Agenda and minutes

There were none.

• Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
• Other Interests

No interests were declared,

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 25 September 2024, be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED: The Committee noted the minutes from the previous meeting of the Staffordshire County Council’s Health & Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2024 - Staffordshire Observatory

This Joint Strategic Needs and Assets Assessment (JSNA) sets out current and future strategic health and care needs in Staffordshire to inform and guide strategy, commissioning and decision-making. It provided a strategic assessment of the population’s needs through a shared evidence base. The information would be refreshed on a quarterly basis and by January 2025, district profiles would be available at ward level.

The Officer filtered the information contained within the interactive dashboard specifically to the Staffordshire Moorlands and provided members with detailed statistical information on 4 main areas:-

1.     Population demographics

2.     Children and young people

3.     Working age adults

4.     Ageing well

In terms of the information around smoking, the Officer confirmed that the data was based on tabaco smoking and did not include vaping. The long-term effect of vaping was a concern and this was noted as a possible additional indicator to be incorporated in the JSNA.

Members discussed mental health, mobile screening units, reduced uptake of NHS Health checks and the implications this may have on life expectancy,

availability of extra care facilities, sexual health services in schools, sexual exploitation and teenage pregnancy prevention..

RESOLVED;

1)    That the JSNA be received and comments noted;

2)    For the source of the information for child poverty/deprivation and physically active people to be clarified after the meeting;

3)    Demand and availability of extra care facilities to be raised with the Commissioner at SCC by the Officer;

4)    For the Officer to provide further information on work carried out by the County Council in terms of sexual health and child exploitation.

The Committee would consider a report in the new year which set out proposals for a Local Strategic Partnership. It was suggested that a central meeting/hub at which key organisations met to review data, work collaboratively and set priorities locally was established.

Feedback was provided by a councillor that had attended a meeting of the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Leek and Biddulph Primary Care Network would be key to the Local Strategic Partnership.

Councillor Atkins advised that two public engagements events had been held in Leek in relation to the introduction of urgent treatment centres in Staffordshire.  It was felt that not enough time had been allocated to the question and answer section at the first session. The second session was more positively received as the order of business for the event had been amended.

During the public engagement event, the ICB informed attendees that there were currently no proposals to change the services available from Leek Minor Injuries Unit. Should there be any proposals, then public consultation would take place.

Certain criteria would be required for urgent treatment centres and some of these were not met by Leek MIU.

The ICB had been requested to travel from Leek to an urgent treatment centre with a wheelchair user to reinforce the need for a treatment centre in Leek.

A petition was available for signature to prevent the potential closure of Leek Minor Injuries Unit.

RESOLVED: That the update be noted.

·       Update on the performance of the West Midlands Ambulance Service

The Chair updated the Committee on the recent meeting of the Health & Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The performance of the WMAS had improved but it was felt that the level of service was still not at an acceptable level in the Moorlands.

Councillor Jones would make representation to the Chair of the Committee to receive quarterly updates from the WMAS.

The SCC Committee had also received reports in relation to the Defibrillators Inquiry, Public Health and Healthwatch. Cllr Parkes requested sight of the Healthwatch report considered at this meeting.

The positive work undertaken in terms of the maintenance of defibrillators by AEDdonate was noted.

A member referred to the use of defibrillators located on fire engines and was concerned about the safety of paramedics.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the feedback be received:

2)    For the Healthwatch report to be emailed to Councillor Parkes;

3)    For Councillor Jones to contact the Chair of the SCC Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in terms of access to defibrillators on fire engines and the safety of paramedics.

A member of the Committee requested for an item on local mental health services to be added to the Work Programme.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the Work Programme be noted.

2)    For actions outstanding from the meeting in July relating to autism services, average waiting times and alternative services since the closure of Kniveden be followed up.

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