Issue - items at meetings - The Big Health Check For People with Learning Disabilities

Report of Director Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner for People Brighton and Hove City Council and Chief Operating Officer NHS Brighton and Hove (copy attached)

(1)       That the contents of the ‘Big Health Check’ (South East Coastal Learning Disabilities Self Assessment Framework Feedback) for 2011 be noted.

(2)       That the contents of the Big Health Check attached as Appendix 1 of the report be noted and that the actions set out in 3.7 of the report be approved.

18.1    The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People, which explained that Sir Jonathan Michael’s report “Healthcare for All” 2008 highlighted the inequality people with learning disabilities faced in accessing healthcare services.  The report’s recommendations were incorporated into the Valuing People Now White Paper 2009 and the NHS Annual Operating Framework required Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to submit an annual “Big Health Check” return of progress made to improve access to healthcare.   

18.2    The current report summarised the PCT’s third return submitted to the South East Coastal Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Self Assessment on 5 September 2011.   The return had been subject to validation by the Strategic Health Authority and written confirmation would be received shortly.

18.3    The Chief Operating Officer, Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group was pleased to report that there had been notable improvement this year.  There were four key target areas.  All criteria were either rated amber or green, and Top Targets 1 and 2 had now been assessed as Green.   There was a move away from hospital settings, an improvement in the planning and discharge service and a better framework.  100% of GPs were signed up to providing regular health checks for people with learning disabilities and the Thumbs Up Campaign had been launched.  There was still more help needed with regard to oral hygiene and healthy eating and a specific project would address those areas.  

18.4    The Chief Operating Officer drew attention to paragraph 3.7 of the report which listed priority actions for next year including completing the Autism Strategy.  People with Learning Disabilities had been involved in the self assessment.

18.5    The Chair stated that he was impressed with how people with learning disabilities had been involved in the process. 

18.6    Councillor Norman referred to GP contact.  He thought it would take time to get GP’s fully involved due to the large numbers of people who had to be seen in GP’s surgeries.  He thought the Thumbs Up Campaign to be a good initiative.

18.7    Janice Robinson appreciated the improvements in primary care.  She asked about moving people out of hospital into units.  There were a number of people with learning disabilities who had mental health problems that were living in hospitals.  She asked where these places were, why people were in these places and what was being done to repatriate them.   

18.8    The Chief Operating Officer replied that it was sometimes appropriate to have people moved to hospitals if they were sectioned under the Mental Health Act.  She stressed that need for case management in these circumstances.  The person should be brought back to more appropriate accommodation as soon as possible.  If the person was placed out of the city they were still case managed by a social worker.  Alternative options would be actively pursued.

18.9    The Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People stressed that it was not always possible to provide local accommodation if the person had complex needs. 

18.10  RESOLVED - (1)      That the contents of the ‘Big Health Check’ (South East Coastal Learning Disabilities Self Assessment Framework Feedback) for 2011 be noted.

(2)       That the contents of the Big Health Check attached as Appendix 1 of the report be noted and that the actions set out in 3.7 of the report be approved.