Agenda and minutes

To note any changes in membership of the Committee made in accordance with Part 4B paragraph 5 of the Constitution.

Apologies had been received from Cllrs Warren Drew, Rodney Downer, and Joe Robertson.

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2023.

RESOLVED:

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2023 be approved.

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

Chris Orchin (Healthwatch Isle of Wight) declared an interest as his daughter was now employed by the Isle of Wight Council.

Members of the public are invited to make representations to the Committee regarding its workplan. Questions may be asked without notice but to guarantee a full reply, a question must be put (including the name and address of the questioner) in writing or email to Democratic Services at democratic.services@iow.gov.uk, no later than two clear working days before the meeting. The deadline for submitting written questions is Wednesday, 29 November 2023.

No written public questions were received.

To receive an update on the progress against the outcomes arising from previous meetings, and to provide an update on any outstanding actions.

The chairman presented the report which provided an overview of the progress against outcomes and recommendations from previous meetings.

An update was sought with regards to the request of the committee in June 2023 to receive a further breakdown of data from the 111 Service regarding abandoned calls. The IW NHS Trust agreed to follow this up and provide a response before the next meeting in March 2024. 

Discussion took place regarding the questions raised at the last meeting on compliance with accessibility standards and the ability to contact staff at the Integrated Care Board. The vice-chairman reported that the issue remained ongoing, and it was agreed that specific examples would be shared outside the meeting and the Integrated Care Board would contact the providers in question.

An update was sought regarding the issue originally raised at the meeting in June 2023 regarding clinical waste collections (sharps disposals). Healthwatch Isle of Wight reported feedback which indicated that the issue remained ongoing, and it was agreed that the matter would be followed up and a response would be sought from the Service Manager for Waste.

The Director of Community, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities advised that the findings of the Afton Ward pilot scheme would be reported to the committee at it’s next meeting in March 2024.

An update was sought regarding patient transport, following the committee’s letter to ferry companies expressing its concerns for those travelling to-and-from the mainland to access specialist healthcare services. The Deputy Place Director (Isle of Wight) for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB advised that the Patient Transport Task Force had met with all ferry providers and work was ongoing as a result of that meeting. The committee sought assurance that the Isle of Wight Council was represented on this group.

RESOLVED:

THAT the report and updates be noted.

The committee to hear the lived experience from people, whether a provider, patient, service user, voluntary sector organisation or member of staff.

The committee received a video presentation which provided accounts of the lived experiences of young people and their interactions with mental health services on the Isle of Wight.

The Managing Director and founder of Men Only Isle of Wight, along with a user of the service, a local mental health nurse and a GP, were in attendance to provide accounts of their experiences which evidenced how local voluntary-sector groups worked to provide positive outcomes for residents of the Isle of Wight; as a vital part of suicide prevention and acting as a bridge between primary care services and the community.

RESOLVED:

THAT the oral presentations be noted.

To review the progress with the implementation of the project ahead of the scheduled go-live date in April 2024.

The committee received an update on the progress with the development of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, ahead of the scheduled go-live date in April 2024, which had been created to deliver community, mental health and learning disability services across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area.

Concerns were raised regarding the long-term sustainability of voluntary-sector organisations which were reliant on grant funding, and how this uncertainty could impact the various services offered within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Questions were raised around the ways in which residents could access mental health services (including medical interventions and voluntary-sector support groups). Comments were made regarding trauma training, prevention across all age groups including Public Health involvement, and interventions in schools. The chairman requested a journey map outlining the range of services available to Island residents.

RESOLVED:

THAT the update be received and noted.

To monitor the implementation of the winter plan, and to hear from the Isle of Wight Executive Delivery Group.

The committee received the report on the delivery and implementation of the IW NHS Trust’s winter plan, which provided assurance that there were robust resilience arrangements in place to manage any risks associated with overcrowding in the emergency department, ambulance handover delays, and the associated impact on the wider community and the workforce within the acute, primary care and social care services. It was confirmed that plans were in place for all health services so that there was no unintended consequences on a different part of the system.

The committee sought assurance that improvements were being made and lessons were being learnt from previous years, and it was agreed that a further report would be provided at the end of the winter period.

RESOLVED:

THAT the update be noted.

To monitor the progress of improving dentistry services for the Island.

The committee received an update on the progress with improving access to NHS-commissioned dental services on the Isle of Wight. The Deputy Place Director (Isle of Wight) for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB recognised the unstable position and the committee were advised that workforce pressures remained the biggest issue. Attention was drawn to the key actions which had been agreed in the first instance; including a Dental Bus offering treatment from January 2024, a two-year funded pilot to increase the rates paid to dental practices, and an additional 15,000 funded units of dental activity to increase capacity on the Island. It was agreed that the draft Dental Strategy would be circulated to committee members for comment. 

RESOLVED:

THAT the committee supports the efforts to move in the right direction, but the issue of dentistry on the Isle of Wight will remain on the committee’s agenda as a priority issue so this can be tracked for the residents of the Island.

To consider any amendments to the current workplan.

Consideration was given to the future workplan, and the committee and health partners were invited to identify any key issues that should be included. Comments were made regarding the informal meeting scheduled for January 2024 to discuss the health and social care budget, and it was advised that this would only be early indicative feedback as the health budget was unlikely to be finalised before the end of March 2024.

RESOLVED:

THAT the workplan be received and noted.

A question may be asked at the meeting without prior notice but in these circumstances there is no guarantee that a full reply will be given. To guarantee a reply, a question  must be submitted in writing or by email to democratic.services@iow.gov.uk no later than 5pm on Thursday, 30 November 2023.

Cllr Clare Mosdell submitted a written question to the committee seeking assurance that all unique Island factors were considered in decision-making by senior health administrators at a place-based Island level. A written response was provided by the Chairman (MQ 12/23) and the question would be passed to partners for their response.

Cllr Andrew Garratt submitted a written question in relation to access to NHS dental treatment on the Isle of Wight. A written response was provided (MQ 13/23).