Issue - meetings

Matthew Cole, Director of Public Health, LBBD and Joanne Murfitt, Head of Public Health in The Justice System and Military Health, NHS England London, jointly presented report on the progress on the implementation of the 2015/16 NHS England London commissioning plan, the full details of which were set out in report.

The Board were reminded that the 0 to 5 transfer is due to occur on the 1 October but LBBD had not yet accepted the service as there were still issues in regards to staff numbers and funding.  There was also improvement needed to the immunisation records and improving links with maternity services and a further report on immunisation would be presented in due course.

The Board were assured that the flu vaccination was still effective against some antigens even though another had mutated.  Vaccination should be encouraged, especially for high risk groups such as pregnant women.

As part of the cancer screening programme a new administrative centre had been established at King George’s Hospital for bowel cancer screening.  The breast screening service was currently being scoped to go out to tender and discussions were also being held with local women to identify their barriers to attending screening.  It was noted that cervical screening rates had also dropped across London and Europe generally.

The new diabetic eye screening service would be in place by October 2015 and consideration would be given to making it more locally accessible.

The Audit of the Custody Suite in Freshwharf had been undertaken and it had been assessed as one of the best in London.  Continuity of care for offenders was also being reviewed.

Councillor Turner raised the issue of women being encouraged to undertake testing for sickle cell anaemia and getting them booked in for the necessary care.  Councillor Turner raised the issue of service co-ordination between NHS, who commission the tests, and the CCG who commission maternity provision.  Anne Bristow commented that a large amount of resources had gone into sickle cell over recent years and this had been one of the success stories of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The Board:

(i)  Noted progress on the implementation of the 2015/16 NHS England London commissioning plans and in particular the current position for the following programmes of care:

·  Antenatal and new born screening

·  Early years and Child Health Information Systems

·  Immunisations

·  Cancer Screening Programmes

·  Adult Screening Programmes

·  Health in the Justice System services

·  Veterans Health

·  Sickle Cell and Maternal identification

(ii)  Noted as part of the retender of the Diabetic Eye Screening service, it was intended to provide a more local service and for the service to be in place by end October 2015.

(iii)  Requested NHS England to provide further information to the Board on the arrangements being put in place to improve performance in achieving the optimum uptake of immunisation programmes by the eligible population of Barking and Dagenham.