Issue - items at meetings - Trans Needs Assessment Action Plan Progress Report

Report of the Acting Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care (copy attached)

(1)            That Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equality Committee notes the contents of this report and progress against the recommendations of the Trans Needs Assessment recommendations.

(2)            That Committee instruct officers to provide an update report to this committee in 12 months on progress against the Action Plan.

49.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Health and Adult Social Care which informed members that the Trans Needs Assessment (TNA) provided a comprehensive analysis of current and future needs of local trans people to inform commissioning and delivery of services across the city in order to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities. The NCE Committee received annual reports on progress against all its recommendations. The report and Appendix A detailed progress against the TNA recommendations and identified next steps, including a second Trans Conference in July 2017. The report was presented by the Equalities Co-ordinator.

49.2    The Equalities Co-ordinator reported that the Trans Needs Assessment was completed in mid 2015 and an early initial update was provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of its final report on the Trans Equality Scrutiny (February 2016) before responsibility for oversight of trans work passed to the NCE and the EquIP Trans Sub-Group.

49.3    The TNA picked up on the Trans Equality Scrutiny recommendation to find out more about the needs and assets of the trans community in the city. This was a shared piece of work with Public Health and members of the trans community, with comprehensive and award-winning research and collaboration. 

49.4    The result was 62 recommendations for organisations & groups across the city, covering employment, education, health, business, banking and community safety. The progress report highlighted many achievements over last year. Also, very positively, it noted additional work being completed, above and beyond recommendations. Notable achievements included the development of Kite-mark, which aimed to develop skills and confidence, as well as practical steps to make venues and services more trans-friendly. This was still being developed and was likely to result in an award or logo which could be advertised to let trans people know that there is a basic standard of awareness.

49.5    Members of the EquIP Trans Sub-Group were working with Prof Kath Browne to organise the Trans Conference in July 2017. The conference would include contributions from trans and non-binary contributors, research on trans/non-binary issues, and training for staff and allies. Jack Monroe (writer, journalist and activist) would be speaking and the conference would be open to local, national and international participants. Further information will follow and anyone who wished to attend would be welcome.

49.6    Monitoring work would include the Annual report to NCE, quarterly monitoring and challenge by all stakeholders in TNA recommendations through the EquIP sub-group, chaired by Councillor Daniel, and the Trans Conference.  

49.7    Councillor Simson noted that with regard to young people the report was quite reliant on one voluntary organisation. She asked if officers were confident Allsorts could cover this work.  Councillor Simson noted that the Trans Housing Guide was on hold pending the outcome of the allocations policy, and that there were questions around hostels and supported accommodation services. She asked for an update on these issues.

49.8    The Equalities Co-ordinator replied that Allsorts had been integral to the work within schools, but there had been a shift to schools being able to generate some of this work on their own. The Head of Communities & Equality explained that Allsorts had just bid through the council’s prospectus process and were successful in the partnership they put forward. Allsorts were in a sustainable position for the foreseeable future. 

49.9    The Equalities Co-ordinator stated that due to the various processes that the allocations policy had been through; the Housing Guide had been put on hold.  Now that there was clarity in relation to the Allocations policy it would be necessary to go back and re check the guidance.  The Equalities Co-ordinator would check the situation with regard to hostels and supported accommodation services.  The Chair requested that this information be sent to Councillor Simson and copied to Committee members. 

49.10  Councillor Littman welcomed the report and stressed that it was incredibly important work. He noted that a great deal of solid work had been carried out and hoped even more would be done in the future.

49.11  Councillor Moonan commended the report and the excellent work carried out.  She stated that it should not be taken for granted how ahead of the game Brighton and Hove was in this area of work. Councillor Moonan asked where there had been challenges and whether there were areas where officers would like to see more progress.

49.12  The Equalities Co-ordinator replied that health was one of those areas. Changes that had been made to NHS England and the Charing Cross Clinic London provided uncertainty for people using the service.  Meanwhile NHS England did not seem to have communicated effectively to explain the situation.  The Health and Wellbeing Board would receive an update on this matter.  Locally trans people had been invited to consultation events.  Efforts had been made to try to encourage staff in GPs surgeries to attend training and raise their awareness.  However they were autonomous organisations and it was difficult to make their staff attend training sessions.  There were also difficulties with regard to raising awareness in businesses. This was partly due to the diversity of the business sector and the limitations of the council in terms of influencing those businesses.  The kite-mark would help this situation.

49.13  Joanna Martindale referred to page 35 – Advocacy. There had been a very successful advocacy partnership delivered over this period by MindOut which is jointly funded by the CCG and the City Council.  She understood that the initial idea was that when the main advocacy contract came up for renewal, the trans part of that would get embedded.  Currently the 12 months funding would end at the end of March 2017.  On page 59, there was some discussion about the third sector prospectus which was key to all the voluntary and community sector organisations. Currently there was quite a large cut proposed to that work. She referred to page 57  - point 29 (best practice guidance for GPs) and wondered if there was a role for Patient Participation Groups.

49.14  The Head of Communities & Equality stated that she would check the first point with the advocacy commissioner and report back to the committee. She would discuss the role of the Patient Participation Groups with CCG colleagues. 

49.15  Councillor Gibson welcomed the report. The progress to date was positive and he was pleased to see annual updates.  He referred to pages 65-66 and noted that the council was awaiting information from Sussex Police.  He requested that this information be circulated to the Committee in due course.  The Equalities Co-ordinator replied that the police were planning to consult with a trans external consultative group. They would include any actions in their Sussex Hate Crimes Action Plan.   Other points in relation to domestic violence were answered by the domestic violence and abuse coordinator within the council.  The final point about working with criminal justice agencies/raising trans awareness would be discussed at their external reference group to link into the Crown Prosecution Service to provide this type of training.   The Equalities Co-ordinator would circulate the report again with updates.      

49.16  The Chair stressed the importance of highlighting areas where continual progress was required. She congratulated the Equalities Co-ordinator for her work on the report, and for building trusted relationships and the respect of the trans community.  She emphasised the importance this work made to people’s lives.  

49.17  Councillor Norman welcomed the report and commended and thanked every one involved. 

49.18  Councillor Simson moved an amendment to the recommendations.  This would add recommendation (2) “That committee instruct officers to provide an update report to this committee in 12 months on progress against the Action Plan.”  The amendment was seconded by Councillor Moonan, and was agreed by the Committee.

49.19  RESOLVED:           

(1)          That Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equality Committee notes the contents of this report and progress against the recommendations of the Trans Needs Assessment recommendations.

(2)          That Committee instruct officers to provide an update report to this committee in 12 months on progress against the Action Plan.