Agenda item

The Chair welcomed Mrs. Ffion Johnstone – Area Director (West) – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (West), Dr. Stephen McVicar – Area Medical Director (West) -Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Ms. Sian Purcell - Chief Officer (Medrwn Môn) to the meeting.  He also welcomed the Officers from the Social Services Department to the meeting.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation) referred to the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014 which sets out the legal framework for local authorities and health boards to work together to assess people’s care needs, support needs, and the support needs of carers.   She stated that the 6 local authorities across North Wales are collaborating with the local health board to produce a North Wales Population Needs Assessment which identifies the current and future care and support needs of people and also supports the integration of services. The assessment will be published in April 2017.  The local authorities and local health board will thereafter need to formulate an area plan within twelve months.

A brief presentation was afforded to the meeting which highlighted the partnership working between the Authority, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Third Sector with regard to the integrated Health and Social Care Services for Anglesey.  The service boards established and their role was explained to the Committee as follows :-

·           Joint Public Services Board (Gwynedd & Môn);

·           Children and Young People’s Partnership (Anglesey);

·           Regional Partnership Board;

·           Model Môn;

·           Integrated Delivery Board (Anglesey);

·           SPOA Project Board;

·           SCS Management Board;

·           North Wales Family Support Board;

·           IFSS Local Management Board;

·           Nightowls;

·           Community Weekend working team

Dr. McVicar explained the role of the Môn Enhanced Care Team which supports GP’s to keep patients with acute medical problems at home when they would otherwise have had to be admitted to hospital.  The Team is based within the Social Services Department in Llangefni and is made up of Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Assistant Practitioners and GP’s and offers care for frail elderly people to help them to stay at their home safely.  Dr. McVicar referred to the Model Môn Team which is made up of representatives from the Health Board, Anglesey Council’s Social Services and the Third Sector and monitors various projects that deliver integrated health and social care to the residents of the Island. 

Dr. McVicar referred to the ‘Nightowls’ team which has been established from the Integrated Care Fund.  ‘Nightowls’ are a group of 6 experienced carers with 3 working shift on a rota basis.  ‘Nightowls’ offer care to people at night who have come from hospital and are within their home environment.  He explained the Community Weekend working team which consist of a Social Worker, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and a District Nursing Team enabling the service to be available 7 days a week for the people of Anglesey.

The Acting Head of Children’s Services explained the work of the Integrated Family Support Service which works with families where alcohol or substance misuse is the main risk factor.  The service covers Gwynedd and Môn; it is a small team of 6 people (4 Council staff and 2 Health Board staff).

The Chief Officer, Medrwn Môn explained the role of the Môn Community Link information service which was established in January 2016 by Medrwn Môn.  Môn Community Link affords information to residents regarding community activities and support groups which are offered in Ynys Môn.

The Head of Adult’s Services explained the role of the Community Mental Health Team which is a co-located team of health and social care staff who deliver mental health services in the community for the residents of Ynys Môn.  The service supports adults with acute, short-term and long-term mental health issues, including those with enduring mental illness.  He referred to the Community Learning Disability Team which is a co-located team of social care and health staff that support individuals with a learning disability in Ynys Môn.  The team is one of six similar across North Wales.  Adult Social Care are the lead agency in the delivery of a social care model of learning disability, with health colleagues providing specialised heath interventions for people on the Learning Disability Register.  The Head of Adult’s Services further referred to a Specialist Children’s Service which is a multi-agency team, made up of staff from the local Health Board and the Children’s Social Services team at the County Council.  The service was set up under the auspices of a Section 33 Agreement between both agencies in 2013. The service works with disabled children and young people with complex needs who are between the ages of 0 – 18 years, and who live on the Island.

The Head of Adult’s Service stated that there are at least 49 staff from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and 52 Social Services staff working together (excluding staff working for the ICF projects) on a daily basis.  The annual budget for all the services is £8.6m, with £6.7m for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities services.  The budget comes from various sources i.e. County Council, Health Board and Welsh Government.  There are over 11,000 adults and 150 families and their children who benefit from the services in one year.  

Matters raised by Members :-

·           Whilst welcoming the services offered by the local Health Board, County Council and the Third Sector it was considered that local residents needs to be informed of the services available to them and where to access such services.  The Assistant Chief Executive responded that a wide ranging information system needs to be incorporated to inform people of the services available i.e. social media, video presentation in hospital clinics and G.P., surgeries together with information in the recently opened Cyswllt Môn at the Council Offices;

·           Members referred to the Alltwen facility at Porthmadog which caters for improved access to health care services locally for patients.  This service at Alltwen has received high praise from the services provided.  Members questioned if such a facility could be afforded in Penrhos Stanley Hospital, Holyhead.  Mrs. Ffion Johnstone representing the Health Board responded that the facility in Alltwen encompasses the care and health services i.e. community nursing, hospital staff together with G.P’s as part of the service provided.  The Care and Repair service is also part of the service.  The facility methodology is that one person deals with the needs of the individual. She said that there is a similar model afforded at the Penrhos Stanley Hospital where a team is co-located but not fully integrated at present; 

·           Members considered that recording of patients details either requiring care or health care, needs to be recorded on a computer system in detail.  Questions were raised as to whether the Council had a shared computer system with the health service to record patient’s details.  The Assistant Chief Executive responded that Welsh Local Authorities and NHS Wales organisations are working in partnership towards a shared system. The Welsh Community Care Information System (WCCIS), will enable safe sharing of information and help to deliver improved care and support for people across Wales.  Gwynedd, Wrexham and Ynys Môn local authorities will incorporate this system as from August 2017.  She stated that the WCCIS will improve the sharing of information between local authorities and the health sector immensely;

·           Members referred to loneliness as being a major issue for elderly people living on their own.  Questions were raised as to how the health board and the local authority were addressing this issue.  The Head of Adult’s Services responded that the local authority is encouraging integration with the health board in facilitating activities through Age Well Centres and Intermediate Care funding has helped activities already in place i.e.  Llanfairpwll, Amlwch and Llangefni.