Issue - meetings

To feedback on the Falls Prevention Hot Focus session and suggested further action in relation to falls prevention.

The Board considered a report (Agenda Item 12) which provided feedback on the work undertaken on falls prevention following the Hot Focus Session held in April 2016.

The session was run to help the Health and Wellbeing Board have a greater understanding of what services were available in West Berkshire around falls prevention and how the Board could achieve the priority within the Health and Wellbeing Strategy: “We will maximise independence in older people by preventing falls, reducing preventable hospital admissions due to falls and improving rehabilitation services”

The aims of the session were to bring together relevant stakeholders with members of the Health and Wellbeing Board to inform them of Falls Prevention services that were available within West Berkshire across a continuum from prevention to treatment and rehabilitation and to identify successes, gaps and barriers within the system and suggest solutions that would inform the Health and Wellbeing Strategy delivery plan.

There was a great deal of positivity about the opportunity for partners to work more closely together particularly in setting up an older peoples group and a mapping processes.

Dr Lise Llewellyn expressed the view that a task group would be useful to ensure a joined-up approach to the work being undertaken in the system to support falls prevention and the frail elderly pathway.

Councillor Hilary Cole also expressed support for a group and asked for further information. April Peberdy advised that a discussion was held at the Steering Group which was of the view that direction to set up the group needed to come from the Board but that she would set up the group and set the terms of reference. Dr Llewellyn advised that Councillor Cole would be consulted on the terms of reference.

Councillor Mollie Lock commented that there was a leaflet regarding fall prevention services which was very useful and clear. April Peberdy advised that it detailed a lot of ongoing work but more work was needed on prevention.

Dr Bal Bahia made reference to the preceding presentation about the Accountable Care System and Sustainability and Transformation Plans and noted that duplication of work should be avoided and the terms of reference for the new group should be clear on how it fit into other groups in the local health and social care system.

RESOLVED that an Older Peoples Task Group be established.