Issue - meetings

The initial health and review health report is attached.

Officers spoke to the report of the health assessments and in summary informed the Panel that the initial health assessments was arranged when a child first came into care which would need to be delivered within ten to twenty days. It was recorded that 65% of the initial health assessment was delivered within that time period. The review health assessment would be held every six months if the child was under the age of five and every year if the child was over the age of five. The performance figures had fluctuated, though between 79% and 90% of this assessment was delivered within the set turnaround time. With the process and the performance figures to date addressed in detail within the report, officers further mentioned that they were working closely with other services to deliver partnership achievements in ensuing each child was in receipt of their health assessment within good time. There was a number of improvements set in place to ensure better deliverance.

 A Member of EMPIRE raised a question of concern around the coronavirus and the use of turmeric and how this may impact the health of those within society, and acknowledged healthy way of living would help reduce hospital visits. The specialist health officer was able to advise the Panel in response that turmeric was useful for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Being able to promote good health and well-being, the specialist officer informed that such discussion was welcomed in holistic health assessments to discuss not only good nutrition, but also exercise and maintaining healthy. With the concern around the coronavirus, the specialist officer advised that the medical experts were also new to the recent discovery of the new virus and was doing all that they could to understand its existence having conducting various research in the virus and a vaccination so correct information could be shared to the community. It was important that information provided was truthful and appropriate to reassure anxious views. The Chair added that Legacy, under the leadership of the Deputy and Young Mayor, had delivered a piece of work around the coronavirus to promote young people to eat healthy, look after their health and promote further messages received nationally and by the Director of Public Health.

Panel Members queried on why there were low numbers of health assessments completed within time (which was addressed within the performance scorecard report), noting that the percentage achieved within twenty days was variable but not near the 95% target, when there were lower entries of children entering care and a reduction in the number of children in care. Officers described the difficulty around this and highlighted a few challenges, which included young people declined or would not make appointments, or receiving a late referral for an initial health assessment from Children’s Social Care. Officers had acknowledged the factors addressed was crucial for improvement and was working hard to improve the whole pathway, which included the referral time and passing information to health colleagues to complete assessments, though it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46

The initial health and review health report is attached.