Agenda item

The Board considered a report which provided the latest performance figures for the Quarter 3 period, 2016-17.

It was reported that a refreshed ‘outcomes based accountability’ (OBA) exercise was completed parallel to the refresh of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The five outcome areas remained and a new outcome on drugs had been introduced for 2016-17.  A number of specific indicators had been identified which would measure progress towards these outcomes in 2016-17.

Further information and narrative around the performance was set out in Appendix A to the report.

The Board discussed the key points and narrative behind the latest performance figures for each outcome area in turn, as summarised below:-

Outcome 1:  All Doncaster residents to have the opportunity to be a healthy weight 

Dr Rupert Suckling referred to the recently formed Obesity Alliance and outlined some of the initiatives being pursued, including the use of social media to encourage a social movement and culture change around weight management.  Work was also continuing in respect of helping to inform and advise on the Local Plan and Planning Guidance in relation to public health considerations, such as the locations and prevalence of fast food takeaways.

Outcome 2:  All people in Doncaster who use alcohol do so within safe limits

In summarising the latest performance figures for Outcome 2, Allan Wiltshire drew particular attention to the drop in alcohol related attendance at A&E (Doncaster residents).  With regard to the recorded increase in alcohol related violent crime, the Board noted that a likely factor in this was the changes made by the Police to their crime recording processes.  Members were pleased to note that performance was better than the national average in the measures relating to successful exits for people in specialist treatment and re-presentations for people in specialist treatment.

Outcome 3:  Families who are identified as meeting the eligibility criteria in the expanded stronger families programme see significant and sustained improvement across all identified issues

In response to a query by Councillor Glyn Jones as to whether any data was available in relation to re-referred families in the Stronger Families programme, the Chair confirmed that the Board would receive a more detailed presentation on Stronger Families as its area of focus for Quarter 4, in June 2017.

Outcome 4:  People in Doncaster with Dementia and their carers will be supported to live well.  Doncaster people understand how they can reduce the risks associated with dementia and are aware of the benefits of an early diagnosis

In response to a query by the Chair as to the reasons for the rise in the number of patients having any delayed discharges at RDaSH, as shown in Indicator (f) of Outcome 4, Paul Wilkin explained that this was probably due to people waiting for care packages to be put in place for them, but he undertook to investigate and provide a response outside the meeting.

Outcome 5:  Improve the mental health and wellbeing of the people of Doncaster

With regard to the drop in performance in relation to the measure for ‘CAMHS: % of referrals starting a treatment plan within 8 weeks’, Paul Wilkin advised that he had been given assurances that measures had now been put in place to deal with the current referral demands. 

Outcome 6:  Reduce the harmful impact of drug misuse on individuals, families and communities

During discussion on the performance indicators relating to drug misuse, Members noted that there was a decreasing trend of people in drug treatment.  It was reported that patterns of substance misuse were changing, with opiate use decreasing, while the use of other non-opiate drugs was on the increase.  More people were also using drop-in centres, and were therefore not in structured treatment.  Members acknowledged that this raised the question of how people with drug, alcohol and mental health problems could be identified and tracked.

In discussing the increasing popularity of psychoactive substances such as ‘Spice’, which were viewed by some as a recreational activity, Paul Moffat stated that he would like to see a greater focus on the use of such substances by children and young people and analysis of the impact these were having.  Damian Allen explained that there was a data gap in understanding these new substances, as the Police only held data where crimes had been committed, but anecdotal evidence suggested that these substances were widely available and being used among young people.

General discussion on the performance report ensued, during which Members acknowledged there was a need for the Board to challenge itself to look at the indicators it received in different ways and, in some areas, identify more meaningful measures to enable more effective performance monitoring.  Members also recognised that there were some gaps in the data received, for example, some indicators needed to also cover children and young people and not just adults.  With this in mind, Dr David Crichton suggested that the Board might wish to consider receiving fewer indicators in future, all of which should be outcome-based, and having a detailed focus on approximately 3 indicators per year.

                     RESOLVED:-

(1)          to note the performance against the key outcomes; and;

(2)          to receive a presentation on the Stronger Families Programme as the area of focus in Q4 2016-17.