Agenda and minutes

Agreed as an accurate record.

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda would be considered in public.

For this witness session, the Committee was provided with evidence from the Chief Operating Officer of Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group and from the Clinical Team Leader for the Continuing Healthcare Team.

Members were informed that the Chief Executive of Hillingdon Healthwatch was not in attendance at this meeting because the report of the Healthwatch review into Hospital Discharges at Hillingdon Hospital had not been completed. The Committee was informed that they would be sent a copy of the report when it was available.

Clinical Commissioning Groups' Perspective on Hospital Discharges

The Committee was informed that the Clinical Commissioning Group wereclinically-led statutory NHS bodies responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services for their local area.

Commissioning was about getting the best possible health outcomes for the local population, by assessing local needs, deciding priorities and strategies, and then buying services on behalf of the population from providers such as hospitals, clinics, community health bodies, etc.

The Chief Operating Officer, Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group attended the meeting and reported that there had been a 12% increase in the over 80s age group attending Accident & Emergency at Hillingdon Hospital. With an ageing population and the increase in the number of dementia cases, the planning of hospital discharges had become challenging.

It was important that the needs of the patients were clearly identified and there needed to be a consistency of processes to enable all agencies to identify who was accountable for providing particular elements of care and support.

Care Planning was vital with an overarching Care Plan for each person. This required close working with social care professionals and the timely carrying out of processes.

As hospitals were busy, often there was reactive rather than proactive responses to people's needs.  The aim should be to work closely with partners to get patients home sooner and help combat the growing pressures the hospital was experiencing, which were being exacerbated by delayed transfers of care.

The transfer of care planning requirements should improve patient experience and quality of care and enable all medically fit patients to be discharged with appropriate care and support at home, wherever possible. This would reduce delayed transfers of care and lower the readmissions of patients.

Continuing Healthcare Team perspective on Hospital Discharges

The Clinical Team Leader for the Continuing Healthcare Team reported that Continuing Healthcare (CHC) was the name given to a package of care which was arranged and funded solely by the NHS for individuals outside of hospital who had on-going health care needs.

Adult Continuing Healthcare was provided when an individual had been assessed by a multi-disciplinary team and they had been deemed to have a primary health need. After this had been defined, a package of care would be developed.

Members were informed that continuing healthcare was available in any setting to meet assessed needs, including the patient’s own home or a care home.

Reference was made to assessments for continuing healthcare being triggered when a person was admitted to hospital. A person  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Members were reminded that this Committee had carried out a review into Hillingdon's Shared Lives Scheme in 2014/15.  The review examined the effectiveness of the current arrangements for the Shared Lives Scheme and to propose improvements which could be made to enhance this important aspect of independent living to the Borough's residents.

The Head of Service - Early Intervention & Prevention reported that the scheme had grown in size, with from January 2015 to present, 42 service users having accessed the scheme.

Reference was made to the Care Quality Commission which took place in September 2016. Positive feedback had been received in relation to the caring nature and effectiveness of the scheme. Carer Development days took place which also received positive feedback. 

RESOLVED –

1. That the update report be noted and officers be congratulated for the good work.

2.  That an update report be submitted to the Committee in 12 months time.

To be given an oral update on the Committee's review into Stroke Prevention.

Members were provided with a progress report on the Committee's Stroke Prevention review.

The Committee was reminded that two witness sessions had taken place which had provided Members with details of what Hillingdon Council's interventions were in respect of Stroke Prevention.

In addition, the review had received evidence from the Stroke Association and Members had attended a Stroke Association social event to enable the views of stroke sufferers to be taken into consideration.

Discussion took place on other areas which Members requested further information. These included:

·         Additional information on preventative initiatives which were taking place from Public Health and the Wellbeing Team and anything further the Council could do to publicise these further (TVs in GP Surgeries, Heart Month, Stroke Awareness days, focus on BMEs, blood pressure machines in libraries, further publicity regarding health-checks etc).    

·         Networking with other local authority public health teams to see other approaches which Hillingdon could use.

·         Arranging a visit for Members of the Committee to visit Hillingdon Hospital's Stroke Unit.

RESOLVED –

1. That officers be asked to undertake the actions outlined above and bring back the information for the Committee to consider, to enable the review to be completed.

Noted.

Members asked that the Chairman of the Adult Safeguarding Board be invited to attend the Committee's meeting on 21 February 2017 to present the Board's Annual Report. 

Noted.