Agenda item

This paper provides an outline of the 2020-21 work programme for the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair noted that the items on General Practice and Digital GP could be removed from the work programme as there had been detailed discussion about GPs during this meeting and there would be further discussion relation to digital inclusion at future meetings. It was noted that there was a wider item on tackling inequalities through prevention and early intervention but that it might be useful to consider this specifically in relation to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities. The Chair also stated that the Committee had requested reports on the post-Covid syndrome pathway, the Healthy Intent initiative, digital inclusion, and missing cancer patients. 

Rob Mack, Principal Scrutiny Officer, explained that a seminar delivered by Mike Cooke on the integration of health and care had been organised but had to be cancelled due to the national lockdown. It was suggested that this could be reorganised to be delivered as an online seminar.

Cllr Das Neves suggested that mental health should be added to the work programme as this extremely important at present. The Chair added that Dr Katie Coleman had referred to an increased suicide risk and she believed that a piece of work was being developed to support mental health. Cllr Revah added that the mental health of carers had been significantly impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic and asked for carers to be included in any paper on mental health.

Cllr Smith suggested that health inequality and the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority communities would require further consideration. The Chair stated that this was a very wide-reaching topic and that it might be useful to consider health inequality as part of the digital inclusion paper, particularly if digital services were not being accessed by particular communities; it was noted that it would be helpful for this paper to include what was being put in place to mitigate health inequality. The Committee commented that it would be useful to invite some organisations working with Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority communities and faith communities as they had direct experiences and would bring a different perspective. It was added that this report would need to be underpinned by specific data.

Cllr Cornelius noted that a seminar was being delivered to Barnet councillors relating to Covid-19, housing, and mental health; it was suggested that this seminar or the research undertaken might be useful to other Councils.

Rob Mack, Principal Scrutiny Officer, noted that Camden Council had undertaken a report on the disproportionate effect of Covid on Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities which could be circulated to the Committee. The Chair added that Hackney Council had hosted a meeting with a number of high profile speakers and that it might be useful to see if they had produced a follow up report.

29 January 2021

·         Post-Covid syndrome pathway, including communications, the financing for the therapies teams, and a section about which communities were presenting with post-Covid syndrome given concerns about the disproportionate amount of white British people presenting.

·         The mental health impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including carers.

·         Digital inclusion, including the NCL Board report and Equality Impact Assessment, specific reference to Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, faith communities, and specific data.

26 March 2021

·         Missing cancer patients.

·         Healthy Intent (information report).

·         Health Inequalities, specifically looking at the impact of Covid-19 on Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities in more depth and with more data.

RESOLVED

To note the report, subject to the above amendments.