Apologies for absence were received from Councillor B Beggs (Substitute: Councillor J Moyies), Councillor M Berry (Substitute: Councillor A Jones) and Revd. Canon L Williams (Church of England Diocese) (Co-opted Member).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(a)        Councillors L Burton, K Mitchell and S Wakefield (Cabinet Members) - Interest in the called-in items, attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19 July 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011.

(b)        Councillor L Salter (Chair) - Minute 653 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) and Minute 654 (East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust) - Husband is a consultant surgeon at Southend Hospital; Daughter is a consultant at Basildon Hospital; Son-in-law is a general practitioner in Southend-on-Sea.

(c)        Councillor N Folkard (Vice-Chair) - Minute 654 (East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust) - Relative employed at Broomfield Hospital.

(d)        Councillor T Cowdrey - Minute 653 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) and Minute 658 (Social Care Arrangements for Adult Mental Health) - Employed as a registered social worker and is a member of the Mental Health Partnership Forum.

(e)        Councillor K Evans - Minute 653 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) and Minute 658 (Social Care Arrangements for Adult Mental Health) - Family member is mentally handicapped; Employed by Essex County Council in the consideration of school appeals as member of Statutory Appeal Panel.

(f)         Councillor B Hooper - Minute 653 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) - Director of Blade Education, a not-for-profit company that works with local SEND children and MENCAP.

(g)        Councillor A Jones - Minute 654 (East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust) - Friend operates a private ambulance service..

(h)        Councillor M O’Connor - Minute 54 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) - Family member has special educational needs and disabilities and is subject of an application for an Education, Health and Care Plan.

(i)          Councillor I Shead - Minute 658 (Social Care Arrangements for Adult Mental Health) - Family member is in receipt of adult social care services in another local authority area.

(j)          Councillor L Burton (Cabinet Member) - Minute 655 (Passenger Transport Services - Performance Monitoring) - Employed as a teacher at a school outside Southend-on-Sea that has pupils that are resident within the City.

(k)        Councillor K Mitchell (Cabinet Member) - Minute 653 (Essex Partnership University NHS Trust) - Vice-Chair of Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Partnership.

The Committee noted the responses of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration and the Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and Inclusion, to question submitted by Mr David Webb, which would be sent to Mr Webb after the meeting as he was not able to be in attendance.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 29 November 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

To receive a presentation from the Chief Executive of Essex Partnership University NHS Trust (EPUT).

The Committee received a presentation from Paul Scott (Chief Executive), Alex Green (Executive Chief Operating Officer) and Lynnbritt Gale (Partnership Director) of Essex Partnership University NHS Trust (EPUT), following the update made to the meeting on 11 October 2022 by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration with regard to mental health services provided by EPUT following the broadcast of the Channel 4 ‘Dispatches’ programme in October 2022. The Chief Executive and Accountable Officer for the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board, Anthony Mckeever, was also in attendance at the meeting for this item.

Mr Scott provided a formal update on the plans of the Trust to address the concerns raised in the media and in respect of a number of areas of focus around local performance that had been set out in a briefing note that had been prepared at the request of the Chair of the Committee and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration. Members noted that the response of the Trust to the matters set out in the briefing note, which had been circulated with the agenda for the meeting.

The Committee was advised that the care and safety of patients was the main priority for EPUT and that the Trust had taken immediate action to ensure patient safety in the wards identified by the ‘Dispatches’ programme, including the provision of ward visits, staffing reviews and clinical reviews. Mr Scott reported that the Trust had commissioned a full internal inquiry in respect of the issues raised in the media and would continue to work with its regulators, safeguarding partners and partner organisations on the actions that were being taken in response. It was reported that, where the investigation had identified instances of potential misconduct, the Trust had instigated its conduct procedures.

