Agenda and minutes

The Committee agreed the minutes of the last meeting, held on 29 October 2019 as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Committee received a report and two presentations from Gail Kay, Project Director/Mental Health Programme Lead, NE & N Cumbria ICS and Iain Miller, Public Health on the range of work that is being undertaken in relation to Suicide Prevention in Gateshead at:

·         Regional level, through the Integrated Care System (ICS) Every Life Matters sub group, part of the Mental Health sub group of the prevention workstream

·         Sub Regionally at the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) level, with the Northumberland and Tyne & Wear Suicide Prevention Steering Group work, developed with NHS England modernisation funding during 2019.

·         Locally through the work of Gateshead Mental Health and Wellbeing Partnership

Action on Suicide Prevention at three levels

ICS Level Intervention

The Committee were advised that organisations across the North East and the North Cumbria (NENC) are working in partnership to coordinate improvements, where necessary, across traditional boundaries. Developing and integrating care across boundaries involves NHS organisations working with Councils and the voluntary or charity sector and engaging with the people using services, “people with lived experience”.

An ICS is not a specific organisation but rather a way of leading and planning care for a defined population in a coordinated was across a range of organisations.

A Mental Health ICS Programme was established with seven priority workstreams, one of those being Suicide Prevention. The mental health work stream does not have a surveillance or performance monitoring role and does not have a statutory authority, this remains with provider organisations and commissioners.

The North East and North Cumbria ICS “Every Life Matters” Suicide Prevention Steering Group oversees the Suicide Prevention work and has Senior Leaders from health across the Region overseeing the programme of work, with a project lead coordinating the implementation of Every Life Matters delivery plan.

The Committee were advised that this work is fully linked in to national activity, including national workshops led by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a visit from the national enquiry team. The focus of the work is to:

·         Ensuring that best practice and learning is shared across agencies

·         Duplication is lessened

·         Resources are shared to improve efficiency and effectiveness

·         Impact is monitored

The “Every Life Matters” Suicide Prevention delivery plan is divided into five key areas of activity:

·         Leadership

·         Prevention

·         Intervention

·         Postvention

·         Intelligence

Expected outcomes:

·         To reduce the number of suicides, including high risk groups, and by a minimum of 10% by 2021 in all areas across the ICS

·         To reduce the incidence of self-harm and repeated self-harm

·         To reduce the impact and suicide

·         To reduce the stigma of self-harm and suicide

National funding has been allocated to support the implementation process with Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, led by Gateshead and Newcastle Public Mental Health leads, successful with Wave 2 funding.

Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Level

The Committee were advised that funding (identified above) has led to a full programme of work at Northumberland, Tyne and Wear level which benefits Gateshead residents as identified below.

Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, led by Gateshead and Newcastle Councils,  ...  view the full minutes text for item CHW159

Report and presentation by the Director of Public Health

The Committee received a report and presentation which provided an update on progress in developing a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Gateshead.

The focus of the new strategy is based upon the aims from the Marmot work “Fair Society, Healthy Lives” focusing on health inequalities. This builds on the issues identified from the 2017 DPH annual report – “Inequalities: it never rains but it pours”.

A presentation was provided for members of the OSC which updated the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy – “A job, a home, good health and friends”.

RESOLVED -  That the information be noted

Report of the Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

The OSC received the six-month update of performance and delivery for the period 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 in relation to the Council’s Thrive agenda for the indicators and activity linked to care, health and wellbeing delivered and overseen by Adult Social Care and Public Health services within the Care, Wellbeing and Learning Group.

The Committee were advised that the Thrive approach aims to narrow the gap of inequality across Gateshead resulting in more people living healthier and happier lives.

As part of the Council’s performance management framework, five-year targets were replaced  with a single 2020 target  with strategic indicators identified as either target ot tracker indicators. These targets were appfoved by Cabinet on 12 July 2016.

The 20 strategic indicators for Adult Social Care and Public Health currently fall under three pledges of “Tackle inequality so peoples have a fair chance”, “Work together and fight for a better future for Gateshead” and “Supporting Communities”

The OSC were advised of two areas where further information may be sought:-

Alcohol Misuse

The Committee were advised that the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol related harm has increased. Gateshead has a significantly higher rate that national and regional averages, is at its second highest recorded rate and has the third highest rate in England.

