Agenda and minutes

The Health Fair opens with a wide variety of local health and care providers present, with information stands and advice for the public. 

The event will run from 5.00 – 8.00pm and you are welcome to drop by anytime.

The Health Fair opened with a wide variety of local health and care providers present, people were able to visit the information stands and receive advice. 

The Chairman, Councillor Richard Britton welcomed everyone to the special meeting of the Southern Wiltshire Area Board and Health Fayre and thanked all of the stall holders for giving up their time to come and share information with us.

To receive any apologies and to note any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

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There were none.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 31 July 2014.

The minutes from the last meeting held on Thursday 31 July 2014, were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Presentation and question and answer session.

Corporate Director Maggie Rae, presented information on the Wiltshire Better Care Plan and showed a DVD. Chief Officer of the CCG, Debbie Fielding gave an overview of some of the plans for the future.

Also in attendance was Mark Harris, Group Director for the CCG.

Following the presentation questions and comments were received, these included:

·         With one Care Coordinator for every 20,000 people in the population, how would you ensure quality? Answer: It was our job to drive up quality. Whilst it was important to have specialist services, we recognise that people in Wiltshire rely on personal care. We would offer people their own budgets, so that they would feel more empowered so say what they did and did not want. The care providers we have are contracted to provide quality, for which we pay a higher than average rate.

·         We recently received a Healthwatch presentation at an Area Board, how did Healthwatch fit in with this? Answer: Healthwatch was an independent body, funded by central government. Although their funding comes through Wiltshire Council, they are not governed by the council. They are there to listen to the views of the public and to ensure that those views are heard by Wiltshire Council and the Care Commissioning Group.

·         How far can you go with the integration of Health and Social Care, could it include finances? Answer: We have a great system where we go to each other’s meetings and view everything as though we have one combined pot of money. We are all focused on the needs of the population from the outcomes of the JSA’s. Looking at it seamlessly, we can make budgets work together and we work towards getting teams on the ground to work together. Most of that can be achieved without any structural reorganisation.

·         Care workers were visiting elderly people very quickly and having to travel long distances between appointments. What was happening to change this? Answer: As we shift care from hospitals to home, there would have to be more support provided in the home.

·         There would be no zero hours contracts. There was good intelligence that there would be many army wives that would want to work in the industry; we would try and fix the problems in the independent care sector by working with those people. It was important to value the care workers by paying them a better rate per hour for their work.

The Chairman added that in a rural setting such as this, travelling between the villages was a problem. He thanked Maggie and Debbie for their presentation.

To hear from Frank Bracher, Southern Wiltshire Health Trainer, about the initiative.

Southern Wiltshire Health Trainer, Frank Bracher explained about the Health Trainer Service, which was available to anyone over 18 years of age, who wished to receive help with setting a health plan. Health Trainers could offer a wide range of guidance and support on:

·       healthy eating and moving towards a healthy weight

·       reducing or stopping smoking

·       becoming more physically active

·       sensible drinking

·       improving general health

·       building self confidence, motivation and coping skills

·       signposting to other services

Questions and comments:

·       Was there a referral route? Answer: Yes there was. Frank was available after the meeting on his stall, to provide further information on how to be referred.

·       Was there a cost for the service? Answer: No, it was a free service, provided by Wiltshire Council.

·       If there was a group of people in one location, such as a workplace who could benefit from some advice, would you visit us? Answer: Yes this could be arranged.

Health trainers were available in community areas across  Wiltshire.

If you would like to book an appointment to see a health trainer email health.trainers@wiltshire.gov.uk  or telephone 0300 003 4566 providing your name and address.

To kick of the Area Board’s theme to support vulnerable people we will hear about making our villages Dementia Friendly.

The Chairman explained that to build on the Area Board theme, helping Vulnerable People, there would be an item at a future Area Board about making our communities dementia friendly, which aimed to help people with dementia to live fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Tom Bray, Community Area Manager had attended training to be a Dementia Friends Champion, which meant that he was able to train others to become a Dementia Friend. Tom presented some information on dementia.

• 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 would suffer from dementia.
• 40% of people with dementia reported that they had felt lonely recently.
• 44% of people with dementia did not feel part of their community.

The JSA indicated that Southern Wiltshire community area had the second highest level of recorded dementia across the county. Five people within the SP5 postcode area had already been trained as Dementia Friend Champions, and there could be more in Laverstock, which is SP1.

Tom suggested some ways in which the Board could take the project forward, the Board discussed the options and decided to form a working group to take this project forward.

Comments and questions included:

• Do you intend including the people who live with people with dementia, as they need great support? Answer: They could come along for training; as there were many practical skills to learn.

To note the written updates attached to the agenda and to receive a verbal update from the Police.

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda and heard from representatives from the Police and Fire Authority.

Police – Inspector Dave Minty

The figures as detailed in the agenda were looking quite healthy. There had been a 33% reduction in domestic burglary, which equated to 7 crimes. An increase of 6.9% in violence against the person, which equated to 6 crimes.

Inspector Minty pointed out that at the bottom of the table it read ‘Detections include both Sanction Detections and Local Resolution’.

Local Resolution was an approach to dealing with minor offences, such as thefts, public disorder, criminal damage (such as vandalism), and inconsequential assaults. Instead of the offence being handled through the justice system, a Local Resolution would be arranged by the police officer called in to deal with the crime, the officer would decide on an appropriate manner for the offender to redeem himself/herself before the victim. The decision would be reached by consulting with the victim and must be accepted by the offender in order to take effect.

Prior to the start of the meeting, a member of the Office of the PCC had circulated flyers detailing information on registering to receive local updates via social media.

Fire Authority – Cllr Chris Devine

The Fire Authority was in the middle of a public consultation running from 21 July 2014 to 20 October 2014.

The three options which would be considered were:

1.    Wiltshire & Swindon Fire Authority to stay independent and increase collaboration with Wiltshire Council & Swindon Borough Council.

2.    Wiltshire & Swindon Fire Authority to stay independent and increase collaboration with Dorset Fire Authority while also collaborating with Wiltshire Council & Swindon Borough Council.

3.    Wiltshire & Swindon Fire Authority to merge with Dorset Fire Authority to create a single Combined Fire Authority while also collaborating with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Dorset County Council, Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole.

Further information could be found online at: www.wiltsfire.gov.uk by following the consultation portal to the documentation.

This would also be debated at the Full Council meeting on 21 October.

The Board will consider applications for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme.

Officer: Tom Bray, Community Area Manager

The Board considered one application for funding from the Community Area Grant Scheme for 2014/15, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda. Following discussion, the Board voted on the application.

Decision

West Grimstead Village Hall was awarded £2209.21 towards their project to insulate the hall.

Reason

The application met the Community Area Grant Criteria for 2014/15.

A further opportunity to visit the stands.

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting. Following the meeting there was a further opportunity to visit the stalls.

The next meeting would be held on Thursday 4 December 2014, 7.00pm at Whiteparish Memorial Centre.