To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2021.

Decision

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2021 as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Public Health and Medical Director, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning

The Director of Public Health and Medical Director, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, will circulate a presentation on the latest available data relating to Manchester COVID-19 rates and the Manchester Vaccination Programme. 

The Committee considered the joint presentation of the Director of Public Health and the Executive Clinical Director, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, that had been circulated to all Members in advance of the meeting. The presentations provided an update on COVID-19 activity that included the latest available information on data and intelligence.

The Director of Public Health provided the latest information and response to the variant of concern, Omicron. He noted that at that time of reporting there had been no deaths in Manchester attributed to Omicron, however the emerging situation continued to be monitored very closely both at a local and national level to understand the transmissible rates of this variant and levels of community transmissions. He described that local teams were in place to support those people required to self-isolate and he further commented that sites, such as schools, would be supported to manage any outbreaks.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Noting the variant of concern, Omicron;

·         An update was sought on the impact of the mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for Health and Social Care staff;

·         Recognising the urgent need for all residents to come forward for their booster jabs and in particular those who had still not had their first vaccination;

·         Describing inconsistencies in the approach taken by some Care Homes in regard to the numbers of visitors permitted;

·         The need to understand the correlation between the number of hospital admissions and patients who had been vaccinated; and

·         Welcoming the extension to the cohorts being encouraged to obtain their booster jabs.

The Director of Public Health stated that Care Homes were required to comply with the current guidance regarding visitors.  He said that if the Member had specific concerns regarding a site that he could discuss this outside of the meeting.

In regard to the issue of mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for Health and Social Care staff, the Deputy Director of Adult Social Services stated that currently this only applied to staff in Care Homes, noting that the deadline for all Health staff, including ancillary staff such as porters or receptionists who might have social contact with patients but were not directly involved in their care, as well as staff in the wider care market e.g. homecare, supported accommodation was 1 April 2022. She described that the uptake amongst care homes in Manchester had been positive, however some staff had been lost due to not wishing to take the vaccine. She advised that regular contact was maintained with providers to ensure safe and appropriate levels of care continued to be provided.

The Director of Public Health noted the comment regarding the relationship between hospital admissions and patients who were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated. He stated that he would discuss with health partners to ascertain if this data was collected and if so, this would be reported to the Committee in a future update. In regard to the importance for those residents who had not been vaccinated to come forward he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

Report of the Director of Public Health and Professor Nav Kapur, University of Manchester

This report provides the Committee with an update on the paper on suicide prevention submitted in December 2019 and specifically reports progress on the delivery of the local Suicide Prevention Plan (2017 - 2019) and on the development of a refreshed plan for 2020 – 2024.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health and Professor Navneet Kapur, Head of Research at the Centre for Suicide Prevention, University of Manchester that provided the Committee with an update on the paper on suicide prevention submitted in December 2019 and specifically reported progress on the delivery of the local Suicide Prevention Plan (2017 - 2019) and on the development of a refreshed plan for 2020 – 2024.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         The national and local strategic context of suicide prevention;

·         Key trends, facts, figures and risk factors relating to suicides in Manchester;

·         The COVID-19 pandemic and suicide risk;

·         A summary of key areas of activity contributing to suicide prevention; and

·         Progress on delivery of actions within the local plan.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Welcoming the report and noting that it provided a useful context for the subject area;

·         An explanation was sought as to why suicide rates in Manchester had fallen;

·         Welcoming the stated commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant to support veterans and their families and enquired if any additional support was available for this cohort;

·         Was Greater Manchester Police (GMP) a member of the Manchester Suicide Prevention Partnership;

·         Suicide awareness training should be extended to as many front-line staff as possible, noting that Further Education providers should also be included in this;

·         How was success to be measured against the pillars articulated within the Action Plan;

·         Recommending that Manchester should participate in the reported pilot for the collection of key ‘real time’ data, co-ordinated by the Greater Manchester Suicide Prevention lead;

·         What alternatives were there for residents experiencing crisis or at risk of crisis for whom traditional services were not appropriate or preferred; and

·         Noting that Manchester was a Marmot City and this understanding and approach to tackle health inequalities would support the ambitions of the city to address incidents of suicide.

