Agenda and minutes

The Committee was advised of apologies for absence from Councillors Colin Cross and Fiona White and notified of a substitute as detailed above.

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

Councillor James Walsh declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 3, Guildford and Waverley Integrated Care Partnership – Primary Care Update, as he worked in communications at NHS England (London).

A presentation will be given at the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed representatives from Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group (SHCCG) to the meeting: namely, Rhian Warner, Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), SHCCG; Jane Williams, Deputy Director of Guildford and Waverley ICP, SHCCG; Helen Snelling, Head of Primary Care Contracting, SHCCG; and Jules Wilmshurst-Smith, Head of Estates, SHCCG.

The Chairman invited the Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, to give a presentation and advised the meeting that the slides for this were included at pages 5-26 of the agenda papers.

The Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, advised the meeting about ICPs and the establishment of SHCCG in April 2020.  The Committee was informed that each of the four ICPs across SHCCG was responsible for planning and delivery of services at a local level and for developing its own priorities, and each had a Board with representation from local partners.

The Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, presented the meeting with details of developments and events in Primary Care; namely, the response to the COVID pandemic, the flu programme, the Primary Care Network (PCN) development, and PCN Estates. 

With reference to the Primary Care response to COVID, the meeting was informed of the activities undertaken by SHCCG.  The Committee heard these activities included support for shielded and vulnerable patients, more than 28k video consultations between April and September 2020, and three quarters of GP practices introducing home working for staff who were shielding.  The meeting was advised that the pandemic had accelerated the delivery of digital modes of contact for patients and that these services would complement the existing traditional modes rather than replace them completely.  The Committee was informed that patient feedback about both practice websites and improved digital access was positive.

The Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, stated that primary care appointments had dropped significantly at the start of the pandemic and increased noticeably in August and September.  She indicated that primary care appointments were back to pre-pandemic levels.  The meeting was informed that SHCCG ensured practices offered a COVID risk assessment to all staff to protect the workforce, particularly black and ethnic minority staff.

With reference to the COVID vaccination programme, the Committee was advised that many of the details were classed as Official Sensitive and unable to be shared.  The Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, indicated that local sites were being prepared to deliver vaccinations from 15 December, although this date was subject to the approval and supply of the vaccine.  In addition, the Committee heard that vaccination sites in each Primary Care Network area were pending approval.

The Head of Primary Care Commissioning & Development, Guildford and Waverley ICP, advised the Committee about the flu programme.  She indicated that the cumulative uptake had increased in 2020/21 compared to 2019/20 in the over 65s, under 65s at clinical risk, and 2- and 3-year olds; the meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item OS45