Agenda and minutes

1.1  The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

2.1  There were no declarations of interest.

3.1  The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.

4.1  Andrew told the Board of his experiences around sexual abuse, homophobic neighbours, the breakdown of a relationship and the effect on his mental health. He had returned to Hackney and presented himself to the Council in a depressed state. He had concerns about the signposting available and did not feel secure in the process. He told the Board that he continued to feel anxious and suffered from insomnia and had tried to take his own life. At this time he was in temporary accommodation without the necessary support.  He was moved to a one bedroom accommodation and was supported by MIND. Andrew praised the work of the advocacy team in helping him access services.

4.2  The Board expressed concerns about those in the system who were not so articulate in accessing services and what the outcomes were for them. The Chair told the Board that one of the Council’s biggest projects was the integration of all sectors in service provision. 

4.3  Alison told the Board of her experience as person with mental illness in Hackney. She referred to the good support she received from MIND.  She went on to emphasise the need for support for people with mental illness and the early identification of people in crisis. Alison told the Board of difficulties that people with mental illness experienced during the weekends when services were not available to them. The Chair stressed the need to treat individuals with respect and to have effective signposting so that those in need receive appropriate services. He told the Board of work underway with the CCG on crisis pathways.  Paul Fleming told the Board of the work of the third sector in signposting to other appropriate services. 

5.1  Penny Bevan introduced the report. The Board noted that the London Borough of Hackney had signed-up to the Local Authority Mental Health Challenge which had been set by seven leading mental health charities working to improve mental health across England.  In response the Council had appointed Cllr Tom Rahilly as its Member Champion for mental health.  An action plan was proposed to the Board in October 2016 setting out five key areas of work that were to be led by the local authority, in partnership with other organisations and individuals. Penny updated the Board on work that continued in relation to actions. A report back would be made to the Board on the remaining two actions.

5.2  In relation to action 4 on Life events that can trigger poor mental health the Chair asked that this be closely monitored with feedback made. He went to stress the need for appropriate signposting. In response to a question from Paul Haigh on whether people with mental illness were involved in the process Penny agreed to report back on this. Raj Radia reported to the Board that Community Pharmacies have become dementia friendly

Agreed:

To note the report,

6.1  The Board noted that to support this initiative work had been undertaken with colleagues in the health and the social and voluntary care sector. A steering group with members from local community groups had been set up to help drive this work forward. The aim was to support all residents with non-acute mental health problems to access local resources and develop habits that support and enhance their emotional wellbeing and build resilience. It was noted that the initiative wished to be make sure residents of City and Hackney felt informed and supported to manage their emotional health and wellbeing by providing information and signposting of resources available.

Agreed:

To note the report and that the Board be update on progress.

7.1  Rebecca Smith introduced the report. The Board noted that Public Health and Private Sector Housing had collaborated to create a fixed term post for a PH officer based in the PSH team. The post holder leads on a project aiming to improve support and address unmet health and wellbeing needs among vulnerable tenants in the Private Rented Sector. This was in response to the growth of the PRS in Hackney, variable conditions within the PRS, and strong evidence on the links between housing conditions and pressures, and both physical and mental health. This report highlighted the progress of the project to date, and proposed next steps for the health and wellbeing board. Rebecca Smith outlined the three main interrelated work streams as:

-  Providing training and support to colleagues in the PSH team that enables them to provide advice to tenants at risk of poor health, and to signpost to signpost refer tenants to relevant services

-  Develop a network of public sector agencies that engage with tenants in the PRS

-  Identify, collect and analyse data that will help to identify vulnerable tenants and their health needs more easily and quickly

Agreed:

1.  To note the report.

2.  That the Board be updated on progress.

8.1  Jon Williams introduced the report. He told the Board that in the previous year Healthwatch Hackney NHS Community Voice held a public meeting on ‘Complaining Effectively in the NHS’ on 31^st January 2017, 85 people attended.  At the meeting members of the public called for a local patients’s charter on the rights of patients regarding the complaints processes, which all services and providers should sign up to and which treats complainants as valuable contributors to quality service delivery. The Board considered that having one clear set of expectations was a positive way forward and supported its introduction.  Penny Bevan emphasised that it would provide the opportunity for informal resolutions and suggested the inclusion of flowchart within the charter.  The Chair stressed that the Homerton should be consulted on the document and that a launch event be arranged for autumn.

Agreed:

That the amended complaints charter be submitted to the September meeting of the Board for agreement. 

10.1  Ian Tomkins introduced the report providing a further update to the Board on the development of the East London Sustainability and Transformation Plan, particularly in relation to finance, the governance arrangements and public engagement. Ian outlined to the Board how the STP was currently engaging with Local Authorities. He told the Board that a digital version of the plan was to be produced and circulated.  In response to a question from Paul Haigh he agreed to request a list of all those signed up to the STP.

Agreed:

To note the report.

11.1  The Board noted that work stream directors were now in place. However, slow progress was being made in implementing governance arrangements.

9.1  Sonia Khan updated the Board on the processes of developing a new Community Strategy for the Boroughs, including details on the draft themes for the strategy and the public consultation planned for the summer of 2017.  The strategy would set out the Council’s overarching vision for Hackney as it grows and changes over the next decades. Further, it would provide a backdrop for all of the Council’s decision making throughout this period and a focus for working in partnerships with residents, business the voluntary and community sector, and statutory agencies. Sonia told that Board that although the Council are no longer required to have a strategy of this kind it felt that it was important to have a clear, collective vision of how the Council want to develop based on what resident have said and the evidence the Borough has about Hackney was likely to change over the coming years.  She went on to draw the Board’s attention to the draft crosscutting themes of the strategy.  

9.2   The Chair emphasised that integrated commissioning was crucial to the development of the community strategy and the support of local people. 

RESOLVED:

1.    To note the progress in developing the Community Strategy to date

2.  To note that formal public consultations will take place between mid-july and mid-September and members are invited to submit comments on the full draft of the strategy through this process