The Board
considered the Kirklees Children Looked After and Care Leavers
Annual Health Report (April 2022-March 2023) presented by Gill Addy
Designated Nurse. It was explained that the reporting period
covered recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, and there were some
challenges to services as a result. It was also highlighted
that:
- There had been
continuing capacity pressures on the team during the year.
- A hybrid model
(telephone and face to face) remained post-pandemic for Initial
Health Assessments (IHA).
- There was also the
option for IHA’s to be carried out via an extended face to
face session for those less suited to the telephone aspect.
- There had been a
significant rise in unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC)
coming to the area which impacted on the IHA provision, but
statutory timescale completion remained very good.
- There had been
increasing pressures i.e., child health complexities, numbers of
UASC, etc… on the nursing team.
- This had resulted
in postponing some previous preventative work and a need to
prioritise some activities.
- Bank staff had
been used to carry out some nursing administrative tasks to help
alleviate pressure.
- Dental access had
improved and had been supported by the ‘Flexible
Commissioning’ programme.
- This enabled all
Children Looked After (CLA) and care leavers in Kirklees to access
dental services.
- Strength and
Difficulty Questionnaires’ (SDQ’s) return rates used to
screen the emotional wellbeing of children aged 4 to 17 years,
remained low, despite efforts to improve compliance.
- Discussions
continued with the Children’s Social Care Service to look at
alternative methods of distribution.
- The inclusion of a
trauma screening assessment for UASC by a Locala GP, added a
valuable dimension to the support options.
- This pilot
programme had now ceased and work had been undertaken to try to
seek further funding to reintroduce this work.
- Liaison with the
sexual health and substance misuse outreach workers continued
reinforcing a collaborative working model.
- The data showed
that:
- 201 IHA’s
(including 18 requests from other authorities) were completed,
compared to 146 the previous year.
- There was a
significant rise (from 19 to 30) in UASC entering care, and the
increase resulted in catch-up schedules being used more
widely.
- 652 Review Health
Assessment’s (RHA) were completed (including 55 requests from
other authorities).
- Immunisation rates
averaged at 91% across all ages, and teenage boosters remained the
most common outstanding immunisations.
- Children’s
emotional health benefited from the development of the LA Placement
Support Service.
- 20 UASC benefitted
from a ‘trauma screening and report’ project, led by an
experienced Locala GP.
- 130 Care Leaver
health histories were written and distributed.
- There was a
long-standing, dedicated, experienced health workforce in place
which was co-located and linked through technology to support
collaborative working.
- The Proposed
Action Plan 2023-24 included:
- To consider the
development of an UASC IHA assessment form.
- An Audit on the
demographics of young people who admitted to vaping at their
RHA.
- To raise awareness
of the opportunity offered through the Integrated Care Boards to
provide free prescriptions, Optician and Dental support, to care
experienced young people who were working and not claiming
benefits.
- To continue to
pursue the business case, to increase the capacity in the team to
improve health assessment timescales, additional work related to
the IHA clinic, and the timely preparation of care leaver health
histories.
The Board noted the
update and expressed support for the provision of free
prescriptions for care experienced young people and asked when this
might be implemented. In response, Stewart Horn - Head of Children’s Integrated Commissioning,
advised that this would be a decision for the Integrated Care Board
(ICB) and agreed to provide further information around time scales
to the Board.
RESOLVED: The Board
noted theKirklees Children Looked After and Care
Leavers Annual Health Report and it was agreed that further
information around time scales for an ICB decision on
prescriptions, dental and optician support be provided to the
Board.