Agenda item

38.1     The Board considered a report providing an update on progress with the East Sussex Health and Social Care integration programme and related areas of system collaboration.

38.2     In the overview of the Integration White Paper there is a section on workforce and carers. The Board noted that during the Covid pandemic there has been a higher proportion of deaths amongst some ethnic minority groups such as the black and Asian communities across the country. The Board asked if thought had been given to this part of the community and their training needs.

38.3     Vicky Smith, Programme Director - East Sussex Health and Social Care Transformation confirmed that this has been a continuous theme since this came to light in the first phases of the pandemic, and issues around diversity and disparities is a focus within the broader approach for example with the care sector.

38.4     The Board asked how the Integrated Care System (ICS) will take into account the different health needs of Place at the Borough and District council level, such as in areas of higher health inequality, as well as those of the County as a whole. It was also asked how Borough and District councils can respond to the White Paper.   

38.5     Vicky Smith outlined the ambition to put in place a tier of joint working that will take into account the differences across local communities through understanding population needs, resources, and profiles and to work with all partners (including Primary Care Networks) at a local and Place level. This is set out in the White Paper, and the Health and Care Bill before it, as part of the role of Place and the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) to support this.  There will also be liaison with Borough and District partners through the Health and Wellbeing Board to develop this and our broader response to White Paper as the detail emerges. 

38.6     The Board asked whether greater emphasis could be given to local people’s views in the development of more local commissioning, such as through patient panels. Is it possible ensure that the local people receiving services will have a good voice in commissioning.

38.7     The Chair outlined that Healthwatch are involved in this and will continue their work to represent patient views. Vicky Smith added the Sussex ICS has drawn up a draft public involvement strategy which will include measures to address this point.

38.8     The Board noted that the inclusion of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the report is helpful, but the current ones are health orientated rather than looking at public health and community health. It asked whether KPIs are being established for the health and wellbeing of the community, rather than measuring the ill health.

38.9     Vicky Smith responded that indicators for long term population health and wellbeing outcomes are being included in the East Sussex shared outcomes framework, and are in the process of being set so that we can start measurement this year. There are also plans to have a national shared outcomes framework in the White Paper, which may include health and wellbeing outcomes.  This will inform how we develop and set local measures and indicators, and in principle will need to be agreed by the Health and Wellbeing Board for implementation from Spring 2023.

38.10   The Board asked if the resources are in place to achieve the timescales outlined under the digital and data section of the overview of Integration White paper. In particular are the timescales reasonable for having all providers within an Integrated Care System (ICS) connected to a ‘shared care record for each citizen by 2024’.

38.11   Vicky Smith responded that the digital transformation programme and resourcing is managed at a pan Sussex ICS level, for things such as shared care records and covers the NHS, Local Authorities and primary care. The new targets set out in the White Paper extend this to all care settings for those who need it including the independent care sector, with further detail to come to support implementation. There are plans in place to respond proactively to the new timelines reflected in the White Paper.

38.12   The Committee RESOLVED to:

1) Note the continued acceleration of integrated working as a result of our system collaboration, and actions required by increased needs for services during the festive and winter period;

2) Note the key recent national and local developments that will inform and influence the way we work together to improve population health, reduce health inequalities and deliver more integrated care; and

3) Endorse the recommended next steps as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report.