Agenda and minutes

Resolved that:-

The minutes of the meeting of the 31^st May were agreed as a correct record with the exception of Mrs. Gillian Jordan being noted as present and not Councillor Gillian Jordan as printed.

Apologies for absence were received from Dr Sue Sumners. Dr Philippa Curran attended as substitute.  

The Chairman noted that having been appointed as Acting Borough Director for NHS Barnet, Ceri Jacob’s role as a Board member would now be as a replacement for the previous Borough Director Alison Blair. The Chair welcomed to the Board, Mathew Kendall, who replaced Ms Jacob as Acting Associate Director, Joint Commissioning London Borough of Barnet/NHS North Central London.

None.

David Riddle, NHS Barnet Vice-Chair, presented a report providing updates on assessments of quality and safety in health services in Barnet and North central London.

Mr Riddle drew the Board’s attention to paragraphs 1.4 and 1.6 of the report regarding issues of clinical quality and dementia care pathways. Mr Riddle also noted paragraphs 3.7 and 5.2 in relation to the Royal Free Hospital’s performance on the East Midlands Quality Observatory (EMQO)[1] and a poor performance across NCL in terms of an uptake in bowel cancer screening.

The Board discussed the issue of clinical practice linked to care homes. The Board noted the importance of soft intelligence in primary care and the need to have robust mechanisms for reviewing practice.

The Board discussed the importance of putting in place appropriate governance arrangements for shared ICT platforms.

Director of Adult Social Care/Interim Director of Children’s Services informed the Board that the next Financial Planning Sub-Group would consider proposals for bringing together a joint specification for quality in care homes.

The Board commented on the occurrence of C. Difficile at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals with Mr Riddle stating that it was difficult to ascertain the origins of the infections.

Gillian Jordan, Barnet LINK Representative, stated that through Barnet LINKs enter and view visits they were in a position to pick up soft data in relation to care provision and would report any issues arising.

Resolved that:-

·   The Board notes the report

·   The Financial Planning Sub-group consider proposals for bringing together a joint specification for quality in care homes.

·   Issues of accountability be taken as an item at the January meeting of the Health and Well-being Board

The Deputy Director of Adult Social Care and Health presented the Barnet Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2011-12. The Deputy Director provided an overview of the Board’s safeguarding responsibilities, progress on work undertaken during the year and future challenges including reference to safeguarding issues related to pressure ulcers, safeguarding referrals, and a reduction in the numbers of reported cases of financial abuse. 

The Deputy Director presented the Health and Well-being Board with copies of a presentation outlining the key points of Caring for Our Future the Government White Paper for consideration alongside the Annual Report.

The Chairman enquired as to the possibility of having an Acute Liaison Nurse – similar to those provided at both Barnet Hospital and The Royal Free – to help people with Learning Disabilities to be available at Edgware Community Hospital and the new Finchley Memorial Hospital.  Board members agreed that this was something that could be taken away from the Meeting for further consideration.

Resolved that –

1. The Board notes the report.
2. Consideration be given to having an acute liaison nurse for people with learning disabilities available at Edgware Community Hospital and the new Finchley Memorial Hospital

The Director of Adult Social Care/Interim Director of Children’s Services introduced the draft Annual Report of the Barnet Safeguarding Children Board. The draft report provided an overview of the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements in Barnet and included an assessment of the performance of the council and partners in providing outcomes for children.

The Director commented upon the recent Ofsted inspection which had returned positive results and outlined for the Board the recommendations made by Ofsted including the timelines for implementation. The Director noted the work undertaken by the council with the Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust around the establishment of a framework for working with parents of children, the planned establishment of a multi-agency safeguarding hub by the end of the calendar year, and the publication of a new inspection framework for safeguarding children by Ofsted.

Councillor Harper commented on the Annual Report noting the role of the Chairman of the Safeguarding Board in driving forward work among partner agencies.

The Chairman asked whether the named doctor for Looked After Children as requested by Ofsted was now in place and requested that NHS NCL now progress this appointment as quickly as possible

The Director reported an extra round of savings of £17 million between 2014 and 2017 that the Board would need to be conscious of in the planning and implementation of safeguarding across all partners. The Director extended an invitation to NHS partners to participate in the council’s annual safeguarding month.

Resolved that –

The Board notes the Annual Report

The Director of Adult Social Care/Interim Director of Children’s Services provided the Board with an overview of the last meeting of the Financial Planning Subgroup noting the importance of having a representative of the CCG work with the Subgroup particularly in relation to the meeting scheduled for the 13^th August.

Resolved that –

The Board notes the minutes of the Financial Planning Sub-group.

The Acting Borough Director for NHS Barnet presented a report setting out the draft Integrated Commissioning Plan which along with the Integrated Prevention Plan would form the basis for the delivery of the Joint Health and Well-being Strategy.

The Board commented upon the importance of establishing governance structures around the integrated commissioning work as well as the challenges faced in the development of integrated information systems that would facilitate integrated service delivery across multiple providers.

The Board were advised that the final plan would come back to the board in October.

Councillor Harper noted in relation to the funding of children’s services as set out in appendix three of the plan that work was being undertaken around early intervention and the Troubled Families Programme which targeted funding at intensive specialist support.

Resolved that –

The Board notes the report

Report to follow at future Board meeting.

Gillian Jordan, the Barnet LINK representative along with Yessica Alvarez- Manzano, the Head of Engagement andBarnet LINK Manager, advised the Board that the LINK Annual Report was not yet finalised and would be presented to a future meeting of the Board. Ms Jordan provided the Board with a verbal overview of the LINK’s work for the financial year 2011/12.

The Director of Adult Social Care/Interim Director of Children’s Services commented on the importance of the Annual Report, when published, being noted by the NCL Board, health and Well-being Board and the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved that –

The Board notes the comments of the LINK representative.

The Council’s Strategic Policy Adviser presented a report setting out the draft specification for the commissioning of Barnet Healthwatch.

The Board commented upon the need for appropriate consideration of the need to engage with the Borough’s diverse communities, the need to be more prescriptive about the role of non-salaried staff in the governance structure, the need to ensure a robust specification for working with NCL in relation to the PALS service and also the short timescales involved in having the Healthwatch commissioned and in place by April 2013.

Resolved that –

1. The Board notes the report
2. That key principles of the specification should include the need to engage with diverse communities and demonstrate a capacity to incorporate local knowledge to build upon the legacy of the LINK

The Director of Adult Social Care and Health/Interim Director of Children’s Services noted the need to add the sign off of the Health and Well-being Strategy to the agenda for the October meeting along with the Integrated Prevention Plan and Commissioning Plan, an update on the progress made by Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust work towards attaining Foundation Trust status.

The Board also noted that the meeting on the 4^th October would be taking place in the afternoon to accommodate a meeting of the CCG.

Resolved that –

The Board Notes the Forward Work Programme