The OSC felt that this is an area of particular concern as Gateshead is significantly higher than both the NE (862 per 100,000) and the England average (632 per 100,000). It is also considered unlikely at this stage that, unless there are some significant reductions, Gateshead will reach its 5-year target.

The Committee were advised that Gateshead has the 2^nd highest rare for this indicator in the North East, the highest of its 16 comparable CIPFA LA’s, and is the 3^rd highest of the 152 English UTLA’s.

Excess Weight

The OSC has already requested a progress update on this issue – focusing particularly on work in GP practices and schools – and this has been slotted into the work programme for March 2020.

Target SC1

Gateshead is now significantly higher than the England rate of 22.6% for the first time since 2013/14 and we are higher but not significantly higher than the North East rate (24.3%) for the first time since 2013/14.

This is Gateshead’s highest prevalence of excess weight at 4-5 year olds since 2009/10 and our joint 2^nd highest in the published 12 years of data.

The increase for 2018/19 is the highest % point and the highest overall percentage increase since 2013/14. When compared to the national picture Gateshead has the 23^rd highest level of excess weight amongst reception age children out of the 150 English LA’s with a recorded level.

Target SC2

Gateshead is higher but not significantly higher than the North Easy rate of 37.5% and is still considered significantly higher than the England rate of 34.4%

As a result of this latest increase Gateshead has now seen its Excess weight levels decrease by only 1.3% since  ...  view the full minutes text for item CHW161

Report of Partners of Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical Group and 108 Rawling Road “The Surgery”

The OSC received a presentation and briefing note on the proposed merger of 108 Rawling Road and Oxford Terrace.

Dr Mathu Krishnan, the longest serving GP in Gateshead has informed NHS Newcastle and Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group that he wishes to retire on 31 December 2019. Dr Krishnan has made an application to the CCG to merge with Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical group (OTRR-MG) on 1 January 2020.

Dr Krishnan will retire on 31 December 2019. The current premises at 108 Rawling Road will close on that date. Dr Krishnan’s practice boundary currently covers the whole of Gateshead and beyond. Patients in future will be able to access services from 1 Oxford Terrace and 1 Rawling Road which is on the same street, a one minute walk from this site therefore travel for patients will be no practically different.

Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical Group and Dr Krishnan’s Surgery are applying for a full merger of the two named GP practices.

After many years of dedicated service to the community, Dr Krishnan has decided to retire. Dr Krishnan is very keen to ensure his patients continue to receive the excellent care that they have always had and he feels that a merger with Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical will provide this.

The practices have worked closely together as part of Bensham Federation along with two other local practices over the last four years, so have good working relationships already and share some staff that work across both practices. Care navigators and recently Frailty Nurse have worked with Dr Krishnan’s most complex patients providing multidisciplinary working and case management approach to complex needs of patients and their carers.

It is proposed that in future services would instead be offered from the two sites below:

·         1 Rawling Road, Bensham, Gateshead NE8 4QS (0.1 mile or 76 yards from the current site)

·         1 Oxford Terrace, Bensham, Gateshead NE8 1RQ (0.6 mile or 1056 yards from the current site)

Patients will be able to book an appointment to be seen at either surgery. Parking is available at both sites.

The existing practice boundaries will remain unchanged.

The OSC were advised that it is anticipated that the proposed merger will increase the range of services provided and benefits for patients which will include but not be limited to:

·         Improved access with the choice of appointments at either site;

·         Option to book appointments with female GP’s if desired;

·         A choice of 15 doctors with different interests. For example: dermatology, minor surgery, family planning, musculo-skeletal conditions, heart conditions, chest conditions like Asthma and COPD;

·         Care provided by an expert multidisciplinary team;

·         Community Nursing and Health Visiting services will remain the same; and;

·         The surgery has extended opening hours including: opening until 7.30 pm on Monday, 7 am opening on Thursday and Saturday morning 9 am to 12.30 pm

The NHS Fiver Year Forward View sets out a vision for the future of the NHS, which encompasses the development and  ...  view the full minutes text for item CHW162

Joint Report of the Chief Executive and the Strategic Director Corporate Services and Governance

The Committee received the provisional work programme for the municipal year 2019-20.

It was noted that the work programme was endorsed at the meeting on 23 April 2019 and councillors agreed that further reports will be brought to future meetings to highlight current issues/identify any changes/additions to this programme.

Appendix 1 (appended to the main report) set out the work programme as it currently stood and highlighted proposed changes to the work programme.