Agenda item

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 was noted that the numbers of assessments were improving as they were tracked every week. Specialist officers further informed the Panel that on months where dips were detected within the data, there was a higher proportion of children placed out of the Croydon borough, and therefore responsibility would fall on the receiving local authority borough the child resided in, to complete the assessments. There was further discussion around virtual assessments, and officers informed that during the pandemic and national lockdown, a high percentage of assessments was completed virtually. Officers were also able to capture data on the percentage of children that had refused assessments before, and assessments that was out of date, which had now been completed virtually following engagement from the young people. Conducting assessments virtually or by telephone consultation was also often difficult to identify potential health issues, which was not obvious face-to-face. Officers concluded that face-to-face assessments had returned as children were back in school and appointments were made convenient for both foster carers and young people.

At 7:05pm EMPIRE left the meeting.

Officers further clarified on the query that referrals were often not forwarded to the health workers on time, and the Panel learned that an assessment cannot be completed without consent from the parent of the child. Though this had caused delay in the past between services, consent was a requirement for an assessment to be completed. The Chair acknowledged the challenges around consent and questioned upon reflection how the service was able to access young people who were not able to be contacted before, and if virtual engagement played a part. Health officers noticed an increase of referrals were received for mother and baby placements, as due to the pandemic and national lockdown this had impacted on new parents’ access to health visitors in the first few weeks for support. Officers provided support and used different platforms to communicate and not just by telephone. With different technology available it helped services contact the young people who had declined before and were not available during the appointment, and as they were not currently within school environment were more accessible.

The Panel Co-optee foster carer representative welcomed the notion of the health passports and wanted to ensure that all children were in receipt of it; and also queried on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children entering into care. Officers clarified that numbers of the unaccompanied asylum seeking children coming into care was on average nine children per month, however, since the pandemic and national lockdown, the average was three and a half per month. Officers informed that the health passports was a project which went live in August with thirty-four health passports delivered. Health passports were for leaving care children only.

The Panel RESOLVED to:

1.1       Note the performance of the initial and review health assessments and the actions that have been undertaken to reduce the risks associated with delivering the statutory assessments.