Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Members for Specialist Children’s Services and Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and the Interim Director of Public Health.

1.            Mr P J Oakford gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Attended Challenger Troop Award evening

Fostering awareness at the Tunbridge Wells Mela event

Visit to Essex County Council to discuss their journey to Good after which, Essex would then visit Kent to meet informally with Mr Oakford and Mr Segurola.

Virtual School Kent (VSK) awards day at Canterbury Cricket Ground – this event had been excellent and it had been very rewarding to see young people’s pride in their achievements.

Social Worker Recruitment

Foster Carer Recruitment – Kent was not short of foster carers but struggled to find foster carers for harder-to-place children such as groups of siblings and those with disabilities or behavioural problems, so a targeted recruitment drive for these areas was needed.

2.         Mr A Ireland then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Staffing changes – Mr Segurola had been appointed as acting Director of Specialist Children’s Services, following the departure of Ms MacNeil, Mr Segurola’s substantive post in North Kent would be covered by Michelle Woodward and Sue Butcher would act as Interim Assistant Director of East Kent in place of Suzanne King.  Mr Ireland reassured Members that he was confident that there would be no loss of stability due to these changes.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing Strategy – this service was broader than the CAMHS service, with which the Committee was familiar.  The contract renewal for this service would take place in 2015, with a revised specification.

Post Sexual Abuse Support Service (PSASS) – the recent attempt to re-let the contract for this had been unsuccessful as no bidders had been able to meet the specification, so a temporary extension of the existing contract would be effected by a single source tender.

He responded to comments and questions from Members, as follows:-

a)      concern was expressed that the service specification for the CAMHS service had been insufficient in the past and that this shortfall may be repeated in the next contract.  Members would need to have adequate briefing on the new service and a role in monitoring its delivery, as it was important that Members be able to understand how the service worked. Mr Ireland replied that the contract was not a County Council one but that the County Council would be able to have input into it. The level of NHS funding available for the service would be the key factor in setting the specification; and

b)    the timeframe and process for the single source tender for PSASS  was confirmed.  It was important to avoid any interruption to the service so an extension of the existing contract had been negotiated, with a plan to return to the market early in 2015.         

3.         Mr G K Gibbens then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Key Decision Contract Award for Kent Community Infant Feeding Service

10 July Attended Mental Health Engagement event for Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley, Swale & West Kent CCG Areas in Lenham

15 July Attended the Local Government Association Physical Activity Senior Leadership Forum in London

17 September Presented at the Public Health England Conference in Warwick

15 October 2014 seminar by Professor Chris Bentley on Health Inequalities – Members were given the details of this event and encouraged to attend.

4.            Mr A Scott-Clark then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Update on transfer of Health Visitor responsibilities

Flu campaign – the number flu vaccinations given in Kent last year had been disappointing, so it was hoped that this year would show an improvement, particularly for at-risk groups such as pregnant women, young children, older adults and those with pre-existing conditions. National trials of vaccination via GPs’ surgeries had been extended to schools.

Kent School Nursing Conference

Public Health England Conference – Mr Gibbens had spoken at this about Public Health Intelligence.  Kent was performing well in this field and was a national leader.

He responded to comments and questions from Members, as follows:-

a)    health visitors would be partly funded by Kent Community Health Trust (KCHT) and partly by the County Council, and as they would not be employed by the County Council it could not set their terms and conditions.  This would meant the County Council would not have the challenge of competing with other local authorities’ terms and conditions, as it did for social workers.  Mr Ireland added that, at a KCHT meeting on 22 September, it had been confirmed that health visitor recruitment was on track;

b)    similarly, the County Council could seek to influence but could not direct the administration of flu vaccinations. Broadening the range of locations at which vaccinations could be offered, eg to include children’s centres, older people’s day centres, nursing homes and schools, could be suggested but not directed, as the national standard delivery route was via GPs’ surgeries; and

c)    retaining health visitors, once recruited, and exploring possible locations at which to base them, was also a challenge, and Mr Oakford said he had some ideas about how this could be achieved. Mr Scott-Clark added that remuneration for health visitors would need to be addressed, as for social workers, to maximise retention rates. The County Council and Medway Council had agreed that accommodation costs could be included in health visitors’ contracts of employment.

5.            RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted.