Agenda item

To receive an update on current and forthcoming issues within the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for Family Services and Public Health.

4.1      Councillor Heather Acton (Cabinet Member for Family Services and Public Health), provided a briefing on key issues within her portfolio. The Committee also heard from Bernie Flaherty (Executive Director, Adult Social Care and Health), Houda Al-Sharifi (Interim Director of Public Health), Nicky Crouch (Interim Director of Family Services), James Partis (Better Care Fund – Programme Lead) and Dominic Stanton (Head of Quality Assurance).

4.2      The Committee noted that Ofsted had recently carried out an inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services in Westminster. The report had recently been published and had rated the service ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. The Committee welcomed the news, expressed its thanks to the Cabinet Member and Officers on this outstanding achievement and requested that the report be circulated to Members.

4.2      The Committee received the update and held detailed discussions on the following topics:

·         Residential and Nursing Care – It was anticipated that Beachcroft House would open in Summer 2020. Negotiations with Sanctuary Care were still ongoing regarding the variation of the existing Specialist Housing Strategy for Older People contract. It was confirmed that the negotiations would include discussions on all staff employed at Beachcroft receiving the London Living Wage.

·         Better Care Fund (BCF) Submission – Westminster had submitted its BCF plans for 2019/20 to NHS England on 27 September 2019. The main changes arising in the submitted plan were in relation to the financial contributions from the Council and the CCGs being reduced to statutory minimum levels. The Committee noted that the same levels of funding were being invested into the partnership with the CCGs but a larger proportion of this would be managed outside of the BCF. This change would ensure that the partnership and the BCF focused attention on the core elements of integrated delivery in Westminster and to ensure local integration priorities received sufficient attention and focus from the partnership.

·         North West London Clinical Commissioning Groups - A progress update was provided on the proposals for integration of the eight CCGs that made up the North West London (NWL) footprint. The Council had responded to the consultation, setting out concerns which included the loss of focus on local priorities for health integration and local needs, including mental health, and the potential financial impact on both Central London CCG and West London CCG. The Council had put forward an alternative proposal to the eight-to-one integration as an interim step. This was for a Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea Integrated Care Provider (ICP) which could be implemented initially as a pilot in order to assess impact and protect the local offer. Discussions with local health providers and commissioners would begin shortly to explore developing proposals for a bi-borough ICP.

·         Local GP Practices – It was suggested that the Soho GP Practice was facing another period of uncertainty following a service of notice by the current operators. The Patient Participation Group had expressed concern in relation to the short period of time provided to replace the current operators with new ones. It was felt that this represented wider concerns raised over small practices within Westminster which catered for communities with particular patient demographics. The importance of appropriate first-class local services being provided was highlighted and it was suggested a report on the provision of services from small GP Practices in Westminster come before the Committee at a future meeting.

·         Review of Palliative Care Service – The Committee discussed the proposed changes to the palliative care services provided at Pembridge Hospice and how they could potentially impact on local residents. Concern was expressed that if Pembridge Hospice was to close and the number of palliative care beds in Westminster reduced, it was important that any resulting financial savings be reinvested in local care services. The Committee requested a future update on any proposed changes to the palliative care system.

4.3      The Committee also discussed Meals on Wheels, Youth Services, an update on the Emotional Wellbeing Mental Health Plan, Homelessness, Community Champions and Immunisations.