Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

There were no members of the press and public present at the meeting.

Further to Minute No. 40 of 7^th October, 2011, the Policy and Scrutiny Officer, reported on the considerable amount of work that had been undertaken on the findings and recommendations from the Scrutiny Review.

Following consultation with Adult Services, it was understood that further developments had taken place in relation to the Review’s recommendations.  It was, therefore, proposed that a further report be submitted to the Panel’s March meeting setting out details of what work had taken place and to approve the final Scrutiny Review report.

Resolved:-  That a further report be submitted to this Panel’s March meeting.

The Policy and Scrutiny Officer reported on the Health and Social Care Bill, introduced into Parliament on 19^th January, 2011.  The Bill took forward the areas of Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS (July 2010) and the subsequent Government response Liberating the NHS: Legislative Framework and Next Steps (December 2010) which required primary Legislation.

It was part of the Government’s vision to modernise the NHS so that it was built around patients, led by health professionals and focussed on delivering world class healthcare outcomes.  It also included provision to strengthen public health services and reform the Department’s arms length bodies.

The Bill contained provisions covering 5 themes:-

-        Strengthening commissioning of NHS services

-        Increasing democratic accountability and public voice

-        Liberating provision of NHS services

-        Strengthening public health services

-        Reforming health and care arms length bodies

The report also set out a summary of the bill proposals listed by Section:-

Section 8        Duties as to improvement of Public Health

Section 13      Other services etc. provided as part of the Health Service

Section 14      Regulations as to the exercise by local authorities of certain Public Health functions

Section 18      Exercise of Public Health Functions of the Secretary of State

Section 19      The NHS Commissioning Board: further provision

Section 22      Commissioning Consortia: general duties etc.

Section 25      Other Health Service functions of local authorities under the 2006 Act

Section 26      Appointment of Directors of Public Health

Section 27      Exercise of Public Health functions of local authorities

Section 42      Charges in respect of certain Public Health functions

Section 50      Co-operation with bodies exercising functions in relation to Public Health

Section 167   Establishment and constitution

Section 170   Independent Advocacy Services

Section 176   Joint Strategic Needs Assessments

Section 177   Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies

Section 178   Establishment of Health and Wellbeing Boards

Section 179   Duty to encourage integrated working

Section 180   Other functions of Health and Wellbeing Boards

Section 182   Discharge of functions of Health and Wellbeing Boards

Section 183   Supply of information to Health and wellbeing Boards

Section 190   Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments

From April, 2013, Public Health England would allocate ringfenced budgets, weighted for inequalities, to upper tier and unitary authorities in local government.  Shadow allocations would be issued to local authorities in 2012/13 providing an opportunity for planning.  Building on the baseline allocation, local authorities would receive an incentive payment, or ‘health premium’, that would depend on the progress made in improving the health of the local population and reducing health inequalities based on elements of the Public Health Outcomes Framework.  The premium would be simple and driven by a formula developed with key partners, representatives of local government, public health experts and academics.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified by the Policy and Scrutiny Officer and Director of Public Health:-

-        The Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) would be set up by the local authority and would be a statutory board.  There would be a minimum membership including 1 nominated Councillor, Director of Adult  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

Further to Minute No. 62 of December, 2010, the Policy and Scrutiny Officer submitted the key proposals and consultation questions which the Government were seeking views on by 31^st March, 2011.

The proposals included:-

-        Establishing a new body – Public Health England – within the Department of Health to protect and improve the public’s health

-        Responsibility for Public Health would transfer to local Councils from 2013  Directors of Public Health would be jointly appointed by the local authority

-        Public Health England and work within the local authority

-        Establishing Health and Wellbeing Boards to decide upon local public health priorities

-        Using a ‘ladder of interventions’ to determine what action needed to be taken to address different public health needs

-        Funding for public health work would be ringfenced and areas with the poorest health would receive extra funding

-        Commissioning of public health activity would be the responsibility of Public Health England through directly commissioning certain services directly, asking the NHS Commissioning Board to commission Public Health Services and the provision of the ringfenced budgets for public health to local authorities

-        GPs, community pharmacies and dentists would be expected to play a bigger role in preventing ill health

-        A new Outcomes Framework would be produced against which progress on key public health issues would be measured

A powerpoint presentation was given to help the Panel in their deliberations as follows:-

·        Government was consulting on the Public Health White Paper

·        Deadline for which was 31st March, 2011

·        Follows consultation which has already taken place on the NHS White Paper – which RMBC responded to

·        3 parts to consultation:

• Consultation questions referring to main white paper
• 2 supporting documents:

–        Commissioning and Funding for Public Health

–        New Public Health Outcomes Framework

·        Consultation Questions

§         The Department. of Health would work to strengthen the Public Health role of GPs by:

–        Public Health England (PHE) and NHSCB to work together to encourage GPs in their Public Health role

–        Incentives and drivers for GP-led activity concerning Public Health

–        PHE to strengthen the focus of Public Health issues in the education and training of GPs

Question a:  Are there additional ways in which we can ensure that GPs and GP practices will continue to play a key role in areas for which Public Health England will take responsibility?

§         PHE will promote information-led PH interventions

§         PHE will draw together existing complex information and intelligence performed by multiple organisations into a coherent form for ease of access

§         The National Institute of Health Research will continue to take responsibility for PH research on behalf of DH

Question b: What are the best opportunities to develop and enhance the availability, accessibility and utility of Public Health information and intelligence?

Question c: How can Public Health England address current gaps such as using the insights of behavioural science, tackling wider determinants of health, achieving cost effectiveness and tackling inequalities?

Question d: What can wider partners nationally and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

- minutes of meeting held on 6^th January, 2011.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Adult Services and Health Scrutiny Panel held on 6^th January, 2011, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair with the additional apology of Russell Wells

-          22^nd December, 2010.  (copy attached)

-          17^th January, 2011.  (copy attached)

Resolved:- That the minutes of the Cabinet Member for Adult Independence Health and Wellbeing held on 22nd December and 17^th January, 2011, be noted and received.