Agenda item

Dan Kennedy, Director – Housing, Environment, Education, Performance, Health & Wellbeing, introduced the Covid-19: Hillingdon Local Outbreak Control Plan report providing some background and context.

Members were informed that, following the national lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, local authorities had been requested to prepare a Local Outbreak Control Plan to prevent and contain the spread of the virus. The report had been published on 30 June 2020. Since then infection rates had been rising again and London boroughs had recently been placed into Tier 2 (High) level restrictions. Key points within the report were highlighted:

·         Staff had been mobilised across the Council to assist with food deliveries etc during wave one;

·         In terms of testing, there were 3 testing sites across the Borough – a third one had recently been opened at Brunel University which would be in operation 7 days a week until at least the end of March 2021. This site had been chosen to enable students to access a test quickly;

·         In care settings, staff and residents were tested regularly;

·         The testing rate across the Borough was good – approximately 350 tests were being conducted per day per 100,000 population – this was thought to be the 3^rd highest rate in London;

·         In terms of PPE, Central Government had provided local authorities with PPE for distribution to care providers and other key providers – Hillingdon had a good supply of PPE;

·         Re. the enforcement of licensed premises, the Council’s licensing and ASB teams were making unannounced visits across the Borough, particularly at weekends, to ensure QR codes and table service were in use. In cases of non-compliance, a verbal warning would be issued initially, followed by a written warning on a second visit and, finally a fixed penalty notice would be issued. Compliance had generally been good thus far;

·         In terms of track and trace, Hillingdon was setting up its own local track and trace system working with Public Health England. Staff were being trained and it was anticipated that this system would go live in November.

Sharon Daye, Consultant in Public Health, addressed the Committee. Members were informed that the local authority had been working closely with Brunel University, Bucks University and Uxbridge College. Fortnightly four-way meetings were held to look at aspects of work in relation to Covid-19. All three had local outbreak plans in place. Contract tracing was only possible within the confines of the university / college; once students left the university or college, NHS contract tracing was expected to take over. One University had found that only 41% of students had been contacted by NHS contact tracing re. their movements; this was a matter of concern. Robust systems were in place to ensure the places of study were Covid secure. Currently numbers of positive cases were very low. 

Members sought reassurance that the voice of Hillingdon was being represented at a London level and enquired whether it would be possible to obtain more detailed information about the prevalence of Covid by Ward. The Committee was informed that a London wide approach was being taken at present since Londoners tended to travel around a lot and did not always recognise boundary differences. At present, although the level of infection appeared to be stabilising, moving London to Tier 2 (High) level restrictions was not considered to be excessive. However, it was confirmed that, if this approach were considered disproportionate, representations would be made to Central Government. At present the Covid-19 infection level in Hillingdon was just over 100 in 100,000. The highest level in London was around 150 per 100,000 and the lowest was 75 – 80 per 100,000. Members were informed that granular data was available at Ward level and was used to decide whether more targeted messaging or pop up testing sites were required in certain areas. Public Health England had stipulated that published data had to be clean hence Ward level information was not published and a Borough-wide approach was taken. 

Committee Members sought further clarification regarding the test and trace system in Hillingdon. It was confirmed that this service was led by the NHS. In Hillingdon, approximately 70% of those who tested positive were being contacted successfully – usually within 48 hours. A new model was being introduced whereby, if the NHS were unable to contact somebody within 24 hours, details of that person would be passed to the local authority in Hillingdon. Attempts would be made to call that person 2 or 3 times initially; if this was unsuccessful, a member of staff would be despatched to door knock and advise the person to self isolate and seek a test. Councillors were informed that about 350 tests per 100,000 people were being carried out at present on a daily basis; this was the 3^rd highest test rate level in London. There was capacity to increase this if required and extra testing could be mobilised to hot spot areas.

In response to further enquiries from the Committee, it was confirmed that, at the outset of the pandemic, Fiona Gibbs and Marion Finney in the Housing Team had held virtual meetings with faith and community leaders to ascertain how they would prefer to receive information. It had been agreed that messages would be provided to community group leaders to enable them to tailor and deliver them appropriately. Contact had been made with approximately 150 community group leaders and, in some cases, word of mouth was the preferred method of delivery. Social media, posters, Hillingdon People and the Council website were also being utilised for messaging purposes.

Members expressed concern that, in terms of disability groups and charities, the messaging was somewhat unclear; these groups needed to have a better understanding of what they could / could not do, particularly now that Hillingdon had moved into Tier 2. The Committee was advised that information was being delivered through the co-ordinating group Hillingdon 4 All. However, it was noted that it was a fast-changing environment and people had been bombarded with information. The Communications Team had attempted to clarify what Tier 2 meant. It was agreed that officers would check that these groups were receiving the appropriate messaging and a virtual meeting would be set up to give them an opportunity to ask questions and request clarifications.

Members noted that, in schools and colleges, conflicting information was being provided to children in some instances regarding self isolation periods when they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive with Covid-19. It was agreed that Councillor Haggar would provide further information to Sharon Daye, Consultant in Public Health, to enable her to follow this up. It was essential that all messaging was clear and consistent.

RESOLVED: That the Social Care, Housing and Public Health Policy Overview Committee noted and commented on the content of the report and requested clarification as required.