Agenda item

The Cabinet Member(s) will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adult Services addressed the Panel and highlighted the following points from her update.

Newton House

B&NES families who draw on care and support at Newton House came together on 18th July to share their experience and hear from the working group looking at options for future building-based respite services. The meeting was attended by 4 parents, managers from Dimensions and council officers, who recognized the value of continuing to regularly meet together to take this work forward.

Updated the group on the contract changes coming up in 2026 and a strategic piece of work to review current services and develop a Learning Disability, Autism, and Neurodiversity framework. This is a significant undertaking, encompassing community support, day support, and supported living services. Respite care is also part of this broader initiative.

Discussed the importance of long-term planning, including understanding future housing needs for individuals and families. By working together, we can ensure that the B&NES Local Plan reflects the housing needs of individual and families.

The update has been shared with all families who use Newton House support. The working group will continue its work on the all-age respite and all families will be invited to take part, with more opportunities for engagement opening in the autumn.

Community Support Recommissioning

Recommissioning of community support services is progressing as planned. Several tenders were evaluated in August, with more evaluations happening in September, with good level of engagement from health and social care practitioners and carers, as relevant for each service. We are on time to finalise contract awards by the end of September. A communication strategy is being updated, and procurement outcomes will be communicated later in the autumn.

Community Resource Centres & Extra Care Housing

CQC conducted an unannounced inspection of Cleeve Court in July following a ‘test and learn’ approach with an expert by experience as part of the inspection team. The inspection concentrated on the domains of Safe and Well Led as these were rated as requires improvement in the previous inspection. As part of the inspection methodology the service has worked with the Lead Inspector to develop an action plan, and this has been updated and reviewed with the Lead Inspector in early August. It is expected that the inspection report will not be available until mid-late September from CQC.

Visits – Suzanne Westhead (Director of Adult Social Care) and I visited both Cleeve Court and Combe Lea during August and were delighted to meet staff, residents and some visiting relatives. Since taking these regulated services back in house in 2020, B&NES has invested significantly in both staff and infrastructure and I was struck by the many improvements since I last visited.

Both homes are clearly offering high quality, person centred care in a comfortable and homely environment and staff are committed to ensuring that residents live fulfilling lives for the time that they are there.

Cool Spaces

With our Summer’s becoming warmer, Public Health and Sustainable Communities have worked with partners to ensure residents’ can access cool spaces. Companies and community organisations in Bath and North East Somerset who could provide a cool indoor space for residents to rest on hot days and shelter from the sun are being encouraged to register on a new Indoor Cool Spaces Directory. Each Indoor Cool Space provider will agree to certain facilities being available such as toilets and drinking water, and will sign up to the Cool Spaces Charter which guarantees visitors respect, dignity and a warm welcome. An online map and directory has also been developed so that residents can look up where their nearest cool space is. This includes indoor spaces and outside shaded areas.

Councillor Liz Hardman said that she welcomed the update on Newton House, but sought assurance that things were moving on as part of the process.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that they had agreed with all the families to go out to tender for an all-age respite service and said she would seek to bring a timetable for that process to the November meeting of the Panel

Councillor Hardman asked for further information regarding Be Well B&NES as to who was overseeing this work.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention explained that it was part of a Health Improvement Framework that was identifying lots of commonalities across the Council with the hope of providing a whole system approach to the issues identified.

The Public Health Principal added that a steering group, comprising of Council officers and external partners was in place to work with communities. She added that a Be Well B&NES Children and Young People’s Network is in place and prioritising delivery of the Education Attainment Action Plan. 

Councillor Hardman commented that she thought the Cool Spaces was a great initiative and asked if more were to be added for next year.

Councillor Born replied that with the increased temperatures over the summer it was clear that this initiative was needed. She added that the foundations were now in place and would identify more spaces where possible for next year.

Councillor Anna Box referred to the NHS 10 Year Plan and said that more emphasis was being placed on holistic care, preventative measures and lack of hospital escalation. She asked what role Public Health will play in accessing funding as the model was changing from fund per service to yearly payments.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that they work alongside their NHS colleagues, other Regional Public Health Directors and nearby Public Health teams across the ICB and ICA on both a practical and policy planning level to see how we can work effectively across the system to avoid pressures.

Laura Ambler, BSW ICB, explained that there are 3 key areas as to how the NHS intends to work in the future.

·  From hospital to community: More care will be available on people’s doorsteps and in their homes

·  From analogue to digital: New technology will liberate staff from admin and allow people to manage their care as easily as they bank or shop online

·  From sickness to prevention: We’ll reach patients earlier and make the healthy choice the easy choice.

She said that she felt that locally they were a little ahead of the plan, although work was required to align with ongoing programmes for drugs and alcohol for example.

She added that she would also be working with the Director of Adult Social Care regarding the Better Care Fund.

Councillor David Harding referred to Be Well B&NES and said that different pressures exist within the rural areas of the Council. He asked when they could see work from this project be in place to help them.

The Public Health Principal replied that the project had been focussing on the areas of Twerton and Whiteway for the past two years, but has also been looking at how the wider population of the Council can be supported. She stated that any local arrangements were planned to remain in place.

Councillor Jess David asked if outdoor shaded areas have been considered to be included in the Cool Spaces Directory.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that they have and were likely to be included in the spaces available next summer.

Councillor David asked if the Parks department had been involved in the Governance of Be Well B&NES.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that they were as representatives from across the council were part of the Steering Group.

Victoria Stanley, Head of Primary Care – Community Pharmacy Optomotry and Dentistry, BSW ICB, addressed the Panel to inform them of a project that had recently commenced that will see local GPs and Dentists promote prevention work for mouth care and oral health. She said that this was the first time for such a collaboration and that they were hopeful for improvements.

The Chair said that she would welcome an update on the project in due course.

Councillor Lesley Mansell asked if the future delivery of the Holiday Activity and Food Programme would include areas of North East Somerset.

The Public Health Principal replied that feedback has been gained following the programme and was pleased to report that the SEND offer had been strengthened alongside an extension to the range of activities. She said that she would share a list of where the programme had taken place and that a list of future activities would be updated soon.

Councillor Mansell referred to sexual health and the upcoming agenda item of the School’s Health and Wellbeing Survey and asked if promotion of safe sex was carried out within schools and colleges.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that lessons on sexual health will be delivered by different curriculums and will vary from school to school. She added that they work with many of the school nurses and said that work was ongoing to deliver information to Fresher’s Fairs for the new intake of students.

The Public Health Principal added that key stakeholders would be made aware of any issues ahead of the next survey.

Councillor Mansell commented that the Cool Spaces was a great initiative and encouraged more to be done to make the public aware of it.

The Chair referred to Newton House and asked if parties had learnt from each other and the overall process.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that she believed they had and explained that two events had been held as part of the process. She stated that the families have been very clear on what they expect and that as officers they were constantly learning.

The Chair asked if further information could be provided relating to the Community Support Recommissioning.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that a Community Support Transfer & Strategy Group was in place oversee this work and that ten events have been held with providers to enable feedback to be given.

The Chair asked why the new online free testing service for chlamydia and gonorrhoea was specifically for women.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that this was because of the known reproduction health risks for women concerning these infections. She added that their sexual partners would be contacted as part of the service if their details are given. She explained that an in person testing service remains available for all at the Riverside Health Cinic in Bath.

The Chair asked if the Council’s Community Drug and Alcohol Service were working with homeless people within the area.

The Director of Public Health & Prevention replied that there is an outreach team that work alongside officers from Housing Services.

The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Councillor Born for her update.