Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no interests declared.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 20 May 2025.

Consideration was given to the minutes from the Committee meeting held on 20 May 2025.  Attention was drawn to the following:

·       North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust - Quality Account 2024-2025: Following the May 2025 meeting, the Committee’s statement of assurance for inclusion in the Trust’s published Quality Account 2024-2025 document was prepared and agreed – this was submitted to the Trust on 3 June 2025.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting on 20 May 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Consideration was given to the latest quarterly summary regarding Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections for services operating within the Borough (Appendix 1).  Six inspection reports were published during this period (January to March 2025 (inclusive)), with attention drawn to the following Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) contracted providers:

Providers rated ‘Good’ overall (2)

·       Mandale Care Home had been upgraded to ‘Good’ overall (though rated ‘Requires Improvement’ for the ‘Well-Led’ domain) from its previous ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement in February 2023 – this followed a similar focused inspection which saw ratings for only the ‘Safe’ and ‘Well-Led’ domains.  The latest assessment was undertaken to follow-up on past breaches of regulation, and it was found the service was driving improvement and all breaches of regulation were now met.  However, shortfalls were identified with records relating to the management of time-specific medicines; topical medicines, and medicines administered on a ‘when required’ basis.

Woodside Grange Care Home, meanwhile, maintained its overall ‘Good’ rating (deemed ‘Good’ across all five domains, with ‘Well-Led’ being upgraded from ‘Requires Improvement’) which it achieved following its previous inspection that was published in January 2021.

The remaining four reports were in relation to non-contracted providers.  For primary medical care services, Myton Park Dental Centre was deemed to be meeting all regulations across the five CQC domains, whilst Norton Medical Centre received an overall rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ (with the ‘Responsive’ domain being judged ‘Inadequate’), a downgrade on its overall rating of ‘Good’ following its previous inspection in 2022 which was published in January 2023 (prompting the Committee to invite the practice to the last meeting in May 2025 to respond to the CQCs findings and provide assurance on how it was addressing the concerns raised by the regulator).  The final two reports were in relation to hospital and community health services, with Butterwick Hospice Stockton being upgraded to ‘Good’ overall following its previous ‘Inadequate’ judgement in 2021, and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust – Mental Health Crisis Services & Health-Based Places of Safety retaining its overall ‘Good’ rating (though the ‘Well-Led’ domain was downgraded to ‘Requires Improvement’).

Focus turned to the section on Provider Assessment and Market Management Solutions (PAMMS) inspections (Appendix 2), of which there were 17 reports published during this period (January to March 2025 (inclusive)):

·       Victoria House Nursing Home, Hadrian Park, Stockton Lodge Care Home, Churchview Nursing and Residential Home, Highfield (Stockton), The Poplars Care Home, Wellburn House, Allison House, and Elton Hall Care Home all maintained an overall rating of ‘Good’ – the same grading all nine services achieved following their previous inspections.

·       The Beeches Care Home, Cherry Tree Care Centre, Mandale Care Home, Willow View Care Home, and Woodside Grange Care Home were all upgraded to ‘Good’ overall from their previous ‘Requires Improvement’ rating.

Given past issues highlighted to the Committee involving Willow View Care Home, the SBC Quality Assurance and Compliance (QuAC) Officer linked to that particular service was  ...  view the full minutes text for item ASCH/19/25

The Committee was presented with the PAMMS Annual Report (Care Homes) for 2024-2025.  Introduced by the SBC Quality Assurance and Compliance (QuAC) Manager, key content was relayed as follows:

·       The Provider Assessment and Market Management Solutions (PAMMS) is an online assessment tool developed in collaboration with Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) East and regional Local Authorities.  It was designed to assist users in assessing the quality of care delivered by providers.  The assessment was a requirement of the Framework Agreement (the ‘Contract’) with providers, and they were contractually obliged to engage with the process.

·       Due to SBCs contractual commitment to the Framework Agreement, priorities for 2024-2025 were focused on homes that had a place on the ‘Older Persons Residential Framework Agreement 2024-2029’.  Assessments were planned around priority of support / level of risk, taking into account factors including date and rating of last CQC / PAMMS assessment, outcomes from most recent CQC / PAMMS assessment report, other intelligence and data that increased the risk of service quality deterioration, and the number of PAMMS assessments that could be completed within current team resources.

