Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to update the Health and Wellbeing Board on progress against the children’s priority of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, ‘Improving children’s health and wellbeing’. This update is six monthly with the last update in September 2015. The Board is also asked note the development of the new Children and Young People’s Partnership arrangements.

Witnesses:

Julie Fisher, Deputy Chief Executive, Surrey County Council

Sarah Parker, Director of Children’s Commissioning (Surreywide), Guildford and Waverley CCG

Key points raised during the discussions:

1.    The report was introduced by the Deputy Chief Executive who informed members of the Board that the first meeting of the Children and Young People’s Partnership (CYPP) Board had focused on the shared ambitions and challenges of CYPP Board members. Once these shared challenges and ambitions had been synthesised into a set of priorities guiding the work of the CYPP then this would be fed into the work of the Board’s Improving children’s health and wellbeing priority.

2.    The Director of Children’s Commissioning stated that the CYPP had identified a number of priority areas which it planned to review and improve including the Early Help service. Members were informed that joint work was also taking place to increase capability and capacity within the provision of children’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services in the County in an effort to deliver improved outcomes and reduce out of area spend. The CYPP’s SEND 2020 vision was being developed and Members agreed that the final strategy would be reviewed by the Board at a future meeting.

3.    The Deputy Chief Executive stated that, following the publication of Ofsted’s report in January 2015, work was continuing to take place in order to improve SCC’s Children’s Services particularly in areas such as placement stability and in the Referral, Assessment and Intervention Service (RAIS) where the Department for Education and Ofsted recognised that SCC had made significant improvements. 

4.    The Board received an update on the implementation of the new Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) contract which had been awarded to Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust (SABPT), the contract would commence on 1 April 2016. Members were updated regarding the successful acquisition of £2 million CAMHS funding from NHS England following the Boards endorsement of the Surrey CAMHS Transformation Plan in Sept 2016. 

5.    The Board expressed support for the work undertaken in the reprocurement of the CAMHS contract and securing the CAMHS transformation funding; highlighting that it had the potential to deliver significantly improved outcomes for children suffering from mental health problems in Surrey. Committees in Common set up by the CCGs had played a crucial role in shaping the contract by allowing commissioners share expertise and resources. 

6.    A member of the public queried the decision to award the CAMHS contract to SABPT in light of their performance during the previous contract which suggested that they were unable to deliver appropriate provision of CAMHS services. The Director of Commissioning responded regarding the process of contract award and referred back to the improvements to be secured through additional investment. A response was also requested in relation to concerns raised about poor standards of care provision within the Children’s Incontinence Service reported to the member of the public by families in East Surrey and Guildford and Waverley CCG areas. The Director stated that they were unfamiliar with the specific concerns but that they would look into them responding back to the CCGs whose residents are reporting concerns.

RESOLVED:

The Health and Wellbeing Board agreed to:

i.    note the development of the new Children and Young People’s Partnership arrangements

ii.   note the progress report for the ‘improving children’s health and wellbeing’ priority

iii.  receive a further update for the ‘improving children’s health and wellbeing’ priority in six months’ time, including a draft of a new Children and Young People’s Partnership Plan.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

i.      Senate Day invite to be circulated to Health and Wellbeing Board members (Action Ref: A5/16).

ii.     Agree date for Board to consider the SEND 2020 vision (Action Ref: A6/16).