Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Leader and Cabinet Member for Traded Services and Health Reform, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Commissioning and Public Health and the Director of Public Health.

1.            The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Commissioning and Public Health, Mr P J Oakford, gave a verbal update on Sustainability and Transformation Programme (STP), on behalf of the Leader.  The STP Board had been in existence for some time and, whereas progress had previously been frustrating, work was now moving forward, steered by Glenn Douglas, Chief Executive of the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership. The plan was for all eight clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to work together as one with two ACPs based in East and North and West Kent. These would work as an integrated commissioning body for the whole county, including  Medway.  This represented a good step forward.  Much work was going on around the development of a local corporate partnership, in which local authorities had an integral role, and the STP had set up a local care work stream, made up of NHS partners and local authorities, which Mr Carter had been asked to chair, supported by the Leader of Medway Council as vice-chairman. This group would look at how to develop a good model of local care, and the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care had been asked to prepare a detailed report setting out an ideal model of integrated social care, health and public health, to be considered at the Cabinet Committee’s March meeting. 

2.            Mr Oakford responded to questions and comments from Members, including the following:-

a)    prevention work would be embedded across the entire system and, as such, should deliver savings and improved working.  Joint working between professionals would be encouraged, but establishing this working would be a challenge. Concern was expressed that the type of joint working currently planned had not been successful when it had been tried previously;

b)    the role of CCGs was clarified, and their commitment to the new model confirmed. One CCG had not yet fully committed to the programme but discussion was ongoing to try to bring them on board.  Primary legislation had not changed, and all CCGs would continue to exist as legal bodies.  However, each CCG would no longer have accountable officers, as at present, as these would move to a new role.  The programme would create a single organisational structure, and more detail of this would be set out in the report to the March meeting; and

c)    the involvement of Mr Carter as the chairman of the local care work stream would ensure that the County Council would have much input into and influence on the development of the programme, leading to integration and improvement.

3.            Mr Oakford then gave a verbal update on the infant feeding consultation. A special meeting of the CabinetCommittee had been arranged for 8 February, at which the petition received about the community infant feeding service would be debated. 

4.            The Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr A Duggal, then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Influenza and ‘flu jabs – recent outbreaks of ‘flu had been reported as mainly of a Japanese strain rather than the ‘Aussie flu’ mentioned in recent media coverage.  It seemed likely in the near future that Public Health England may declare a flu epidemic. In response to questions, Dr Duggal confirmed that delivery of ‘flu vaccinations was not currently causing a problem and the County Council would only become involved if a ‘flu pandemic were declared. She undertook to find out and advise Members which of the two possible types of vaccine was mostly used in Kent.  

Dry January; media coverage – this campaign, in which participants would give up alcohol for the month of January, was raising money for Cancer Research.  There had been press interest in and coverage of the campaign, including a radio interview with the Director of Public Health. 

Public Health Funding update – public health funding would now be ring- fenced up to 31 March 2020, at which point it was expected that local authorities would start to fund public health activity from business rates.  The budget for 2018/19 was £69,368 million but would reduce to £67,584 million in 2019/20.

5.            It was RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted, with thanks.