Agenda and minutes

County Councillors Richard Newman-Thompson and Keith Sedgewick attended in place of County Councillors Niki Penney and Fabian Craig-Wilson respectively for this meeting, and Councillor Sue Jones (South Ribble Borough Council) attended in place of Councillor Mick Titherington for this meeting.

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of Councillors Carolyn Evans (West Lancashire Borough Council) Paul Gardner (Lancaster Borough Council) and Roy Leeming (Preston City Council).

New Member

It was reported that County Councillor David Stansfield had permanently replaced County Councillor Andrea Kay as a member of the Committee.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

None disclosed

The Minutes of the Health Scrutiny Committee meeting held on the 25 November 2014 were presented and agreed.

In relation to item 4 - Healthy Environments, it was noted that, in agreeing to raise concerns, it had also been agreed to highlight that the planning officer at the county council with a Public Health remit would be available as a resource to the Districts.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Health Scrutiny Committee held on the 25 November 2014, subject to the amendment above, be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

As part of the ongoing scrutiny of the 'Living Well' element of the Health and

Wellbeing Strategy, the Committee was provided with a report which presented an overview of self-care, particularly concentrating on asset based approaches and health literacy.

A number of hyperlinks were included within the report and appendices attached to the report to provide members with further information.

The Chair welcomed Clare Platt and Gulab Singh, Public Health Specialists from the Directorate for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing.

A PowerPoint presentation was used to further explain what was understood by self-care and health assets. It also explained the different forms of health literacy and why health literacy could affect health outcomes, and it briefly set out current activity and next steps.

A video about the 'European Health Literacy Survey 2012' was played to the Committee which is available via a link contained within the presentation, which is attached to these minutes.

Following the presentation members raised a number of comments and questions and the main points arising from the discussion are set out below:

·  It was suggested that a national culture change and careful use of language would be necessary to achieve a greater emphasis on wellness rather than sickness, and it was important to consider what could be done at local level, including through elected members, to encourage and promote good health in terms of both self-care and health literacy.

·  It was noted also that loneliness and isolation had a significant impact on health and wellbeing and it was considered important for people to have someone local to talk to and from whom to take advice, perhaps via contact details on a 'keep it for when you need it' type leaflet.

·  The Committee was informed that in terms of self-care, this tended to impact on people already in the health care system, via primary care providers/professionals, with a strong input from social care providers also; there was much activity ongoing with providers to improve levels of self-care. The model was not yet fully developed and it was felt that there was an opportunity to take this forward through the Better Care Fund programme.

·  Regarding health literacy there were ongoing Public Health campaigns aimed at raising awareness around health literacy and behaviour change to make healthy choices. The Committee was informed that many adults had a low level of reading and numeracy skills and this sometimes made it difficult to understand often complex instructions and guidance.

·  A question was raised about the more effective use of community based resources such as school buildings, which tended to close in the evenings. In response it was explained that a policy decision would need to be taken to address and deliver services through resources such as school buildings. The Committee was informed that such resources were to some extent already being used, for example a successful scheme to deliver antenatal and breast feeding advice had been delivered from a school from 1.00 – 3.30 pm because many of those at whom  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

On 7 November the Steering Group had met to discuss the new congenital heart disease review prior to consultation. A summary of the meeting was at Appendix A to the report now presented.

On 28 November the Steering Group had met with officers from West Lancashire CCG and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust to discuss breast services at Southport Hospital. A summary of the meeting was at Appendix B to the report now presented.

Resolved: That the report be received.

Appendix A to the report now presented set out a draft work plan for both the Health Scrutiny Committee and its Steering Group, including current Task Group reviews.

It was reported that Sakthi Karunanithi, Director for Public Health, and County Councillor Azhar Ali, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing had been invited to the next meeting of this Committee in March. They were to present a report on the overall health and wellbeing agenda with a focus on the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Better Care Fund plan. Members asked that, as part of this, they be provided with information about how the Better Care Fund had been developed and how it was to be implemented

It was also reported that a piece of work about the performance of the ambulance service in Rossendale was being carried out and that the findings and conclusions would be shared with this Committee.

It was confirmed that Occupational Therapy Service provision would be on a future agenda of the Steering Group and the work plan would be updated to reflect this.

Resolved: That the work plan, as now amended, be noted.

The Committee's attention was drawn to forthcoming decisions and decisions recently made by the Cabinet and individual Cabinet Members in areas relevant to the remit of the committee, in order that this could inform possible future areas of work.

Recent and forthcoming decisions taken by Cabinet Members or the Cabinet can be accessed here:

http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/mgDelegatedDecisions.aspx?bcr=1

Resolved: That the report be received.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

No urgent business was reported.

The next meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee will be held on Wednesday 4 March 2015 at 10.30am at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Wednesday 4 March 2015 at 10.30am at County Hall, Preston.