Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the meeting on 26 January 2024 were approved as an accurate record with no matters arising.

Members of the Board to declare an interest in any particular agenda item.

No interests were declared.

Updates were given by members of the Board on changes and news in the sector:

·        The Adult Social Care LGA peer review is taking place in March. This will be a wide ranging review and will include domiciliary and residential care and workforce issues.  

·        A review of Children’s Social Care funding is being conducted the week of this Board meeting.

·        An application has been submitted by the VCS to NHS Charities for a volunteering for health fund.

·        Ramadan calendars have been put together with key dates and encouraging safe fasting.

·        The Community Diagnostic Centre at the Metro Centre is progressing well and planning for 2024/25 is underway. And additional bid has been submitted linked to women’s health.

·        Evening sessions for Pap Smears are now available to book through some GP practices.

·        An overview was provided of the Council’s budget and financial position.

·        ICB staff restructuring will be completed in March. This will result in a smaller team.

RESOLVED

       i.          The Chair requested an item on step down/step up for children in care be added to the 2024/25 Work Programme.

      ii.          To circulate Ramadan safe fasting messaging to the Board.

     iii.          For an item on People@theheart project to be brought to the next Board meeting.

    iv.          For an item on community led support to be brought to a future Board meeting.

The Board was updated on 2 key areas of community physical activity work; Physical Activity Sector Led Improvement and The Active Travel and Social Prescribing Pilot.

A ‘system approach’ through a ‘Sector Led Improvement’ (SLI) model will be adopted to encourage people who are inactive to become more active. It was found that Gateshead currently has the least number of active adults in the region. The SLI work supports the ‘Gateshead Physical Activity Strategy’, which highlights the need for everyone to be physically active throughout their life.

Gateshead signed up to the SLI work in in October 2023, and has since begun to pilot the physical assessment tool as part of the physical activity SLI workshops it has been running with partners, since December 2023. The workshops have been supported by the Local Government Association and are due to run until May 2024 in Gateshead. On completion of the workshops, an evaluation across all areas will be carried out regarding key findings and opportunities for Gateshead.

Gateshead were also one of 11 successful local authorities to be awarded funding of £1.4 million for the active travel and social prescribing pilot from April 2023 for 3 years.

‘Walk and Wheel Gateshead’ had a soft launch in August 2023. The initial aim was to explore the needs of communities in target geographical areas (building upon the initial consultation stage) and develop an understanding of the referral process into the project.

The Board discussed cycling initiatives being under pressure and struggling to continue functioning, due to an uptake of buying bikes in the COVID-19 Pandemic and resulting in less demand.

The Board also discussed cycling infrastructure being a barrier to more sustainable travel, campaigns for more cycling spending per head, active travel and mental wellbeing, and employee incentives for active travel.

The Fire and Rescue Service run a campaign called Bike It Out, which is focused on motorbike safety, but there are plans to expand this to include cycling and horse riding.  

RESOLVED

      i.        The Board noted the presentation.

The Board was updated on the setting up of Family Hubs. A presentation was given showing the services provided and numbers of hubs set up. This included a Virtual Family Hub, which has a focus on Start for Life – the first 1001 Days, which the concept of Family Hubs have been based on. It also covered partner organisations involved in the project and plans for the next year.

There was a discussion of linking with community pharmacies on disclosed safeguarding information.

RESOLVED

       i.          The Board noted the presentation.

This item was deferred to the next meeting.  

The Board received an update from the Gateshead Cares System Board on ongoing work.

The following areas were updated on:  

·        Gateshead Place Plan

o   Giving Children and Young People the Best Start in Life

·        Recommendations of the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2023/24

·        People@theheart end of year report

·        Alternative Crisis Pathway

·        Gateshead Council Budget and Financial Outlook 2024/25

·        Asylum and Migration Update and Next Steps

RESOLVED

       i.          The Board noted the presentation.

The Board received a report on Gateshead’s Better Care Fund quarter three return for 2023/24.

RESOLVED

       i.          The Board endorsed the report and Quarter 3 return.

The Board received a notification of removal from the pharmaceutical list for the following pharmacy:

·        Boots UK Ltd 16 Front Street, Winlaton, Tyne & Wear NE21 4RE

The Board received an application for inclusion in the pharmaceutical list: Distant Selling Premises from the following:

·        Pharmacy@Home Ltd at 32 Oakwood Gardens, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0DE

RESOLVED

       i.          The Board noted the updates.