Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Rachel Harmer, Jez Reeve, Nigel Smith, Rachel Harrison, Councillor O’Reilly, and County Councillor Paul Sales.

There were no public questions.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 7^th February 2013. 

Progress Update.

a. Actions from our recent Housing and Health Workshop

b. Mental Health Reviews and Commissioning – a paper is attached, for information, showing the extent of the County Council’s investment in mental health services. This was requested at last meeting.

The minutes for the meeting of the 7^th February 2013 were agreed as a correct record.

Matters arising:

Actions from the recent Housing and Health Workshop

At the workshop, it had been agreed that a common medical information  form be developed for the partners to share.  Cam Health had considered the form and felt that it could be streamlined . A GP based in Bottisham had volunteered to work it up with the City Council. A pilot scheme to test the form would then be agreed. Extending this to the neighbouring authorities, such as South Cambs, would be considered at a later date.

Mental Health Reviews and Commissioning

The partnership noted the attached briefing note showing how County Council services contributed to good mental health.

The agenda front sheet for the meeting on 16 April 2013 is attached. Liz Robin (Director of Public Health, Cambridgeshire County Council) will provide an update on the work of the Board.

The Partnership received an update on the work of the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Board from Dr Liz Robins, Director of Public Health.

At the first meeting of the Board on 16^th April 2013, Councillor Tierney was appointed as Chair. Standing Orders and the structure of the Board were also agreed. The meeting had considered an action plan and agreed priorities that would help guide the  plans of Local Health Partnerships.

The Board had considered the feedback from this Partnership, along with other Local Health Partnerships, with the following common key themes had emerging: improving responses to mental health issues (in particular, lower level mental health needs), older people and social care and providing for housing need. 

The Partnership made the following comments in response to the above.

             i.          The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) was agreed to be auseful tool for many agencies and the public and one of the next steps will be to pull out the issues for each district area to help guide local priority setting. Action planning for the Health and Wellbeing Strategy was developing. However, the capacity of officers to deliver outcomes needed to be considered. Better use of partnerships and the sharing of resources is a practical way forward.

           ii.          The Local Health Partnerships will need to consider its own contribution and the partnerships it can utilise. 

         iii.          A well-developed forward plan for the Board will allow Local Health Partnerships to plan their work more effectively. He initial areas of interest for the Board are the most challenging.

The Partnership will receive a presentation about the development of Clinical Commissioning Plans from Tom Dutton, Strategic Lead for Cambridgeshire Association to Commission Health. A background paper, originally prepared for the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board, is attached. Members are invited to consider how these reflect priorities in Cambridge and rest alongside local commissioning plans.

The Partnership received a report from Tom Dutton, Strategic Lead for Cambridgeshire Association to Commission Health) giving an update on Clinical Commissioning Plans. He suggested that more in-depth discussions about the commissioning plans could take place at future meetings. Tom said that the Local Commissioning Groups were committed to developing partnership working opportunities and looking at new ways of engaging local people in their work. He proposed that the forthcoming older people’s commissioning plan will be a suitable  agenda item for the next Partnership meeting. This was agreed.

The Partnership made the following comments in response to the presentation:

       i.          The Partnership welcomed the range of initiatives the LCG’s were pursuing and their value to the City.

     ii.          There is a sound business case for the inclusion of services for those who were at risk of social exclusion and present activities, especially around services provided for street drinkers misusing alcohol and other drugs.

   iii.          Concerns were raised about the potential loss grants to smaller voluntary agencies, providing vital services, during the transfer of responsibilities and grant arrangements between the PCT and LCGs.

This was apparent for groups whose area of operation crossed boundaries between LCGs. Mark said he would look into this and give Tom a feel for the number and type of community and voluntary groups affected. Any anomalies in funding between Local Commissioning Groups could be open to challenge from the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Commissioning Group’s governing body.

Housing related support services are presently being integrated into existing contracting and commissioning structures within Cambridgeshire County Council. Joseph Keegan, Cambridgeshire County Council, will discuss with the Partnership how these services will link with health and wellbeing priorities. A background paper is attached. Members are invited to consider this contribution and the future delivery of these services.

The Partnership received a report from Joseph Keegan, (Strategic Planning Manager) regarding Housing Related Support. The Partnership was invited to comment on the future delivery of these services and the following points were raised.

       i.          The budget for the service was relatively small but had an impact for many households and individuals.

     ii.          Concerns were raised that the ‘bedroom tax’ criteria did not take into account the need for relatives caring for people with disabilities to have their own room. It was suggested that professionals working in this area should lobby for changes to the criteria.

   iii.          At the recent workshop, an agreed action had been for Alison Cole (Head of Revenues and Benefits) to attend a GP forum to give them an update on welfare reforms. This offer was still available.

   iv.          Concerns were expressed about the mainstreaming of formerly ring fenced housing related support.

    v.          More work was needed on the procurement of housing related support services as the recent restructure was just beginning to bed down.

   vi.          Personalised budgets were discussed. They had not developed for this service in the same way as personal care. The partnership agreed that this would be more challenging to deliver to this client group.

A new Housing and Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment has recently been prepared, alongside others, outlining broad housing priorities for our area. Sue Beecroft, Sub-Regional Housing Strategy Coordinator, will highlight some of the key messages in the JSNA and ask members how these relate to local commissioning priorities. The Housing and Health section of the Summary JSNA and a paper provided to the Health and Wellbeing Board showing executive summaries for each of the recent JSNA’s, is attached as background. 

The Partnership received a report from Sue Beecroft, Sub-Regional Housing Strategy Coordinator, regarding the Housing and Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The Partnership made the following comments.

         i.           Housing affordability will continue to be an issue for Cambridge and the emerging new communities.

       ii.          Information sharing is still being developed and protocols will be established so that numerical rather than personal information could be shared across agencies.

     iii.          The JSNA was a work in progress and further work would be needed.

A copy of the Partnership’s Forward Plan is attached. Members are invited to consider the issues they wish to discuss at future meetings.

The Partnership amended the forward plan as follows:

The next meeting is scheduled for 25^th July 2013, starting at 12 noon.

The next meeting will be on 25^th July 2013.