Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 23, 29 July 2014, the Director of Public Health, Matthew Cole, presented the report, which provided the Board with an in-depth understanding of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy and how it can be prevented, and also provided updates in the cases relating to maternity services and the London Ambulance Service (LAS)  as well as further analysis of ethnicity and child death rates across north east London.

Councillor Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, suggested that the Safeguarding Faith and Cultural Sub Group could be a useful conduit for getting health, maternity and child care messages to the BME communities.

Sharon Morrow, Chief Operating Officer, Barking and Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) advised that she would take back to commissioners the Boards concerns over the lack of response and engagement from the London Ambulance Service.  Councillor Turner, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, commented that he felt a report should be forthcoming if no progress was made in regards to the LAS.

The Chair commented that two incidents where the LAS’s lack of the appropriate equipment clearly needed to be followed up.

Brief discussion at the LSCB had shown that the staff training was in place, but there was some concern that the General Practitioners may not be fully aware of the most recent good practices and care risks to specific communities.

Helen Jenner, Director of Children’s Services, commented that as the Borough had the highest level of avoidable death, were we certain that enough action was being taken?  In response Matthew Cole advised that in one of the cases there was clearly nothing that could have been done, however, where the cases were associated with inappropriate feeding, alcohol use of the parent and the failure to use ‘back to sleep’ methods there was clearly a chance to reduce risk by further education of parents and in particular mothers and it was difficult to break outdated maternal family traditions and practices in infant care.  Health Visitors do pass on the information at anti-natal classes but only around 60% of expectant mothers attend those and, unfortunately, the ones that don’t attend are probably the ones that most need to be educated and updated.

In response to a question about holding the LAS to account the Chair advised that it was not a function for the Board, however, she would discuss the Board’s concerns with the Chair of the Health and Adult Services Select Committee.

The Board:

(i)  Noted the report and additional details provided by the Director of Public Health;

(ii)  Placed on record its disappointment that no response had been received from the London Ambulance Service; and

(iii)  Expressed concern at the lack of engagement in the process, as a way learning to prevent avoidable deaths in future, from the London Ambulance Service;

(iv)  Noted the Chair would discuss the Board’s concerns in regard to the LAS with the Chair of the Health and Adult Services Select Committee;.

(v)  Noted the potential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59