Agenda item

To note the findings and recommendations arising from the Adults with a Learning Disability Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, approve publication and encourage dissemination of findings with partners and stakeholders.

The report presented the third needs assessment in the work programme approved by the Health and Wellbeing Board in January 2023.  Shade Agboola introduced the report advising that there was a lot of support across the system including Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, the ICB and with other stakeholder groups detailed at paragraph 1.8 of the report.

Michael Maddox, Public Health Principal, outlined the joint strategic needs assessment which focused on adults aged 16 years and older with a learning disability in Warwickshire. Officers had made use of Population Health Management data along with an engagement mapping exercise which had been undertaken and subsequently fed into the document.  Michael Maddox explained that an Easy Read version of the entire document was being developed with a one-page infographic which it hoped would help to get key points across.

The presentation covered the Scope of the JSNA along with Key messages summarised as follows:

·       Not all people with a learning disability are on a GP register;

·       Underrepresentation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds;

·       Data relating to Health of the Population identifies that life expectancy for individuals with a learning disability is lower and there are physical as well as mental health issues;

·       Individuals with mental health issues are less likely to attend health screening or vaccination appointments and are more likely to have an avoidable death;

·       People with a learning disability are likely to be living in a deprived in later life which also impacts on health.

The recommendations within the JSNA had been grouped into four categories according to their audience:

• recommendations for multiple organisations;
• recommendations for local authorities;
• recommendations for all commissioners of services across Warwickshire; and
• recommendations for primary and secondary care.

Work would continue to promote the learning disability register, improve data collection and promote the use of health and social care passports. 

Michael Maddox advised that the team would welcome feedback from the Board about where the JSNA could be shared, stating that a dissemination plan was being developed.  Residents could sign up to receive JSNA updates, along with a six-monthly newsletter with updates on specific data.  In addition, a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment survey would be live until the end of the month.

Councillor O’Rourke felt that annual health assessments could be given a greater focus through place based care and recognised that there were specialist nurses working in hospitals.

Tim Sacks, Primary Care at the ICB, addressed the meeting and advised that annual health checks for those with learning disabilities was an enhanced service.  The development of a register for those with a learning disability helped to encourage them to take up the offer of a health check on an annual basis and training was ongoing to embed this.  He explained that at present, take up of this was approximately 70% but he would like it to be better.

The Chair asked if there was any data available to demonstrate take up of the service by geographical area.  Tim Sacks agreed to contact CWPT colleagues and enquire, explaining that uptake was on a practice basis.

Councillor Roodhouse referred to the housing plans and growing demand for services, with Stratford District Council having recently gone out to consultation on future building plans.  He queried if the Warwickshire Property Development Group could be approached with a view to looking at building specialist housing for the future.  He also acknowledged that maintaining a strong workforce was a challenge and wondered if further encouragement could be given to draw people into working in the service.  Councillor Roodhouse went on to talk about the importance of palliative care, transitioning periods of age and the support required when parents or carers of people with learning disabilities, passed away.  He asked how this could be built into other strategies.

Michael Maddox explained that the team used live data which could be monitored and agreed that housing had similarly been a key factor in the Healthy Ageing JSNA.  He advised that there was a piece of work underway to highlight this issue to Housing boards.  In response to the question raised by the Chair, Michael Maddox also advised that data on annual health checks was broken down by Primary Care Network on page 49 of the report.

Councillor Roodhouse felt that speed was required as Stratford was consulting on their Local Plan now and asked if would be possible to submit a comment as Public Health.

In response to a question from the Chair, officers confirmed that there was a Learning Disability and Autism Collaborative and a Learning Disability Health and Equalities Group that could oversee these recommendations. It was suggested that both organisations we engaged with and asked to report back to the Board on progress.

Resolved

That the Health and Wellbeing Board

1)     Notes and endorses the findings and recommendations arising from the Adults with a Learning Disability Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA);

2)     Approves the publication of the Adults with a Learning Disability JSNA and supports its dissemination within member organisations; and

Encourages all member organisations to make use of and have regard to the Adults with a Learning Disability JSNA in the exercise of their functions, including in the planning, review and commissioning of relevant services.