The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 introduced a requirement for Local Safeguarding Children Boards to produce and publish annual reports on the effectiveness of safeguarding in the local area.  The Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board is asked to consider the 2011-12 Annual Report of the Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board and to demonstrate how it intends to respond to the issues raised.

The Board considered an overview of the 2011-12 Annual Report of the Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board. The Independent Chair of the Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board gave a presentation which is attached at Appendix A.

The Board assured the Independent Chair that safeguarding children was a priority of the Board and partners were working to ensure processes were in place to deliver this. In line with this, the Safeguarding Children Board should bring any issues to the Board that it felt necessary to do so. 

In the meantime, it was noted that the five priorities of the Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board Business Plan 2012-13 were as follows:-

·        Early signs and intervention in respect of physical, emotional and neglect

·        Domestic abuse

·        Child sexual abuse and child sexual abuse through exploitation

·        Develop the board

·        Implementing the recommendations from Munro Review, Ofsted, CQC/IST & HMIP Inspections

RESOLVED

that the Annual Report setting out the priorities for safeguarding in 2012-13 year and the proposed areas of focus for the Safeguarding Board contained in Section 7 of the Annual Report, be noted.

To receive a report for discussion.

The Board  was informed that a Joint Strategic Commissioning Group had been established to support it to promote explore opportunities for integration and joint working and build on existing partnership arrangements such as the Children’s Trust and the Healthier Communities and Older Peoples Partnership.

The Board noted the draft Terms of Reference for the Joint Strategic Commissioning Group and that a workshop to further explore the opportunities was planned, once key staff had been recruited to the CCG in particular. Further proposals would then be brought to the Board.

Clarification was sought on the Local Authority Strategy being produced by the emerging Commissioning Support Unit (GEM).  It was noted that the  (GEM) intends to produce a Local Authority Strategy to support their collaboration with Councils.  It was noted that CBC and the BCCG should consider how best to deliver best value for money and cost effectiveness through collaboration with each other in the meantime.

RESOLVED

1.      that the Opportunities for collaboration in Central Bedfordshire to deliver better outcomes for residents report, which identified key opportunities to collaborate to deliver better outcomes for people across the health and social care agenda, be noted;

1.      that the establishment of the Joint Strategic Commissioning Group to facilitate the joint working of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, be welcomed.

To receive a presentation on the emerging models for the reconfiguration of Acute Services and plans for consultation.

The Board received a presentation which provided an update on the Healthier Together Programme and described some of the emerging models. 

The Healthier Together Programme was a clinician led to process to identify the options for improved health services and a long term future for Bedford, Kettering, Luton, Milton Keynes and Northampton Hospitals.

It was noted that a public consultation on the proposed models and implications for each of the five sites would be carried out by January 2013. 

The Chief Operating Officer confirmed that updates were regularly posted on Twitter and that there was a comprehensive plan for community engagement.  The Board noted that it would be approximately five years before the plans would be fully implemented. 

RESOLVED

that the presentation be noted.

To receive an update from the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Board considered a report which detailed the progress of the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group in seeking authorisation to become a  commissioning NHS body.

The Chair of the BCCG confirmed that the NHS Commissioning Board would be conducting a site visit on 18 September 2012.  At this time the BCCG and relevant partners would be interviewed by the NHS Commissioning Board to determine if the BCCG should be authorised to be a statutory body from 31 October 2012.

Dr Jane Halpin, Chief Executive for two Hertfordshire PCTs has been appointed as the Local Area Director.

Paragraph 12 of the report highlighted achievements by the BCCG including:-

·        The Food First Project, commissioned by Beds CCG, won an award at the HSJ Patient Safety and Care Integration Awards.

·        The Health & Wellbeing Team, commissioned by Beds CCG, was nominated for the Cardiac Care award at the HSJ Care Integration Awards 2012.  One of four teams shortlisted.

·        The Quality, Innovation Productivity and Prevention Scheme aims to raise the bar for GP services in Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

·        The Primary Care Development Manager role had been recruited to.

·        A dedicated Acute Quality Manager was being recruited.

RESOLVED

that the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Progress Report, be noted.

To receive the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Communications and Engagement Strategy.

The Board considered a report which detailed the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s (BCCG) communication and engagement strategy in support of its three year integrated commissioning plan.

The three main aims of the strategy were:

(i)           To establish the BCCG as the leader for NHS commissioning in Bedfordshire and promote system-wide partnership working.

(ii)         To support the successful delivery of BCCG’s vision and strategic operating plan for 2012/13, through embedding public and patient engagement (PPE) in the CCG’s business and culture.

(iii)       To support, through effective and meaningful communications and engagement, the CCG to achieve full authorisation as a statutory NHS body.

It was noted that the LINk has been involved with the BCCG since very early in the process.  In addition, the BCCG was in the process of appointing two lay persons to its governing body, one of whom was a patient representative.

Lastly it was noted that the membership scheme had been launched and currently had 200 members.

RESOLVED

that the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Communications and Engagement Strategy, be noted.

To receive an  update on national developments on Health and Wellbeing Boards.

The Board received a presentation from the Head of Learning Network for Health and Wellbeing Boards, Department of Health which provided an overview of what made a successful Health and Wellbeing Board and what help the Department of Health was providing during the Shadow period.  A copy of the presentation is attached at Appendix B.

RESOLVED

that the presentation be noted.

The LINk report is an update on the work items in progress or issues that have come to light over the course of the year.

The Board considered a report from the Chairman of Central Bedfordshire LINk on current LINk activity and findings as part of the LINk legacy, visits to care/nursing homes in Central Bedfordshire and feedback from visits to Bedford Hospital.

It was noted that LINk had been part of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee Task Force looking into  hospital discharge and also working on the community hospital beds review.

RESOLVED

that the update on LINk work and progress to date , be noted.

To present an updated work programme of items for the Health

and Well Being Board for 2012 -2013.

The Board considered a report from the Chief Executive, Central Bedfordshire Council that set out a drafted work programme for 2012 – 2013 for the Board.  The Board acknowledged that a new item would be added to a future agenda, following discussion on Opportunities for Collaboration in Central Bedfordshire.  In addition the outcome of the community bed review will also be considered at the 8 November meeting.

In addition, it was agreed that each of the strategic priorities contained within the Health and Wellbeing Strategy would be included in the Work programme for future meetings .

RESOLVED

that the work programme for the Shadow Health and Wellbeing board be approved.

Members of the public have the opportunity to ask questions or make statements for up to 15 minutes, at the Chairman’s discretion.

A resident of Central Bedfordshire, Mr Hunt spoke to the Board on two separate concerns:-

(a)   He had expected the Board would have received an update on the projects being completed prior to the BCCG being authorised. 

(b)   The relative services being commissioned to serve Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough. 

Responses were provided to these issues.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman advised the Board that a regional simulation event had been held, by the LGA on behalf of the Department of Health, on 4 September 2012.  The simulation was to demonstrate how partnership working could be utilised to deal with service delivery. 

The Chairman advised that a briefing note would be circulated for all Health and Wellbeing Board members who had not been able to attend.

The Director of Social Care, Health and Housing and the Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing confirmed the difficulties which would be faced by the Board over the years to come.  The main difficulty would be ‘putting aside the day job’ to ensure the Board makes the correct decisions for joint working.  In addition, it demonstrated how the members of Boards would have to work together to deliver potentially unpopular decisions.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the last meeting held on 5 July 2012 and note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED

that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 5 July 2012 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.