Agenda item

A report will be submitted which proposes an outline scope to scrutinise the response to loneliness and isolation in Kirklees.

Contact:

Carol Gilchrist, Head of Local Integrated Partnerships

Helen Gilchrist, Project Manager

Carol Gilchrist, Head of Local Integrated Partnerships and Helen Gilchrist, Project Manager presented a report which proposed a scope for scrutiny of the issue of loneliness and isolation in Kirklees to help inform and shape the partnership approach to respond to this issue, in light of the potential impact on the health and wellbeing of local people.

It was explained that the evidence suggested that more people were lonely and isolated following the pandemic and the report set out a range of background information from both a national and local perspective.

The aim was to address four key strategic goals:

·       To make loneliness everyone’s business.

·       Ensuring collective assets are maximised.

·       The adoption of a person-centred approach.

·       Understanding people’s real-life experiences.

The work would include the opportunity for Members to speak to community groups and individuals about the issue and their experiences.

Questions and comments were invited from Committee Members, with the following issues being covered:

·       It was accepted that there were challenges in identifying people who were lonely or isolated and work had been undertaken both prior to and during the pandemic to try and address this issue. There were many groups across the district who could reach out to people as a result of information or referrals received from a number of sources, such as colleagues in health and care services. It was hoped that the scrutiny work might assist in identifying any gaps across the district.

·       There was a mechanism in place for social prescribing so that GDPR and the sharing of personal information was not an issue with referrals. The referral of  an individual to a community group would be done in-person as they would be accompanied to the first session. It may be, however, that this piece of work would uncover some such issues.

·       There was a need to identify the barriers to people overcoming isolation and loneliness. It was hoped that the individuals who were now attending the groups would be able to give the Committee an understanding of their experience and how they were able to overcome the issues and that this would help to inform the future approach.

·       There was also a need to understand how people who were not involved with health or other services might be made aware of what was available to them and how they could be assisted to have the confidence to engage.

·       The Loneliness Steering Group included representation from the Befriending Partnership. A wide variety of befriending offers had developed during the pandemic but sustainability had been identified as an issue due to the short-term nature of funding. Telephone befriending had been found to work well and it was proposed that a blended approach be taken in the future.

·       The Steering Group hoped to undertake further work to encourage joint working and collaboration between different organisations.

·       In terms of the learning from users, a range of positive outcomes had been achieved, although some people expressed a preference for face to face interactions.

·       In respect of the baseline level of loneliness at this point in time, it was hoped that this work may assist in achieving this understanding; it was a complex issue.

·       The numbers of volunteers had reduced following the pandemic and consideration was being given to how this might be addressed.

·       The issue of cost for people in accessing places was also a consideration.

Resolved –

That a further report be presented to the Committee at the September meeting, in respect of the role of the Loneliness Steering Group and the ongoing review of how the group will operate in the future.