Mr Scott also reported that enhanced management oversight and on-site presence was now in place and that a standalone process for the triage and handling of service user, family and carer contacts in relation to issues identified in the ‘Dispatches’ programme, had been implemented through the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and the Complaints Teams. The Committee was advised that, since January 2022, the Trust had appointed over 100 health care assistants (with over 60 enrolled on apprenticeships), but that there continued to be a lack of qualified mental health nurses across the country. At the request of the Committee, Mr Scott undertook to provide further detail around the apprenticeship levels for positions offered by the Trust.

The Chief Executive of EPUT advised the Committee that the new leadership team of the Trust had also focussed attention on its response to the recommendations arising from the health and safety prosecution in June 2021, working with the Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry and delivering its new ‘Safety First, Safety Always’ safety strategy, alongside the creation of a culture that was open and safe for everyone, whilst also seeking to manage staffing pressures and increasing demand for mental  ...  view the full minutes text for item 653.

To receive an update from the Chief Executive of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust on the modelling review undertaken by the Trust and the present position with regard to the current and future operation of ambulance services from Shoeburyness Ambulance Station.

The Chief Executive of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST), Tom Abell, attended the meeting to provide an update on the current performance of the Trust and the present position with regard to the operation of ambulance services from Shoeburyness Ambulance Station.

The Committee was advised that that demands on ambulance services had increased over recent months, partly as a result of respiratory conditions, but that recent incidences of ambulance handover delays at Southend Hospital had improved as a result of the opening of the Ambulance Handover Unit at the Hospital, which was supported by frontline clinicians to minimise turnaround times. At the request of the Committee, Mr Abell undertook to provide detail on the level of Category 1 ambulance calls to the Trust for December 2022, that had failed to achieve the national response target.

The Committee was informed that the recommendations of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) arising from its inspection of the Trust in May 2022, had all been implemented.

Mr Abell confirmed that EEAST had no current plans to close Shoeburyness Ambulance Station and that ambulances would continue to operate and be staffed from the current site, whilst the undertaking of a resource profile for the Ambulance Station was completed.

On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked Mr Abell for his informative and comprehensive update.

Resolved:

1.          That the current performance of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust in Mid and South Essex, be noted.

2.          That the position with regard to the current and future operation of ambulance services from Shoeburyness Ambulance Station, be noted.

3.          That the Trust be requested to make a further report on its performance to a future meeting of the Committee.

Note: This is a Scrutiny function

At its meeting on 25 November 2021, the Council requested that a report on the monitoring of the performance of Vecteo be made to each meeting of the People Scrutiny Committee. Report of Interim Executive Director (Neighbourhoods and Environment) attached.

The Committee received a report in relation to the ongoing monitoring of the performance of the Vecteo Joint Venture Company established for the provision of passenger transport services.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee with regard to the proposed reporting frequency for future monitoring of the performance of passenger transport services, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Parking confirmed that he would be willing to continue to report the performance of Vecteo to the Committee on a quarterly basis going forward.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny function.

To receive an update on the progress of the in-depth scrutiny project for 2022/23.

The Committee received an update on progress with regard to the in-depth scrutiny project for 2022/23.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny function

The Committee was requested to agree the exclusion of the public from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 10 (Social Care Arrangements for Adult Mental Health), on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Committee considered that consideration of this matter could be undertaken without the disclosure of exempt information.

Resolved:

That the public not be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of Agenda Item 10 (Social Care Arrangements for Adult Mental Health).

Minute No. 633 (Confidential Report circulated separately, Agenda Item No. 26 refers)

Called-in by Councillors Cox and Davidson

The Committee considered Minute 633 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 12 February 2023, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with a report of the of the Executive Director (Adults and Communities) setting out the arrangements for the future delivery of statutory social care support under the Care Act (2014) for adult mental health service users in Southend, which had been considered by the Cabinet on a confidential basis.

Resolved:

1.          That the following decision of the Cabinet be noted:

“That the recommendations set out in the submitted confidential report, be approved.”

2.          That the Executive Director (Adults and Communities) be requested to arrange for the report considered by the Cabinet to be published in a form that does not disclose exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. 

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor K Mitchell