Agenda item

To confirm and sign the minutes of the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 25 September 2020 as a correct record.

Cllr Cornelius drew attention to item 6 of the minutes, Declarations by Members, and noted that she was a ‘Council appointed Trustee’ rather than a ‘Council appointed member’ of the Eleanor Palmer Trust.

RESOLVED

That, subject to the above amendment, the minutes of the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 25 September 2020 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

In terms of matters arising from the minutes, the Committee asked for clarification of whether the 85 community health beds, meant for testing care home residents to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks when they returned to care homes, were included within the 200 surge beds or whether they were a separate provision. It was also enquired whether people with disabilities in supported living accommodation were being provided with the same access to testing as care home residents. The Chair noted that these questions would be provided with written answers.

Post meeting note:The table below showed all units capable of taking Covid ‘bridging’ patients (patients due to be discharged to a care home but awaiting a negative test). These were referred to nationally as ‘designated’ sites. The column marked ‘beds’ showed the capacity of the units pre-surge. The column marked ‘max surge’ showed the maximum capacity if all surge beds were used. Part of the surge capacity at Chase Farm had currently been implemented. All 240 beds were capable of being ‘bridging beds’ if required. These beds were mainly used as step-down from hospital, but not exclusively. There would be occasions when a patient was admitted directly from the community or other pathways.

(This table did not show all NCL P2 block capacity. Units located in care homes or extra care sheltered units, such as Mildmay, St Anne’s, and Priscilla Wakefield, were not intended as bridging beds.)

In relation to testing access for those with disabilities in supported living accommodation, it was noted that the national testing regime had provided regular testing for care home staff (weekly) and residents (monthly) in recent months. It had been announced that the national offer would provide increased testing for extra care and supported living settings shortly. In North Central London (NCL), local testing capacity had been provided to address the gaps in supported housing (and other social care settings). This had been provided by the local NHS and its use had been directed between public health and adult social care departments.

The Chair noted that the action tracker had been circulated as a late paper. It was explained that a number of the actions had been completed but that the key outstanding items were a written update on the Lower Urinary Tract Service (LUTS) Clinic and a seminar on health and social care integration hosted by Mike Cooke. The Chair added that the remaining items on the action tracker would likely be addressed later in 2021. Rob Mack, Principal Scrutiny Officer, reported that the seminar on health and social care integration had been arranged but had been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic; it was noted that efforts would be made to reorganise.