Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 September 2023 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved:

That the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 September 2023 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

The Chair confirmed that no questions had been submitted.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

The Chair confirmed that there was no reason to exclude members of the public or press observing the discussion of any item of business on the agenda.

To consider an overview of the Rotherham Place Winter Plan.

Consideration was given to a presentation on the Rotherham Place Winter Plan. The Plan had been developed based on learning from previous years and consideration had been given as to how to apply that learning to the coming year. It had been developed with partners, namely the NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Voluntary Action Rotherham and Connect Healthcare Rotherham CIC. Approval and assurance had been given through the Urgent Emergency Care (UEC) Board in September 2023 and taken through UEC Alliance, Place Leadership Board to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The presentation provided a summary of learning. This included key themes such as key pressure points; winter came early; and the impact of industrial action and cost of living. The summary also included a list of things that had worked well such as utilising a whole system approach strong partnership working; targeted schemes; additional senior management support at key pressure points; and the acute escalation framework and command centre. Challenges included short term funding/recruitment challenges; unprecedented pressures in November/December 2022; pressure on beds; barriers to timely discharge and decision making and communication challenges.

The strategy going forward was to look at national funding 2023-25 which would enable longer term planning; starting winter schemes prior to Christmas; targeting key themes (access to primary care; alternative pathways to UECC and new ways of working); getting the right size bed base and reviewing escalation framework.

The presentation gave more details on the year in primary care; in alternative pathways to the emergency department; in the acute hospital; in discharge; in mental health; for children and young people; and for  improved cross system communication and decision making. The next steps were to hold a Place workshop to scenario test plans; continue to plan for industrial action; complete outstanding recruitment and launch schemes.

Cllr Roche – Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Steph Watt – Joint Head of Adult Commissioning for Rotherham Place, Claire Smith – Deputy Place Director, Kirsty Littlewood – Assistant Director, Adult Care and Integration and Ben Anderson – Director Public Health gave the presentation to the Commission and provided further detail on the information provided.

In discussions, Members sought clarification on what measures were specifically time limited to winter and whether those could be identified. They also queried whether Rothercare would have the capacity to handle any extra work that would be put on them as a result of the Plan. Councillor Roche explained that he was content and assured that Rothercare were ready as the pressures at the same time in the previous year where much greater than what was expected for the current year. It was felt that primary care access could be better but, at the same time, it was better than the three surrounding Councils. Councillor Roche confirmed that Rothercare was being reviewed and a report would be presented to Cabinet to look at how the service could be improved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

To consider and endorse an updated outline schedule of scrutiny work for the 2023/24 municipal year.

Consideration was given to an updated outline schedule of scrutiny work for the remainder of the municipal year 2023-24. In introducing the programme, the Chair explained that the CAHMS report should have been on the agenda for the current meeting, but a deferment had been requested at very short notice. The Chair requested that, in future, partners inform the Commission in a timely manner if they are unable to present a schedule item. This would then allow for other items to be brought forward and enable. The Chair confirmed that she would write to partners stressing the importance of providing advanced notice and to look for solutions to ensure full agendas.

There were discussions regarding what could fill the gaps on the agenda and the differences between ICP and ICB. Councillor Roche confirmed that a summary of what the different partnerships/boards did and how they were constituted could be provided.

It was confirmed that the CAHMS report would be rescheduled for the meeting to be held on 25 January 2024. It was also confirmed that Katherine and Councillor Wilson would be attending the dental stakeholder event on behalf of the Health Select Commission and would circulate the recommendations about oral health work to those who participated in the spotlight review.

The Chair praised the annual report workshop that had been held in the week prior to the meeting. There was a very comprehensive overview of what the hospital was going and the various initiatives. A write up of the workshop would be distributed before the next Health Select Commission meeting.

An update was provided in relation to the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee which was the regional health committee that the Chair and Vice Chair took turns in attending. The last meeting had discussed the NHS five-year plan and had been informative.

The social prescribing workshop and suicide prevention workshop discussed in previous meetings would be arranged for spring 2024.

Resolved:

1.    That the outline work programme be noted.

2.    That the Governance Advisor be authorised to make changes to the work programme in consultation with the Chair/Vice Chair and reporting any such changes back at the next meeting for endorsement.

To consider any item(s) which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business that required considerations at the meeting.

The next meeting of the Health Select Commission will be held on 25 January, 2024, commencing at 5pm in Rotherham Town Hall. 

The next meeting would take place on 25 January 2024, commencing at 5pm in Rotherham Town Hall.