Issue - meetings

To enable the Cabinet to consider the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee following that Committee’s scrutiny of the health provision and care response in the District.

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted and the comments of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder, in response thereto, be endorsed.

Cabinet was aware that, at the meeting of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 January 2021 (Minute 84 referred) that Committee had been provided with an overview of the issues around deprivation, health measures and the proposed integrated neighbourhood team for Tendring South. Also included within that overview was the issue was funding for primary care on the Clacton Hospital site and the operation of GP services from Kennedy House. That meeting had also considered the Covid-19 measures to control spread and identify those most at risk and how to protect them and to also consider the role of community groups and volunteers.

After deliberation the Committee had recommended to Cabinet that:-

·           the suggestion from the Chief Operating Officer for the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to create a forum across North East Essex that will allow Councillors to communicate the views of their constituents with the GP practice leads directly be supported and the CCG urged to implement this as soon as possible.

·           the continued hard work of the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group and local NHS providers, Dr Gogarty and the Public Health team at Essex County Council as well as this Council’s redeployed/redirected staff supporting those in need due to Covid-19 restrictions be recognised.

The Cabinet had before it the following response thereto which had been submitted by the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships (Councillor McWilliams):-

“The CCG are keen to create a forum across North East Essex for Councillors to be able to directly communicate the views of their constituents to GP practice leads and I warmly welcome this opportunity which I believe will allow our councillors to raise issues of concern and also understand the issues GPs face.  It will also allow us to address together how we can support each other to achieve our shared aims.  I am aware that our CCG wanted to progress this but I do understand in the current pandemic situation this has not been able to be delivered yet but look forward to future progress in this area”.

Having considered the recommendations submitted by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee together with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships response thereto:

It was moved by Councillor McWilliams, seconded by Councillor P B Honeywood and:-

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted and the comments of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder, in response thereto, be endorsed.