Councillor H Allen and the Principal Programme Lead Mental Health from
NHS Dorset presented a verbal update around the positive work around
Homeless Health which included the following:
- That there
was good services, charities and voluntary organisations already
supporting the homeless, however partnership working had been strengthened
and progressed to ensure all stakeholders worked together collaboratively
to deliver an integrated, system wide model and pathways including
Multi-Disciplinary Team working (MDT).
- The Committee
was advised of the ongoing and extensive work around the Hub at St
Stephens and the MDT in addition to other projects.
- The
partners who contributed to the MDT were detailed including mental health
services, drug and alcohol services, advocacy and housing.
- The extensive
work being undertaken in the Out of Hospitals model was highlighted to the
Committee.
- The Principal Programme Lead Mental Health
detailed her joint role across NHS
Dorset and BCP Council which included focus on homeless and the
formalisation of the MDT offer.
- It was noted
that the MDT had started to meet in July with a Memorandum of
Understanding and currently focused on rough sleepers using a share point
system to ensure each individual had a personalised plan.
- The Committee
was advised of a couple of examples of the good work the MDT was
undertaking relating to specific individuals.
- The Committee
was advised that since Covid awareness of homelessness had been raised
with the difficulties and challenges highlighted and the need to bring
together a strategic document which would be Pan Dorset was detailed.
- A
Committee Member was grateful for the ongoing work and update and
highlighted the issues of self neglect amongst
the homeless community and the possible reasons for it were detailed.
- In
response to a query about whether a Housing First model was being used,
the Committee was advised that there was one in place, but it was not
being used in all cases. It was
noted that it would be beneficial to use the housing first model for all
rough sleepers however cost implications could be preventing this.
- In
response to a query whether the target of ending all rough sleeping by
2024 would be met, the Committee was advised that realistically, this
probably would not be achievable.
- In
response to a query regarding the Health Bus, the Committee was advised
that it started as a charity and offered gaps in the health responsiveness
for clients. It was noted that
there was currently a governance issue which was trying to be resolved as
it had negatively affected the timeliness in which healthcare could be
offered to those in need.
- The
Director of Operations advised of the homeless intervention team and their
work which was embedded within the MDT and the housing colleagues and
social work teams identifying people at front door which was ensuring a
much stronger visible profile and work in those areas.
- The Lead
for Homelessness advised of the good data gathering which demonstrate
positive outcomes including holistic patient centred care and cost
effective care.
- The
Chair concluded by thanking everyone involved for all the work that had
been detailed in the presentation.
The Portfolio Holder with
responsibility for People and Homes provided an update on the following:
·
The Proud to Care Campaign, which was BCP
Council supporting care provider recruitment via promotional videos, had been
well viewed and received.
·
The financial support, including a grant from
central Government being provided to care providers to recruit from overseas to
increase the numbers of posts and hours for carers was detailed.
·
Work was also highlighted around the winter
discharge grant to enable people to be discharged from hospital and remain in
their homes.
The Committee discussed the
difficulties experienced with recruitment and retention in the social care
workforce. The Committee was advised
that delay in the introduction of social care reform had meant that funding
would be received from Government. The
Committee was advised of the ongoing work with NHS Dorset to employ people
through the NHS with a training package to provide a better offer. The Committee was advised that more detail
could be provided on this at a future date.
The Portfolio Holder for
Communities, Health and Leisure advised of the following:
- That
infection rates for Covid were continuing to fall with fewer hospital
patients testing positive and the autumn booster programme was
continuing.
- The
Committee was advised of the concerns with public sector finances meaning
that National Public Health had moved away from primary prevention such as
sugar tax to secondary prevention in NHS settings which was more of a
physical prevention campaign.
- The
agreed underspend of £610k public health grant from the Joint Public
Health Board was being returned to BCP and how it would be used was being
considered.
- The
Health checks programme was being relaunched in April 2023 with a targeted
approach in areas of higher deprivation and was progressing in an
community engagement model with Livewell Dorset
- Drug and
Alcohol Performance would in the future be via the Combating Drugs
Partnership which was detailed
The Chairman requested a message
be passed back to Dorset Healthcare regarding providing the urgent need to
provide the Covid booster vaccine to the home bound elderly. ACTION.
In response to a query about
younger people and children being offered the vaccine, the Committee was told
this could be investigated and reported back. ACTION.