Agenda item

The Task Group report considers the impact of social isolation and loneliness in Medway and makes a number of recommendations for actions that the Council and other organisations can take to reduce social isolation in Medway.

The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting held on 13 December 2018 and Members’ comments are set in section 7 of the report.

Cabinet considered the report on 15 January 2019 with the report and recommendations being agreed as presented.

Discussion:

The Consultant in Public Health introduced the report which presented, at Appendix A, the Task Group Report on the impact of social isolation in Medway. The Task Group report had been considered by both the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet on 13 December 2018 and 15 January 2019 respectively. It was noted that following the recommendation of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet agreed the recommendations made by the Social Isolation Task Group as presented within the report.

The Board was advised that the aims of the Task Group had included reviewing existing provision aimed at reducing Social Isolation, both within the remit of the Council and amongst partner organisations and the community and voluntary sector. The Task Group also considered national best practice guidance and how Medway could learn from it to further reduce isolation for residents. Evidence had been gathered from a wide range of people at evidence gathering sessions and the Task Group had met with the then Minister for Loneliness to discuss the national perspective on social isolation.

It was explained that the Task Group had found that significant work was already taking place across a range of organisations in Medway to reduce Social Isolation. However, 23 recommendations were made by the Task Group recognising that more could be done. Particular areas for improvement were highlighted and included:

·         the need to raise awareness in a coordinated manner. A recommendation was made relating to how awareness raising could be improved, while another recommendation was to undertake a public communications campaign; and

·         the need to identify people in Medway who were isolated. A recommendation was made to train more frontline staff to enable them to effectively signpost to sources of information and support.

The Task Group’s findings had also recognised the importance of social prescribing in reducing social isolation.

The Board was advised that an action plan had been created and the Board’s attention was drawn to recommended role of the Health and Wellbeing Board in monitoring implementation of the recommendations of the Task Group.

A Member commented that the Council was undertaking a lot of work to reduce social isolation in Medway. Examples included activity within adult education, libraries, social care and commissioned services. It was explained that these services brought people together within the community on a regular basis. The Member recognised the need for a joined up approach across the health sector. It was also recognised that wok to reduce social isolation would need to be continuous.

Decision:

The Health and Wellbeing Board:

a)    noted the comments of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, set out in section 7 of the report and the decision of the Cabinet, set out in section 8 of the report;

b)    noted the Task Group report and recommendations set out at Appendix A and make any comments it wishes in relation to implementation of the recommendations; and

c)    agreed to receive an update report on implementation of the recommendations of the Task Group, due to be presented to the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Summer 2019, and for this to be added to the Board’s Work Programme.