Agenda item

(a)   To approve as an accurate record and the Chair to sign the minutes of the meeting of the Health, Adult Social Care and Social Inclusion PAC held on 27 January 2020; and

(b)   To note the outstanding actions.

Item 1a - Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting dated 27 January 2020 were agreed as an accurate record.

Item 1b – Update on health actions and Covid 19

Dr Nicola Lang provided a brief overview of the national picture and the Council’s response to Covid 19 working with local health partners.  Almost 17,000 tests had been carried out, with 85 confirmed cases, an increase from 34 previously confirmed.  Most of these were individuals who had travelled from recognised countries or at-risk category countries.  Dr Lang reported that Dr Paul Cosford (Director for Health Protection and Medical Director for Public Health England) had predicted that transmission of the virus was highly likely to increase, and the Chief Medical Officer had also reported similarly. There was currently no vaccination or treatment to prevent infection. When cases were identified swab samples would be taken from the nose and throat and tested by Public Health England PHE).  Patients with Covid 19 were then isolated and provided with supportive treatment in special isolation units, in hospital.  Extensive contact tracing would then follow, undertaken by PHE. Dr Lang reported that this was the “containment phase”, where cases were identified, contained, and to identify the individuals who that person has been in contact with.  The next phase was known as the “delay phase” where mitigating measures were applied to slow the spread of the virus.

The Committee were referred to the recently published government plan to address the increase in the number of confirmed cases.  Linda Jackson outlined some of the ways in which the Council had worked closely with PHE and local NHS colleagues.  Briefing meetings with health colleagues chaired by Councillor Ben Coleman (Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care) had received a good response and colleagues were working well together.  Health and social care colleagues were well prepared and had well-established plans in place to respond.  Work was also underway to establish the Borough’s resilience forum which, in addition to representatives from health and social care, also included representatives from the police, fire brigade, and local colleges. 

Council internal messaging had reinforced health and preventative measures already in place.  A training event for over a hundred frontline staff had been well received and this would be extended to schools. The Council had contacted large, local businesses and employers such as Westfield and contingency planning had begun to address a potential 20% reduction in workforce.  Much of this was already in place but the key message was to ensure a measured, calm response to the possible pandemic. The Council was reinforcing the NHS message to contact 111 (by telephone or online, and links to NHS websites were on the Council website) for further advice and information, and to not visit GP surgeries or A&E.  All staff emails now had the message “catch it, bin it, kill it”.

Parsons Green (outstanding action)

The CCG to provide a written update, together with a timetable for actions Councillor Coleman reported that he had recently written to the CCG seeking confirmation regarding plans to continue activities at the Centre.