·       A summary table of assessments for contracted care homes (covering nursing, residential, learning disabilities, and mental health) undertaken by the SBC Quality Assurance and Compliance (QuAC) Team throughout 2024-2025 showed that, of the 29 inspections carried out, one service (Park House Rest Home) was rated ‘Excellent’ overall, 22 services had received a ‘Good’ overall PAMMS rating, and six services had been graded ‘Requires Improvement’ overall.  None of the 16 learning disability-focused (14) or mental health-focused (2) services were assessed during 2024-2025.

Overall ratings following assessments published during both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 were also included for comparison.  2024-2025 had seen a general improvement in ratings when set against the outcomes of inspections from the previous two years (2022-2023 results showed 14 services rated ‘Good’, and 14 receiving a ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement).  Accompanying graphs illustrated ratings levels for 2022-2025 across services with a nursing, residential, learning disability, and mental health focus.

·       Key themes from assessments that scored an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ rating were listed, most of which echoed the content of previous Annual Reports – these included highly detailed and well-structured care plans, evidence of thorough and consistent monthly audits across all service areas, the operation of a robust Key Worker system, the safe and effective management of medication, strong recruitment procedures, the promotion of choice and independence, the quality and choice of resident meals, positive feedback from residents and their families, and a diverse and engaging programme of activities (tailored to meet individual and group needs).

·       Key themes arising from those assessments that scored ‘Requires Improvement’ were outlined, again reflecting those highlighted in previous Annual Reports.  However, the two overriding areas which impacted upon the quality of provision were the quality of management, and the management of medicines.  Whilst a range of other shortfalls continued to present issues (e.g. lack of person-centred detail in care plans, lack of / insufficient management audits  ...  view the full minutes text for item ASCH/20/25

Consideration was given to the latest Regional Health Scrutiny Update report which summarised the work of regional health scrutiny committees and highlighted some recent health-related developments impacting on the Tees Valley and / or wider North East and North Cumbria footprint.  Attention was drawn to the following:

·       Tees Valley Joint Health Scrutiny Committee: As part of the previously agreed rotational arrangements, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council was hosting the Committee in 2025-2026.  The first meeting of the new municipal year was held on 8 May 2025 and focused on the Quality Accounts of both North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (NTHFT) and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (STHFT).  Following the meeting, the Committee agreed its third-party statements for inclusion in the two Trusts’ final published Quality Account documents.

The next Committee meeting was scheduled for 17 July 2025 – anticipated agenda items included updates on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Tees Respite Care / Adult Learning Disability from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV), an NHS Dentistry update from NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB), and a joint Community Mental Health Transformation update from NENC ICB / TEWV.  Separately, a Committee visit to the new Community Diagnostic Centre in Stockton was also being considered.

·       Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) / Integrated Care System (ICS) Joint Health Scrutiny Committee: No further developments regarding this Joint Committee since the previous update in April 2025.  In related matters, regional developments highlighted included the ongoing promotion of the NHS ‘Be wise, immunise’ campaign to vaccinate high-risk people against COVID-19, and the NENC ICB ‘Here to help you’ webpage providing information on choosing the right NHS service for an individuals’ needs.  Attention was also drawn to a ‘think pharmacy first’ article, the new NENC ICB medicines strategy, and a warning on the risks of using weight loss medicines bought from private clinics or online.  More locally, some recent NTHFT-related news items were also noted.

AGREED that the Regional Health Scrutiny Update report be noted.

CHAIR’S UPDATE

The Chair had no further updates.

WORK PROGRAMME 2025-2026

Consideration was given to the Committee’s current work programme.  The next meeting was due to take place on 22 July 2025 where the draft scope and plan for the Committee’s next in-depth review of the local Adult Carers Support Service would be presented for approval.  Other items were still to be confirmed, though the SBC Director of Public Health – Annual Report 2024-2025 would now not be considered until the September 2025 meeting at the earliest.

In other work programme matters, no further information had yet been provided in relation to the paused Reablement Service review, and an approach had been received by SBC officers regarding a forthcoming item on the SBC Adult Social Care Strategy refresh (discussions were ongoing about bringing this to the most appropriate meeting).  The Committee also noted that it had received a presentation on the Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone this time last year and agreed that an update on developments was required.

With reference to the minutes of the last Committee meeting in May 2025, Members were reminded of the offer from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (NTHFT) for the Committee to visit its discharge hub – it was agreed to accept this invitation.

AGREED that:

1)    the Chair’s Update and Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee Work Programme 2025-2026 be noted.

2)    relevant officers be contacted for an update on the Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone at a forthcoming Committee meeting.

3)    a Committee visit to the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust discharge hub be scheduled.