There were no declarations of interest made by Members in accordance with the code of conduct.

The Committee will be asked to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2020.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2020.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

Ruth Harrell, Director of Public Health will provide an update on COVID-19.

·         Plymouth has responded to the lockdown and cases have fallen to 77 per 100,000.  The rate in older people was very low at 35 per 100,000 and suggests that older people were being well protected;

·         at the peak Derriford were seeing a large number of people that require hospital treatment.  Elective surgeries have been delayed as a result;

·         we have sadly lost 105 people due to COVID-19.

Questions from members related to:

·         whether care homes under were under pressure to take patients from Derriford hospital without a test result;

·         re-infection rates locally and nationally;

·         whether long covid was an issue for the south west?;

·         whether the rollout of vitamin D would help protect against Covid?.

Ruth Harrell also reported that:

·         the importance of the restrictions to keep the virus under control.

·         three sites for people to be tested Seaton, Guidhall and Marjons.  Testing rates were good in Plymouth.

Questions from members related to:

·         whether tests were available on demand and process for people to purchase tests?

·         whether the Christmas bubble was a good idea?

·         testing arrangements for students coming back into the city after the Christmas break?;

·         how the lonely elderly population access tests if they do not have access to transport?

Ruth Harrell also provided an update on vaccinations.  It was reported that:

·         approval today from HRHA on the Pfizer vaccination.  NHS England would be overseeing the vaccination programme.

Questions from members related to:

·         Would certain vaccines be targeted at certain groups?

·         Anti-vaxxers and would there be an issue with uptake?

·         Do we have enough workforce to administer the vaccination programme?

·         Whether there was an adverse reaction to the vaccination?;

Sarah Gooding (Policy and Intelligence Advisor) provide an update and it was reported on:

·         Tier two restrictions for Plymouth;

·         care home pilot and new guidelines on care home visiting.

The committee noted the policy brief update.

Tony Gravett MBE (Healthwatch) provided an update to the committee and highlighted:

·         The changes to Healthwatch since the 1 April 2020 and that they were working locally and jointly across the wider Devon;

·         Healthwatch Engagement Activities include:

•               Care Home Lay Visiting Programme ‘Something someone told me’;

•               Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE);

•               Outreach Programme (2 talks, 3 Events);

•               Local Engagement Programme – 30 visits to local Health Providers, Oasis Café, Life Centre, First Stop Shop, Rethink;

•               Face to Face engagement suspended on 12 March;

•               Transforming Community & Urgent Care services with Livewell SW;

•               Wider Devon Engagement around effects of COVID Lockdown;

•               Engagement in support of HWE requests;

•               Wider Devon engagement in support of NHSE, NHS Devon CCG & CQC.

·         Main concerns since covid:

·                     Contacting the practice by Telephone/Online Services

·                     Patient difficulties in using GP e-consult including the deaf community

·                     Poor/lack of communication between surgery and patient

·                     Staff attitudes (mainly receptionists)

·                     Inconsistency of services in delivering B12 or steroid injections for patients

Questions from members related to:

·         Dental health;

·         TVs at Derriford hospital;

·         Waiting times on the phone to a surgery?

The Committee noted the Healthwatch update and agreed to:

1.         seek a response from the hospital regarding TV’s.

2.         to write to NHS Devon CCG outlining the Committee’s concerns on GP services and variations between different practices.

Councillor Kate Taylor (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) and Anna Coles (Service Director for Integrated Commissioning) were present for this item and referred to the report in the agenda pack.  It was reported that:

·         the report outlines the current activity across the city to align the development of skills across the healthcare system and this was the progress to date;

·         the Proud to Care work in Plymouth was a primary focus;

·         the challenges were not just around recruitment but also around retention;

·         keen to encourage and promote apprenticeships in this area; 

·         workforce critical to the delivery of services. 

Questions from members related to:

·         the impact of Brexit on workforce from Europe;

·         whether there was an opportunity to have a local targeted event for the cohort that have lost their jobs in the retail/hospitality sector;

·         the lack of career progression within the health and social care sector and how to retain staff that have been invested in?

·         how bad has retention been and how many staff have we lost during this pandemic? 

·         how we reward and value care workers?

The Committee noted the Workforce Review update and agreed to write to the Secretary of State over concerns regarding the adult social care and to request a clear timetable and roadmap for reform of Adult Social Care.

Councillor Kate Taylor (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care), Craig McArdle (Strategic Director for People) and Helen Foote (Finance Business Partner) were present for this item and referred to the report in the agenda pack.  It was reported that:

·         the report outlines the significant impact Covid has had on adult social care and the wider impact on the local authority, additional provider payments, PPE and winter pressures;

·         The Cabinet Member gave thanks to Craig McArdle, Anna Coles and the team for their continued hard work.

Questions from members related to:

·         within the salaries and management costs what was included within the management costs?

·         were government grants included?

·         care packages budget stable?

The Committee to note the Adult Social Care Budget update.

(Councillors James, McDonald and Nicholson left the meeting to attend another meeting).

Rob Sowden (Senior Performance Advisor) was present for this item and referred to the report in the agenda pack.

The Committee noted the Performance Summary report.

The Committee noted the work programme and to invite the Education and Children’s Social Care Chair and Vice-chair to be invited to the January meeting for the Mental Health and CAMHS agenda item.