Agenda item

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Councillor D Davison, will be in attendance to update the Board on her aims and aspirations, progress made to date and to highlight any emerging issues relating to her portfolio.

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Councillor D Davison, was in attendance at the meeting to update the Board on her aims and aspirations, progress made to date, and to highlight any emerging issues relating to her portfolio.  The Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration, and the Director of Public Health, were also in attendance at the meeting.

 

The Executive Member explained that her portfolio area had been exceptionally busy since March 2020 due to COVID-19; a strategic plan had been put in place and would be progressed.

 

It was intended that Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough would be further developed to support those with dementia and their carers, and to further connect with businesses and the community.  Work had commenced prior to the onset of COVID-19, with Marton Community Centre being approached during the initial stages (the Centre now held Dementia Friendly status).  A training session for those Members involved in the operation of the Centre would be undertaken in the near future.

 

The Executive Member wished to pursue Age Friendly Community Status for Middlesbrough in order to reduce the prevalence and impact of loneliness and isolation, with support potentially being sought from other Elected Members to provide assistance in local communities.

 

It was intended that an integrated model of support for Middlesbrough, bringing together services of domestic abuse, homelessness, substance misuse and mental health to a vulnerable person’s model, would be launched and delivered from 1 April 2021.  Procurement of Public Health services had been completed; core teams would be placed within community settings in Newport and North Ormesby.

 

A virtual wellbeing network would be established to support communities.  Three training sessions would be held and it was envisaged that all Elected Members would be invited to attend.

 

The Health and Wellbeing Regional Board had been established, of which the Executive Member had joined.  Sessions allowed Local Authorities in the North East to share experiences and best practice. 

 

The Executive Member attended regular safeguarding meetings; Middlesbrough held green status in this regard.

 

The work of the two directorates, Adult Social Care and Public Health, was commended by the Executive Member.

 

Following the update, Members were afforded the opportunity to ask questions.

 

A Member made reference to dementia training that they had previously attended and commented that they would highly encourage others to attend wherever possible.

 

A Member made reference to Dementia Friendly Status and queried how this would be expanded to achieve more businesses / organisations signing up.  In response, it was indicated that planned activities would include working with Elected Members and looking at areas, such as groups of retail units, to have all respective businesses signed up.  In follow-up, the Member felt that a strategic and wider-ranging approach was required to ensure that a greater variety of organisations could be signed up, and indicated their support to assist with this.

 

In terms of a holistic approach to issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence and vulnerable people, clarification was requested as to which Executive Portfolio these aligned to, as some matters were believed to fall under the Deputy Mayor and Lead Member for Children’s Services portfolio area.  In response, it was explained that the two Executive Members had shared the work in this regard.

 

A Member raised concerns regarding the grouping together of substance abuse, domestic violence and homelessness, with consideration being given towards those accessing the facilities and the provision of safe space, and queried whether separation could be achieved.  In response, the Executive Member advised that service delivery would be provided by different people; working together facilitated referrals from one service to another where required.  The Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration assured the Member that this point had been recognised.  It was explained that bringing these services together and utilising a shared information system and process minimised the requirement for the same individual to access multiple settings to answer the same questions; reduced the safeguarding risk around information; and allowed adoption of a methodology across all of these groups based on response to trauma.  In follow-up, the Member referred to perceived views of individuals accessing such support services; mention was made of an existing service that provided support from female members of staff to victims of domestic violence.  It was felt harder to achieve this where, at the point of entry, there were multiple-facets, as opposed to specific services within one locality.  In response, this was acknowledged: different services had been commissioned, but thorough consideration would be given as to how this would be branded and identified to avoid any negative perception.

 

A Member thanked the Executive Member for the assistance provided with enquires that had been raised on previous occasions.

 

A Member referred to dementia care training previously undertaken and requested that training for Elected Members (whether new or refresher) be undertaken, virtually if required.  In response, the Executive Member advised that this would be looked into.

 

A Member queried how the process of signing more organisations / businesses up to Dementia Friendly Status would be achieved.  In response, and to provide an example, it was explained that the Executive Member and an officer from Public Health had visited several retail businesses in Marton, provided details, and asked them to register as dementia friendly.  A training session for staff would be arranged in due course.  It was hoped that Elected Members would assist by approaching different businesses / organisations / venues and request that individuals register and undertake training.  The Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration advised that the basic Dementia Friendly training module focused on raising awareness; for businesses, the training focused on recognition and support provision for those with dementia.  The Executive Member explained that when businesses applied to be dementia friendly, visits to the premises were made to determine suitability for those with dementia, with aspects such as entry points and flooring being looked at.

 

A Member referred to the Executive Scheme of Delegation and noted that there were 79 different items assigned to the portfolio area, which was significant.  It was commented that additional information could perhaps have been provided in relation to other areas not covered during the initial presentation, such as workplace health, obesity, physical activity strategies and mental health.  In terms of COVID-19, it was felt that these areas were critical.  In response, the extent of the portfolio was acknowledged.  The Chair indicated to the Board that a copy of the Executive Member’s portfolio remit had been provided in advance of the meeting, and therefore opportunity had been made available for specific areas to be identified in advance of the meeting.

 

A Member referred to the BAME community and difficulties encountered in working with individuals in respect of COVID-19.  Support to assist the Executive Member in this regard was offered, which was gratefully accepted.

 

A Member referred to boarded properties being inhabited, which impacted upon physical and mental health, and queried whether any work was being carried out to audit these properties and make sure that landlords were held to account.  In response, the Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration advised that different routes would need to be taken to address specific circumstances, i.e. whether this referred to individuals whose property was in a state of disrepair and was therefore boarded-up; whether it was individuals who had broken into a previously boarded-up property and the landlord was therefore not aware; or whether it was about the poor condition of a rental property.

 

The Chair thanked the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration, and the Director of Public Health, for their attendance and contributions to the meeting.

 

AGREED that the information provided be noted, and the agreed action be undertaken.