Agenda and minutes

In the event the fire alarm sounds attendees will be advised to evacuate the building via the nearest fire exit and assemble at the Bottle of Notes opposite MIMA.

The Chair welcomed all present to the meeting and read out the Building Evacuation Procedure.

There were no declarations of interest made at this point in the meeting.

The Integrated Care Board’s Director of Delivery will be in attendance to present an introduction to the ICB, areas of focus and priority outcomes.

The Heads of Service for Middlesbrough Council’s Adult Social Care and Public Health will also be in attendance to provide Members with an overview of the services provided across their Directorates, and to highlight the strategic achievements and priorities for the coming year.

Recommendation: that the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel notes the information provided and considers the information when formulating its Work Programme at the next meeting.

The Chair welcomed the following service area representatives to the meeting:

·        Sarah Disbury, Head of Specialist and Lifelong Services – Adult Social Care.

·        Suzanne Hodge, Head of Prevention, Provider and Support Services – Adult Social Care.

·        Ruth Musicka, Head of Access and Safeguarding – Adult Social Care.

·        Rebecca Scott, Public Health Principal – Public Health.

The representatives were in attendance to provide the Panel with an overview of the services provided across their Directorates, and to highlight the strategic and departmental priorities for the coming year.

The Chair also welcomed Martin Short, Director of Delivery for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to the meeting, who had been invited to provide the Panel with an overview of the Tees Valley health landscape; key health issues, challenges and opportunities; and matters for Members to note over the next twelve months.

Each of the representatives delivered, in-turn, a presentation to Members.

Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The Director of Delivery provided an overview of the ICB’s Context for 2025/26, Integrated Care Strategy, Joint forward Plan 2023-2028, Local Place Based Plans and Neighbourhood Health.

Attention was drawn to Lord Darzi’s report on the state of the National Health Service in England, alongside the Government’s upcoming 10-Year Health Plan for England, which was scheduled for publication on 3 July 2025.   The Government’s health mission was discussed, including its priorities of preventative care, digital transformation and addressing health inequalities. 

Members were advised that NHS England was being integrated into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and ICBs were to reduce their running costs. It was noted that these significant and ambitious changes would have an impact on service delivery.

The Integrated Care System’s (ICS’s) Integrated Care Strategy was presented, with the following priorities delivered to the Panel:

·        Longer and Healthier Lives.  Reducing the gap between how long people lived in the North East and North Cumbria, compared to the rest of England.

·        Fairer Outcomes.  Not everyone had the same opportunities to be healthy because of where they lived, their income, education and employment.

·        Better Health and Care Services.  Not just high-quality services but the same quality no matter where people lived and who they were.

·        Giving our children the best start in life.  Enabling them to thrive, have great futures and improve lives for generations to come.

Proactive Frailty Case Finding was explored in more depth, as a key priority for the ICB in relation to preventative care and a significant element of the ICB’s Neighbourhood Health Guidelines.  It was noted that Proactive Frailty Care Finding should be considered further by the Panel, when confirming the Scrutiny Work Programme.

A Member referred to preventative care and the outlined proactive approach of the ICB and Health Partners.  A query was raised in respect of how health service providers, particularly GP Surgeries, would contact their patients anticipatorily, especially at a time when those with a health care need had difficulties in accessing primary care.  It was explained that pharmacies had proactive assessment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/13

Recommendation: the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel is asked to consider the proposed schedule of meeting dates for 2025/2026 and to agree a finalised schedule

A proposed schedule of meeting dates for the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel for the 2025/2026 Municipal Year was submitted for Members’ consideration. A discussion took place regarding the best time for the Panel to meet for the remainder of the Municipal Year. It was resolved that future Panel meetings would take place on Mondays at 5pm. 

AGREED that Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel would meet on a Monday at 5pm for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. 

It was agreed that the next meeting scheduled for 22 July 2025 would have a revised start time of 2.00pm.

None.