Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of County Councillor G Dowding and District Councillors, S Green (Fylde), H Khan (Chorley), A Mahmood (Pendle), K Molineux (Hyndburn) and M Titherington (South Ribble).

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 26 January 2016 were presented and agreed.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Health Scrutiny Committee held on the 26 January 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health, presented a report which explained that the public health and wellbeing service within Lancashire County Council was undergoing significant transformation. With year on year reductions forecast in the financial resources, including the public health grant, the service continued to maximise the value of its investment through commissioning, partnership working and direct delivery.

The Committee had previously scrutinised the public health function in its meetings held during 2015, including an update on the Health and Wellbeing Board in November 2015. A copy of the presentation is appended to these minutes.

Sakthi provided an overview of the background to the Public Health and Wellbeing Service Transformation and confirmed that there was an in year reduction of £4m in the Public Health grant with further predicted reductions of £1.5m each year for the next three years.

Members were informed that two funding streams (NHS and Public Health grant) formed the funding for Lancashire and despite the increase of £3.8 billion from Central Government into the national sustainability and transformation fund, Lancashire had not been identified to receive any of this additional funding.

Sakthi advised members that there was an overall gap between financial resources and the pattern of demand in Lancashire.

The Wellbeing, Prevention and Early Help services were reported to be mainly commissioned through the NHS and included services such as children's centres, Young Peoples Service, NHS Health Check, alcohol and substance misuse.

Sakthi responded to a question on the strategy to address the fragmentation that currently existed across these service areas, and confirmed to members that a consultation was being undertaken around the joining up of services for 0-19 years within children's centres, health and other partners to wrap around services.  It was noted that there was a need to ensure that focus was not lost on early years and that the overarching strategy would be monitored by the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board.

It was reported that the NHS Health Checks continued to be a mandatory service with widening access online and through workplaces to improve take up and to assist with the prevention of current risk factors to reduce NHS demand.

The Committee was advised that substance misuse continued to be a significant area of spend although there had been a shift in focus to a recovery orientated approach.  Initial information suggested this was proving successful.

Sakthi updated the Committee on the current review of contracts which was near completion with the new services contracted to commence from April.  In addition, preparations had been undertaken to understand the further reductions and how this would look in relation to services.  Sakthi confirmed that contracts could be stopped at short notice as a response to this.

Members were invited to raise questions and a summary from the discussions is set out below:

The subject of infant mortality (particularly smoking in pregnancy) was highlighted where it was shown that through the successful implementation of all resources and systems there had only been a 0.1% reduction.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

It was reported that on 7 December 2015 the Steering Group had met with officers from West Lancashire CCG regarding the procurement of community health services. A summary of the meeting was at Appendix A to the report now presented.

On 18 January 2016 the Steering Group had met with officers from the Commissioning Support Unit. A summary of the meeting was at Appendix B to the report now presented.

Resolved: That the report of the Steering Group 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.

Wendy Broadley, Scrutiny Officer reported that at the 26^th April meeting of the Committee, Paul Robinson would provide a presentation with further detail on the Better Care Fund.

Resolved:

  i.  That the work plan be noted

  ii.  The Chair requested that diabetes services to be added to the work plan for a future meeting of Steering Group

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.

There was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee will be held on Tuesday 26 April 2016 at 10.30am at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday 26 April 2016 at 10.30am at County Hall, Preston.