The Panel to meet Jessica Williams, Programme Director, Care Together to receive an update on the Care Together Programme.
Minutes:
The Panel welcomed Reyhana Khan, Care Together Programme Manager, to receive an update on the progress of the Care Together Programme in Tameside.
Ms Khan informed the Panel that the Care Together Programme is an Integrated Care Foundation Trust with a single commissioning function that aims to find the most effective ways to support residents in Tameside throughout the course of their lives. By focusing on the prevention of illness first and foremost, the programme hopes to deliver an increased volume and scope of care, treatment and rehabilitation both at home and in the community.
The Panel heard that the Programme will, in the first instance, focus on the residents who do not get the most effective use and outcomes from the current health and social care arrangements in the borough. Care Together is looking to see what can be done to empower people to become more resilient and self-reliant, knowing what to do and where they need to go for their different needs.
The Panel were informed of the funding projections for Tameside’s local health economy up to 2021 and the forecasted impact that the Care Together Programme will have on this. Ms Khan made members aware that Care Together has recently applied for additional funding that will facilitate its Transformation Programme 2016/17 and produce further savings to the local health economy in future.
Ms Khan continued to provide the Panel with details of the Transformation Programme 2016/17, advising members that the main priorities are to help people to Start Well, Live Well and Age Well, which are aimed at being improved through:
· The development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (with a greater focus on children, mental health and frailty)
· Supporting people to self-care
· The use of telemedicine
· Home First
Members were advised that to ensure the Care Together Programme is implemented as effectively as possible, work is being undertaken to raise public awareness and understanding of how to use and benefit from Tameside’s integrated health and social care economy. Action Together has been running focus groups that have been engaging the public and asking for their views, wants and needs regarding health and social care. Equality and Diversity teams have ensured that the needs of all sectors and groups of Tameside’s communities are accounted for.
The Panel asked what the consequences will be to the progress of the Care Together Programme if additional funds for the Transformation Programme 2016/17 are not granted.
Ms Khan informed members that the Transformation Fund, if received, will facilitate the additional priorities and plans set out in the Transformation Programme 2016/17. Without it, the Care Together Programme will still be able to carry out its integration of services and empower the public with better knowledge and resilience.
The Panel asked how the priorities outlined in the Transformation Programme 2016/17 are planned to be delivered.
Ms Khan advised the Panel that a number of enablers have been identified as key to fulfilling the key priorities of the Transformation Programme. There will be an increased emphasis placed on improving intelligence and data sharing between health and social care providers. In addition, a number of Integrated Neighbourhood Hubs are being created across the borough to provide more local and accessible support to residents.
The Panel asked what links the Care Together Programme is developing with mental health providers and how much of an emphasis will be placed on improving the mental health of residents.
Members were advised that the new Single Commissioning Function of the Care Together Programme is currently leading the negotiations with a number of organisations and authorities on the delivery of mental health services in Tameside. Ms Khan also informed members that discussions have been completed with Pennine Health Trust with a view to establishing effective partnership work.
RESOLVED: That Ms Khan be thanked for attending the meeting.