and updated annually. In continuing to develop these plans in the future, it was recommended that a specific focus is placed on ways individual practices can enhance access to GP services for their patients and actions that can be taken in this area. It was also noted that practice facilitators will continue to support practices in taking these actions forward.

The headline findings of the review acknowledged the opportunity to build upon existing work and continue the direction of travel set by local NHS Partners and GP practices themselves to enhance access to GP services in Gateshead. Progress against recommended priorities and actions to date were provided to the Committee.

RESOLVED -

i)

That the review topic and case studies for 2017-18 be agreed

ii)

That the OSC’s provisional work programme for 2017-18 be endorsed and referred to Council on 8 June 2017 for agreement.

iii)

That further reports be brought to Committee to identify any additional issues which the Committee may be asked to consider.