Agenda item

Update to the Committee on current and forthcoming issues in this portfolio.

4.1     Councillor Tim Mitchell (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health), provided a briefing on key issues within his portfolio. The Committee also heard from Russell Styles (Deputy Director of Public Health), Senel Arkut (Director of Health Partnerships) and Dr Neville Pursell (Central London CCG – Chair).

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

·                 Covid-19 – The Committee was updated on the number of Westminster residents who had tested positive for Covid-19. The infection rate in Westminster was currently below the level requiring any further action to be taken however this would continue to be monitored closely.

Details on how the Council was supporting the national Test and Trace programme was provided which involved using local data and knowledge to profile the spread of Covid-19 in the borough and to help prevent and manage any outbreaks and clusters. The Committee noted that there were no particular areas within the borough which had seen any concentrations of the virus however this would be monitored. A mobile testing station was operating two days a week in Hyde Park in addition to the other testing sites available. Alternative sites had also been identified if the rate of infection increased in the future to ensure sufficient capacity would be available.

The groups experiencing the highest levels of infection were those in the 18-29 age bracket and people returning from holiday. Specific communication campaigns had been instigated targeting younger people using social media in order to disseminate information regarding following government guidelines. Ongoing work had also been undertaken with institutes of higher education to ensure returning students were provided with safe environments to study and encourage them to adhere to social distancing rules.

It was confirmed that the Police were responsible for enforcing the wearing of face masks on public transport. The Committee requested that an update be provided on the number of fines issued to people not wearing face masks on public transport.

The Committee provided its thanks to the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and those officers in Adult Social Care and Public Health for all their hard work in extremely challenging circumstances.

·                 </AI10>Gordon Hospital Consultation – The Committee was provided with an update on Central North West London (CNWL) NHS Trust’s decision in March 2020 to temporarily close the Gordon Hospital as a key part of their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was explained that the proposal was part of the NHS Long Term Plan to support people at home and shift care from inpatient to community-based settings where clinically possible. It was anticipated that there would be further consultation on its potential permanent closure, but concern was raised the impact this would have on the local Mental Health inpatient provision. The Committee requested that a further update be provided by CNWL providing a full background on why the closure had taken place. A breakdown was also requested detailing which facilities Westminster patients were now having to be admitted to, including if any of these were located in outer London. In response to a question it was confirmed that the Police would be liaised with on the closure of the hospital to ensure they were involved in the consultation process.