Professor Kapur, Head of Research at the Centre for Suicide Prevention, University of Manchester stated that suicide was a very complex issue, commenting that it was an intensely personal expression of acute distress. He informed the Members that the accepted term to describe such tragic events was ‘died by suicide’ rather than ‘committed suicide’. He described that nationally the rates of suicide had reduced, stating that the accepted national drivers were economic factors, public health factors and the delivery of clinical service, adding that good progress had been achieved in Manchester to improve these. He described that the impact of the pandemic, both in the immediate and long term would be closely monitored.  

Professor Kapur commented that the specific needs of veterans was understood and was a live issue with work ongoing. In regard to how success was to be measured he advised that the levels of self-harm were an indicator of suicide rates and trends across the population.

Professor Kapur stated that Manchester had progressed significantly in its understanding and response to the issue of suicide and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Services

This report provides Members with an update on progress to further develop the Our Manchester Carers Strategy since the last update to Health Scrutiny in September 2019. 

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Services that provided an update on progress to further develop the Our Manchester Carers Strategy since the last update to Health Scrutiny in September 2019.

Progress in some areas has been hindered through the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, there were still many significant developments to update Members on which had transformed how carers were better supported to continue/maintain their caring role.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing a background and introduction to the report, describing that the nationally-adopted definition was provided by the Carers Trust – ‘a carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, a mental health need or addiction cannot cope without their support’.;

·         Evidence how additional funding, secured in 2019, had been used to implement a new carer pathway delivered through a strong partnership between Manchester Carers VCSE organisations, Adult Social Care Commissioners and Adult Social Care Carers Team, embracing carers across all age groups over 18 years and disability groups;

·         Noting that effective support for unpaid, informal or family-based caring arrangements remained critical to the sustainability of our health and social care system and the success of our Better Outcomes, Better Lives programme as well as initiatives such as ‘discharge to assess’ designed to further shift the focus from acute interventions to care and support delivered closer to home;

·         Describing that progress in some areas had been hindered through the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic;

·         Information on the report ‘Breaks or Breakdown’, published by Carers UK in 2021 that described the impact of the pandemic on carers;

·         Detailing the Adult Social Care Statutory duties under the Care Act 2014;

·         The Vision for Carers in Our Manchester Carers Strategy and how this could be achieved by a new delivery model;

·         An update on the Carers Manchester Network Coordination; Carers Manchester Contact Point and Locality Partnerships;

·         Describing how the NHS Long Term Plan would support carers;

·         Information on the Manchester City Council Carers Emergency Fund, noting the positive impact this had;

·         Key highlights from the academic survey that had been undertaken of Carers in 2021;

·         Other key developments that benefited Carers, including work on the Covid-19 vaccine uptake for Carers and partnerships with cultural, leisure and sport outlets;

·         Describing that options for developing a Carer Break, building on the Liverpool City Council developments, were being progressed;

·         Identified challenges and risks; and

·         Conclusions.

Members heard from Saeed, a Carer who described his lived experience and difficulties when trying to navigate the benefits system to access Carer’s Allowance. Members acknowledged the frustration and distress experienced by Saeed and encouraged him to contact his local MP who would be able to assist with issues relating to the Department of Work and Pensions.

The Committee also heard from Gaynor Morgan, Carer and Chair of the Manchester Carers Forum who articulated her lived experience as a full-time carer. She described the immense positive support she had received  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

The monthly report includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the Committee’s work programme and items for information. The report also contains additional information including details of those organisations that have been inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

The report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which contained key decisions within the Committee’s remit and responses to previous recommendations was submitted for comment. Members were also invited to agree the Committee’s future work programme.

In response to a question from a Member regarding the reported Care Quality Commission rating awarded to a Dental Practice, Officers reported that a response would be provided following the meeting.

Decision

The Committee notes the report and agrees the work programme.