Agenda and minutes

Councillor Hoptroff was substitute member for Councillor Salt.

Discussion took place around the remit of the Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel and the Code of Joint Working with Staffordshire County Council.

DECIDED:

1)    That the minutes from the previous meeting held on 14 December 2022 be approved

2)    For the Code of Joint Working to be reviewed at the next meeting of the Panel.

There were none.

·         Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

·         Other Interests

None were declared.

DECIDED:

The Panel noted the minutes of the last meeting of the SCC Health & Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(At least two clear days notice required, in writing, to the Proper Officer in accordance with Procedure Rule 15).

Q1. Received from Cllr Salt:

“Biddulph wishes to develop a Mental Health / Neurodiverse Friendly town. Is there any funding (especially as SMDC has a role overseeing health and wellbeing and Biddulph Town Council does not) that may help support Biddulph Town Council with this initiative?”

Response from the Portfolio Holder for Communities:

“This appears to be a very interesting initiative and something that I believe the District Council would wish to support. This Panel can play an important role in influencing the policies and decisions made by those organisations with responsibility for mental health and neurodiversity. Whilst the Panel does not control any budgets, it can request attendance by those service providers that could potentially assist Biddulph to achieve its aims. With this in mind, I would encourage Cllr Salt – and any other Panel Members – to bring forward any suggestions for the work of this Panel that would assist in the development of the initiative. This would also be a very useful way of ensuring that other parts of the district also benefit from the learning in Biddulph if they wish to take forward similar approaches.

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust is the leading provider of mental health services in our District, and they also have responsibility for social care, learning disability and substance misuse services. They are the main budget holders for such services with funding primarily coming from NHS England and the Staffordshire and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, which replaced the North Staffs CCG and the other Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups in the middle of 2022. If Biddulph Town Council haven’t already approached the Trust, then I suggest that it would be appropriate for them to have those discussions to see if any funding is available via that route.

If there are specific, planned activities that relate to the District Council’s functions which can support Biddulph’s initiative then I would encourage Cllr Salt and the Town Council to highlight these to District Council Officers, who will look at what support can be provided.”

As Councillor Salt wasn’t present at the meeting, any supplementary questions could be submitted by email.

Any additional items to be added to the Work Programme:-

i)          Chairman’s items;

ii)         Members items;

DECIDED:

That the Work Programme be agreed, subject to, the removal of the Community First Response item and inclusion of an item on the future of the whole of Leek Moorlands Hospital.

The Panel gave consideration to a presentation which covered the following topics:

·       Vision and objectives

·       Introduction

·       National research and evidence

·       Those most at risk

·       Health and wellbeing impacts

·       Loneliness in Staffordshire

·       Age UK Heatmap

·       Lonely places or lonely people

·       Advice

·       Impact of Covid-19

·       Groups, organisations and projects

·       Consultation and outcome

·       Guiding principles for tackling loneliness

·       Promising Approaches Framework

·       Reduction Plan development

·       Next steps to achieve the vision and objectives

Members debated the lack of public transport in the area, cost of living and the impact this had on younger people or those with learning disabilities being able to socialise. Useful information could be obtained from Young Carers  and working in partnership with town/parish councils.

The Chair thanked the Officer for the informative presentation and members would be contacted to assist further with the Loneliness Reduction Plan.

DECIDED:

That the presentation be received.