Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Director of Public Health, and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to commence a new procurement process which is being undertaken as part of the wider procurement of the Children’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services across the county.

1.            The Chairman asked Members of the Committee if, in discussing the report, they wished to make reference to the information set out in the exempt appendix to it, which was included at the end of the agenda at item F1. Some Members confirmed that they wished to ask questions about some of the information in the appendix.

2.            Accordingly, it was RESOLVED that discussion of this item take place in closed session at the end of the meeting. It is recorded below, in Minute 186.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Director of Public Health asking the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee on the proposed decision to extend the existing contract for Health Visiting and FNP Service until 31 May 2018 and to comment on the progress of the procurement of the School Public Health Services.

Ms K Sharp, Head of Public Health Commissioning, and Ms S Bennett, Consultant in Public Health, were in attendance for this item.

1.            Ms Sharp introduced a report on the proposed decision to extend the existing contract for Health Visiting and the Family Nurse Partnership Service (decision number 16/00038b) until 31 May 2018, and gave an update on the progress of the procurement of the School Public Health Service (decision number 16/00038a). She gave the following information:-

a)    the School Public Health Nursing Service had been reviewed and was found to have two clear challenges to overcome; its visibility as a service in schools and its current lack of focus on adolescents;

b)    it was emphasised that the services going forward would have to prioritise emotional wellbeing to a greater extent and to focus on both younger children and adolescents;

c)    the committee was also informed there would an opportunity for market engagement to ensure that the provider had a robust plan for meeting Kent County Council’s targets in this area;

d)    with regard to the Health Visiting Service, it was brought to the committee’s attention that, given the much more recent transfer of the service, the Directorate had had less time to undertake an in-depth review; and

e)    Ms Sharp informed the committee that it would be advisable to delay a procurement of this for the following reasons:

                                          i.    the need to evaluate how to implement recent reductions on the public health  grants, 

                                        ii.    to allow a review of the interface with Children’s Centres to take place,

                                       iii.    to ensure that safeguarding capacity was not at all reduced, and

                                       iv.    to seek the most efficient service model possible.

2.            Ms Bennett gave the following information in response to questions raised by Members of the committee:-

a)    in response to a concern raised, the committee was informed that      local partnerships would be kept up to date with this information;

b)    regarding nursing in secondary schools, there would be a named professional for each school;

c)    reassurance was given that measurement of the impact of their work was considered key and that Public Health would have standard indicators in place to achieve this;

d)    it was confirmed that the School Public Health Service would cover all publicly-funded schools and that private school students could access it via referral;

e)    confirmation was given in response to feedback from Mr Vye that negative case studies could also be included in future reports, to assist frank assessment and discussion; and

f)     with regard to comparison with other Local Authorities which were providing these services, Ms Bennett explained that regular discussion would take place with neighbours in the South East Network, Essex and West Sussex.

3.            RESOLVED that the proposed decision for the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health to extend the existing contract for the Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership Service until 31May 2018, be endorsed.