Agenda and draft minutes

The Evacuation Procedure was noted.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 31^st January 2024

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Board received an update relating to The Better Care Fund (BCF).

The update included: -

That the BCF had met all the national conditions set in place for quarter 3, some of which were to enable people to stay well, safe, and independent at home for longer. To provide the right care in the right place at the right time.

Some issues had been encountered around implementation due to staffing levels, but the issue had been resolved as of the meeting.

A section of the report highlighted that the target for the proportion of older people who were still at home 91 days after discharge from hospital into reablement / rehabilitation services. Members enquired about the reason for the target being missed, which Officers explained was in part due to the previous year’s success. The report showed that of the 208 clients discharged 182 (87.5%) remained at home after the 91 days, which was below the target but was still considered a positive outcome by members of the Board and Officers.

Members questioned Officers on the reasons for the missed target. Which Officers explained can be due to a number of reasons, with the age of the clients its can be common for other issues to arise in the 91 days following their discharge. Some conditions which clients are suffer from makes it difficult to prevent readmissions.

Members spoke of their own experiences of BCF programmes such as the virtual ward at home, which had been used across the Northeast and was seen as a example of good practice nationally.

RESOLVED the report be noted.

Officers gave the Board an update on the Domestic Abuse Steering Group, the presentation covered the Steering Groups strategic priorities as outlined in the Domestic Abuse Strategy 2022-28.

The following were the strategic priorities outlined in the presentation:

1.         Prevent Domestic Abuse

2.         Intervene Early

3.         Support & Protect Victims

4.         Stop Repeat Domestic Abuse

5.         Hold Perpetrators to Account and Prevent Harmful Behaviours

6.         Ensure Data and Intelligence are Smart and Shared

Also covered the presentation was the Bridging the Gap Report, which was a OPCC funded project which would seek to engage community groups already working with BME communities. It would help to identify the needs of BME communities. And would support communities to identify domestic abuse and promoted sources for help.

Work done to improve services & pathways for victims and perpetrators was also covered in the report. With links between Police and Homelessness team as perpetrators of abuse may present as homeless. This linked in with a Harbour worker to be placed in the Homelessness Team.

A workforce development programme had been developed by Harbour to provide basic and specialist training. This would be done through various levels of training level 1 or level 2 while Children and Domestic Abuse & Domestic Abuse and Trauma training being offered.

Two projects being delivered by Harbour for community awareness were the ‘Ask me’ project which would challenge myths and victim blaming. The other project would be the agreement to roll out the ‘Ask for Angela’ programme to libraries across the borough.

Officers highlighted the importance of work around Lived Experience, with recognition for the importance and benefit from working with those people with lived experience. Work would also be undertaken to learn from local and national expertise such as the Making it Real Board and the Office of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

The report asked Members of the Board the following:

•           Support to develop the outcomes framework. 

         Being smart with the use of data across the system to monitor progress.

•           Continue to support workforce development.

         Encourage and release of staff.

•           Continue to support improvement of collaborative working.

         Ease of access to joined up support.

         Shared intelligence

Key issues highlighted and discussed:

The impact of Cleveland having some of the highest levels of domestic abuse, and that around 9% of victims withdraw from Police investigations.  Officers stated that this and other subjects would be looked at in depth in the strategy workshop, alongside why victims of abuse were withdrawing from the investigations.

Members expressed their support for the work being done with those with Lived Experience and wanted to ensure that any strategy put in place was gender neutral. With no basis based on gender relating to victims, or the type of abuse such as physical, emotional, or financial.

RESOLVED the report be noted.

The Pharmacy Needs Update served to notify the Health & Wellbeing Board of the statutory review of the 2022 Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment had now commenced, and an updated PNA would be due to be published in October 2025.

The detail of the update was as follows:

Pharmacy Closures – Boots UK Ltd, 12 Wrightson House, Thornaby, TS17 9EP

Changes In Ownership – 31/1/24 The pharmacy trading as Pharmacy 365 ,161-162 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS18 1PL changed ownership to Bestway National Chemists Ltd trading as Well.

31/1/24 The pharmacy trading as Norchem, Queens Park Surgery, Farrer Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS18 2AW changed ownership to Bestway National Chemists Ltd trading as Well.

1/2/24 The pharmacy trading as Well, 70 Bishopton Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS18 2AJ changed ownership to Pyramid Pharma 7 Ltd trading as Stockton Pharmacy.

20/2/24 The pharmacy trading as Rowlands 106 Yarm Lane, Stockton on Tees, TS181YE changed ownership to Sharief Healthcare Limited trading as Allied Pharmacy Yarm Lane.

Changes to Pharmacy Opening Hours – On 25th May 2023 regulatory changes were made to allow existing 100-hour pharmacies to apply to reduce their hours to a minimum of 72 hours / week subject to certain restrictions.

There were 8, 100-hour pharmacies in Stockton on Tees. Since the change in regulations 6 of the 8 pharmacies have reduced their hours to between 72-90 hours / week. 2 of our 100 pharmacies remain open 100 hours / week.

An updated map has been produced and is included in the meeting agenda paperwork.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.

Following a recent Health & Wellbeing Workshop Officers thanked Members for their attendance and input.

Members expressed interest in being part of the proposed task and finish groups set out in the workshops. Officers would work with members going forward to form a flexible membership for the groups.

RESOLVED to note the discussion.

RESOLVED to note the Forward Plan.