To receive updates from the Chairs of the Select Commission on work undertaken and planned for the future.
Minutes:
The Chair asked Councillor Kennan to provide a progress update on work by the Health Select Commission.
Councillor Kennan explained that the agenda for the Health Select Commission (HSC) would include the Annual Report from TRFT, which was the Rotherham Hospital, and they would also receive an introduction and overview from Healthwatch, Their work programme also included Place Partners ‘Winter Planning,’ Adult Social Care Update and the Director of Public Health Annual Report.
In addition to this the HSC were also looking at new ways of dealing with some of the other issues that had come up for consideration, such as Menopause and Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights. The Commission would be also working in a very dynamic way with Council’s partners such as Rotherham United Community Sports Trust and RDaSH.
It was hoped that HSC would undertake reviews as well as conducting workshops. In addition, the Commission would explore a new topic to its work programme ‘Veterans' Mental Health and GP Practices.’ Councillor Keenan informed Members that this had originated from the Armed Forces Covenant Working Group which involved collaborative work with the veterans from the Covenant Group and would be brought into the Commission. Another topic was Physical Activity for Health (Sport England).
Councillor Keenan noted that she has had incredible support from the Governance Officer who was supporting this Commission and allowed HSC to approach reviewing important topics in a unique way. She explained that instead of reviewing items scrutiny would be done in a more interactive way through workshops and other interactive methods.
Councillor Keenan noted that it was an exciting programme for the Commission over the next included variety of interesting topics including ‘Sleep Pathways’ which would be a forthcoming report. Councillor Keenan then offered an open invitation to Members for them to attend HSC meetings if they were interested in any of the areas discussed.
Councillor McKiernan then proceeded to discuss the work programme for Improving Places Commission (IPSC) but noted that due to the General Election there had been some delays with meetings which had been frustrating for its Commission members. However, they were looking forward to their future meetings and their new work programme.
Councillor McKiernan confirmed that the upcoming IPSC meeting in October, would focus on the ‘Section 19 Flood’, which he believed would be an interesting area. He mentioned that he would be inviting external partners that contributed to the report so they could be questioned as part of this review.
Councillor McKiernan acknowledged the significance of this topic as it was an area that affected the entire borough. However, he noted that this review would only focus on the areas highlighted within the report and asked Commission Members to suggest who they should invite to the meeting to discuss ‘Section 19 Flood’.
Councillor McKiernan then stated that the next item for the Commission would be ‘Flood Alleviation’ which had been delayed due to the ‘Section 19 Flood’ which needed earlier considered given its importance when there could be considerable flood-related work in the borough over the forthcoming months.
Additionally, Councillor McKiernan explained that while IPSC currently did not have any workshop-style sessions, he was exploring the possibility of turning some scheduled items into workshops and awaiting responses, which could lead some of the Commission’s planned becoming interactive sessions over the next year.
Resolved: - That the updates from the Chairs of the Select Commissions on work undertaken and planned for the future were noted.