Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

The Chair announced to the Board that at an extraordinary meeting of Council on 24 October 2023 the Council had conferred the Freedom of the Borough upon Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust.  This honour acknowledged the hard work and devotion of the NHS, the Trust and its staff.

Apologies were received from Councillor Nicky Hinchliff, Councillor Laura Rollins, Rashpal Bishop (Director of Adult Social Care), Michelle Carolan (Managing Director for Sandwell – Black Country Integrated Care Board), Emma Taylor (Chief Executive – Sandwell Children’s Trust), Marsha Foster (Chief Executive – Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) and Mark Davies (Chief Executive – Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations).

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

No declarations of Interest were received.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2023 as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on the 18 October 2023 are approved as a correct record.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business to be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent additional items of business.

To consider and comment upon the Sandwell Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2022/ 23.

The Board received Sandwell Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) Annual Report 2022-23.  The production of the report was a statutory function of the Safeguarding Adults Board under the Care Act 2014.

Notable work and achievements during the 2022/23 included:-

·      task and finish groups in relation to domestic abuse, learning disability and autism, embedding learning from statutory reviews, safeguarding pathway;

·      launch of a new virtual e-learning programme;

·      a review of sub-groups and their membership;

·      appointed new members to the Board;

·      development of a range of accessible resources;

·      partnership work with the Ann Craft Trust;

·      multi-agency working to implement changes to practices had been implemented, building upon the vulnerable adults risk management process;

·      participation in regional and national fora,

During the reporting period, the number of safeguarding concerns reported had decreased, as had the conversion rate from concern to enquiry. The Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) Standing Panel had received two referrals one of which had been considered during the reporting period with the other having been commissioned as a thematic review.

Priorities for 2023-24 were:-

·      listening to the voices of services and front-line practitioners;

·      developing more inclusive performance data;

·      embedding learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews;

·      improving Board governance.

Board members welcomed the report. 

To consider and comment upon the Implementation Plan for a Recovery Oriented System of Care in Sandwell.

A Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) is the means by which the local health economy, local authorities and third sector organisations worked together to understand the future health, care and well-being needs of the community.

The production of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) was a joint statutory duty for local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to support continuous assessment of population needs and to facilitate strategic planning, including through a joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The JSNA had seven chapters, five had already been published:-

·                Our People;

·                Healthy Start;

·                Healthy Lives;

·                Ageing Well;

·                Place and Economy.

Two chapters were in development, and were expected to be completed in January 2024:-

·                Health Protection and Sexual Health;

·                Mental Health and Wellbeing.

These two areas had been identified as requiring specific focus so that they weren’t lost within the other chapters.

The JSNA was hosted on Sandwell Trends, and included a range of data including borough-wide and town-focussed profiles.  The JSNA and the underpinning data had been used to inform Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission; feedback had been positive.  It was also reported that this data had fed into a scrutiny review on loneliness and isolation.

The core JSNA was planned to be refreshed in full every two years, maintaining its current format but enabling indicators to be added/replaced as necessary.  The town and borough profiles were to be reviewed and updated in line with Core JSNA.

Resolved that in relation to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) it is recommended to:

a)      Review core data and town profiles annually          for significant changes;

b)      Refresh core JSNA and town profiles in full bi- annually;

c)      Refresh the focussed needs assessment every three years or as required.

To consider and comment upon the Sandwell Early Years Priorities.

The Board received a presentation on the implementation plan for a Recovery Oriented System of Care in Sandwell, which related to the Government guidance ‘From Harm to Hope’.

It was emphasised that people did recover; 95% of alcohol users with a problem and 97% of drug users with a problem did recover.  Mostly this did not entail accessing formal programmes, but instead was supported by friends and family.

The Board was informed about a range of other work that was taking place to support recovery in Sandwell, including Sandwell Drug and Alcohol Partnership inviting experts by lived experience to its meetings, a newsletter and the funding of projects across Sandwell to provide purposeful activities for those in recovery and their families.

Members of the Board welcomed the work being done and shared positive feedback they had received from others on this work.

To consider and comment upon the National Youth Work Week and Statutory Guidance Update.

The Board considered an update on Sandwell Early Years – the care and education of children aged 0-5. 

It was reported that the gap between the national figures and Sandwell had remained at the same level as last year - 6%.  However, it was noted that Sandwell had kept pace with the national level of improvement – 2.5%.

In Sandwell all areas of prime learning had improved, whereas nationally there had been no improvement.  This demonstrated the impact of the initiatives in Sandwell.

The Board was informed that previously three providers had been rated as ‘inadequate’, following reinspection two of these were now rated ‘good’ and one was ‘requires improvement’.  There were currently two providers rated as ‘inadequate’ and these were being worked with to help support them out of that category as soon as possible.

It was reported that there extended entitlements for child care for children nine months to two years old. Additional placements would therefore be needed in Sandwell by September 2025.  The Board noted that the childcare sector was experiencing challenges around recruitment and retention of workers because of the cost of living crisis.

(Chris Masikane - Chief Operating Officer – Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – left the meeting during consideration of this item).

To consider and comment upon the Commitment to Co- production Plan.

National Youth Work Week was an annual event coordinated by the National Youth Agency.  This year’s theme was Youth Work in Every Place and Space.

In Sandwell the youth offer had been promoted and the positive impact it had, including through reducing demands on other services.

The Board acknowledged that, whereas other local authorities had ceased to operate Youth Services, Sandwell had instead chosen to retain the service as a vital support to young people.

It was reported that guidance had been issued in September 2023.  It was reported that because the Council had retained it’s Youth Service it was actually further ahead than most in complying with the guidance.

The Youth Service in Sandwell was advertised through the JustYouth website, through schools, events.  It was suggested that social prescribers with the NHS could also be a useful avenue.

The Board thanked the Youth Services team for their hard work.

To consider and comment upon the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Update and to provide guidance on how often it should be revised.

The Board heard that co-production had started in Adult Social Care, but had quickly grown into a more corporate programme, to be developed on a place-based level.

Work on co-production would involve all partners and the voluntary sector in Sandwell.

The Board noted the work on this Plan and reiterated the multi-agency commitment to this work.

To consider and comment upon the Healthwatch Sandwell Update - Case study: A Patient's journey of moving to a Care Home.

Healthwatch presented a case study that set out the experience of a local resident about the care he received from local providers.

                  It was acknowledged that the issues raised in the case study were important to address and that to do this justice would take time.  The case would be subject to a review by Adult Social Care alongside partners, which would be brought back to a

future meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

                  The Board placed on record their condolences to the family of the subject of the case study.

Standing Item to note the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Work Programme 2023/ 24.

The Board noted its Work Programme for 2023/24.

The Board placed on record its thanks to Michael Jarrett, Director of Children’s Services who would be leaving the Council in February 2024.