Agenda item

(1)        Mrs Bell (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)    Adult Social Care (ASC) Covid-19 Winter Plan

The government had recently published its ASC Covid-19 Winter Plan to support care providers through the winter and limit the spread of the coronavirus. The plan set out the challenges facing ASC this winter and the key actions for the Department for Health and Social Care, the NHS, local authorities and for providers. It covered a number of themes, including supporting people who received social care, the workforce and carers, collaboration across health and care services and also the prevention and control of the spread of infection in care sectors, the plan covered the entire ASC sector. The government had committed £546m of additional funding to extend the infection control fund to March 2021 to help the care sector restrict the movement of staff between care homes and paying staff to self-isolate. Local authorities such as Kent County Council were required to put their own winter plans in place, building on existing planning, including the local outbreak control plan and confirm to the department that they had done this by 31^st October 2020. Kent County Council continued to work closely with providers and representatives and recently held a roundtable meeting with the Kent Integrated Care Alliance, chaired by the Leader of the Council and winter planning was the main item on the agenda.

b)   Kent and Medway Medical School

The Kent and Medway Medical School had recently opened, and students were there. The Leader of the Council had appointed Mrs Bell to be the Kent County Council representative on the Medical School Partnership Board. The Board provided a mechanism to enable co-ordinated and effective partnership and relationship development between the school and Kent and Medway Health agencies. The board was made up of representatives of the Medical School, plus nominees from the CCG and all of the health trusts in the county, including clinicians and the public health directors of Kent and Medway. The Board had three strategic priorities, and these were innovation, encouraging wider participation and creating a sense of place and belonging.

(2)        Mr Smith (Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)    Chris McKenzie - Director of Adult Social Care and Health North and West Kent

Mr Smith welcomed Chris McKenzie to the ASC Senior Leadership team. Mr McKenzie had been appointed as the Director of North and West Kent.

b)   Local Planning for Winter

Mr Smith expressed his thanks to Kent’s Finance and Commissioning colleagues who had successfully distributed up to £18.6m of the infection control grant over the last 6 months and said that there was a small surplus allocated to preparing for winter. In terms of the digital aspects, ASC were continuing to roll-out the tablet-based system which allowed individuals that were self-isolating or were not able to keep in touch with their loved ones to keep in contact. The tablet-based system was being co-ordinated through Kent’s Design and Learning Centre and complimented recent initiatives in relation to the use of iPads and supporting GP practice in care homes. Whilst local authorities were required to have winter plans in place every year, this year presented the additional threat of a Covid-19 second spike but also seasonal flu. The Council were busily working with providers and maintaining a focus on partnership between the voluntary sector and health colleagues. Mr Smith added that a project was in place with Kent’s ICS colleagues and would be delivering all that was required in this year’s winter plan.

(3)        RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted.