Agenda item - Chair's Communications

53.1    The Chair gave the following communication:

            Welcome to the meeting.

53.2    It is a busy agenda and the Chairs communications will be noted in full in the minutes.

53.3    Changes in the seating arrangements: There are a number of members of the public here, which is good to see. Clearly there are issues on today’s agenda which people feel passionate about. Please do note that you are here as observers, not as participants in the meeting. The council has a number of ways for people to ask questions or present petitions to committee meetings – and we have members of the public here today with a deputation. However, we cannot have the meeting disrupted by people shouting out from the public gallery, and I’m sure everyone here today will respect this.

         Changes of personnel within health and social care

53.4    I would like to welcome Rob Persey, our new Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care Health   who is now in post - welcome.

53.5    The South East Coast Ambulance Trust have appointed a new Chief Executive. Daren Mochrie will be joining the Trust shortly.

53.6    As many of you are aware, Colm Donaghy will be retiring shortly as the CE at Sussex Partnership Trust.  Samantha Allen will be taking on this role from April 2017.

         HOSC

53.7    HOSC are continuing the track the quality and improvement progress of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust as it is in special measures.

53.8    Some of you may have seen the television coverage about the staffing shortages at South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust.  Again this trust is in special measures and their progress to improvement is being monitored by HOSC.

53.9    HOSC will shortly be talking to Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust about their recent CQC inspection and post inspection improvement action plan.

53.10  Given the recent closure of Lewes Road Surgery, HOSC will be continuing to look at GP sustainability within our city.

         Water Refill Scheme

53.11  At the October Full Council meeting the issue of Water Refill was raised. I am happy to provide an update on the work to date.

53.12  Brighton & Hove City Council and Southern Water are exploring the logistics and sustainability of a refill style scheme in the city.  A scheme of this type would involve local businesses choosing to allow residents and visitors to refill reusable water bottles with tap water.    The first stage is the implementation of a survey of businesses to inform the design of the scheme which will be taking place and results analysed during February.   This will inform the proposed design of the scheme.

53.13  Potential benefits of the scheme could include:

·           reduced waste from drinks bottles resulting in a reduction in waste collection volume and benefits for the environment

·           less money spent on buying bottled drinks

·           health benefits from drinking water rather than sugar sweetened drinks.

         Community Short Term Services

53.14  Community Short Term Services (CSTS) are a collection of services that work closely together to provide rehabilitation and crisis care to people that enable them to either remain at home rather than going to hospital or enable them to be discharged from hospital following an episode of care.

53.15  The Board will be aware we have had papers concerning these services and the need to review the model of provision that we currently have to ensure it best needs the changing and more challenging needs of our community.

53.16  Although the Board approved a re-procurement of services, only one tender was received and this did not pass the required thresholds. Therefore, it was agreed not to award the contract.

53.17  We wish to reassure the Board that the current capacity and arrangements will remain in place whilst we now refresh the review of bed-based care in the city.

53.18  The review will both engage with the provider market to understand why we did not receive a better response to the previous procurement, and, taking full account of the Brighton & Hove Caring Together programme, ensure we align future service provision to our emerging community strategy. The Board will of course be updated with the outcome of the review at a future date.

         Digital Roadmap

53.19  The Sussex & East Surrey Digital Roadmap was published on Friday last week.  This is seen as one of the key enablers to moving towards a person-centred integrated service for residents.

53.20  The Digital Roadmap describes how we will continue to develop and exploit the many benefits of new technologies to ensure that our health and social care services are fully aligned to the changing needs of and expectations of local populations. The Board may wish to have a short presentation about this subject.