The Board is to receive a verbal update on the work of the Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (LOEB), which is a sub-committee of the Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board. The LOEB is a member-led Board created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which leads the engagement with local communities and is the public face of the local response in the event of an outbreak.
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Sinead Mooney - Cabinet Member for Adults and Health / LOEB Chairman (SCC)
Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)
Rachel Crossley - Joint Executive Director (PSR), SCC and Surrey Heartlands ICS
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (LOEB) Chairman noted that:
· the Government had published its ‘Living with COVID-19’ plan on 21 February 2022 which included the timeline for removing restrictions including: on 1 April the use of the NHS COVID Pass would no longer be recommended in certain settings; free symptomatic and asymptomatic universal testing for the general public in England would no longer be provided; working safely guidance would be replaced.
· information on the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry launched by Government was available on the independent website.
· Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management Plan (LOMP) had been updated as a result of the national policy changes.
· the intention was to hold the final meeting of the LOEB in April - to discuss living with Covid-19 - to be reviewed later in the year.
2. The Director of Public Health (SCC) emphasised the importance of the LOMP in light of the increase in Covid-19 rates in the last week and following the change in regulations. She explained that the system was preparing to incorporate Covid-19 into business as usual whilst being prepared to react to a case surge.
3. The Chairman asked whether the Surrey Local Resilience Forum (LRF) was undertaking work on lessons learnt from Covid-19 and outbreak management.
- In response, a Board member explained that there was a previous lessons learnt exercise and a paper was taken to the executive board last week.
- The LOEB Chairman suggested that an item be added on the LOEB agenda for the April meeting on lessons learnt - the Chairman agreed.
- The Joint Executive Director (PSR) (SCC and Surrey Heartlands ICS) explained that many organisations including health and Surrey County Council were looking at the terms of reference around the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry, whereby feedback on lessons learnt could be incorporated.
4. The Chairman asked whether there would be any further guidance on Covid-19.
- In response, the Director of Public Health (SCC) explained that the guidance remained the same for self-isolation and the legal restrictions had been lifted which would be challenging with the changes to testing.
5. The Chairman asked whether there would be a fourth Covid-19 jab and how that would be distributed.
- In response, the Vice-Chairman noted that it had been confirmed that there would be a fourth Covid-19 jab - second booster - in spring, which would be six months after the initial booster for patients aged over 75 and those most clinically vulnerable. The roll out would be through the current model of local and mass vaccination sites and community pharmacies.
RESOLVED:
That the Board noted the verbal update on the work of the LOEB.
Actions/further information to be provided:
1. An item will be added on the LOEB agenda for the April meeting on lessons learnt from Covid-19 and outbreak management.