Meeting documents

The Chair will allow members of the public to ask a question or make a statement about any matter on the agenda for this meeting. These questions may be taken during the meeting, when the relevant agenda item is considered, at the Chair’s discretion.  

There were three public questions: -

Public Questions from David Orr 

Q1. Will the County Council publish Somerset-wide KPIs (at least weekly) so that the local media and local people can see openly and transparently the pandemic outbreak situation in our Somerset Care Homes and communities: number of care homes with suspected Covid-19; the number of deaths in care homes (where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate whether the main cause of death or not); the?number of deaths in the community (where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate whether the main cause of death or not); the number of care staff who have had Covid-19 tests and the infected numbers;?number of reports of PPE shortages (or inadequate PPE) across Somerset? 

Response: - 

We have a dashboard that we have?been developing which we will be publishing each week on Wednesdays.? This contains much of the information you are asking for.? It provides an overview of the epidemiology of epidemic in Somerset.? The data is released nationally once a week. As you can imagine, there is a slight time delay on the data as death registration needs to take place, but the important part is tracking the trend of the epidemic and understanding whether we are controlling the spread or not. 

Q2. What plans are being made for contact tracing in Somerset as a key component of safely coming out of the current lockdown in phases, and will the contact tracing and associated funding be devolved to Somerset District Councils with Environmental Health Officers as a key skills base (supplemented by volunteers)? 

Response: - 

As announced by Government, contact tracing will be a key measure to help control the spread of infection as we go forward.? It is a tool that is widely used in Public Health already for all kinds of infectious disease, and it was used at the start of the UK epidemic before the lockdown.? The Government are currently developing their strategy for contact tracing and it is likely to be driven at a national level.? My understanding to date is that there will be a number of levels of contact tracing, including an App which was launched in the Isle of Wight on Monday for testing.? There will be a team of health professional—we think about 3000 nationally (some of these may be EHOs)…that will be used to oversee the contact tracing, supported by a large team of call handlers.? It is thought that this team will undertake the more straightforward contact tracing.? The more complex contact tracing is likely to be done jointly at a more regional/local level between the regional PHE and LA Public Health.? We have a good relationship with our local EHOs who are keen to collaborate with us.? EHOs are a valuable resource and play an important role in the response and local health protection already, we need to be careful that we do not overstretch their capacity.? I am keen that we get cracking with contact tracing, so I have volunteered to be part of the regional team to help develop the service. 

Q3. Could a chart/table be drawn up showing how roles and responsibilities are apportioned (or shared) during the Covid-19 outbreak with regard to: PPE provision, safe working practices, infection control, reporting, testing, tracing etc between the CQC, NHS, Private Care companies, Avon & Somerset Resilience Forum, SCC Director of Adult Social Care, SCC Director of Public Health? 

Response: - 

There is a robust process in place to provide information to relevant providers across the Somerset system on how PPE should be obtained, to assist with modelling potential PPE requirements, and act to as a point of escalation to meet any shortfalls in supplies, where required, through access to a Mutual Aid PPE Supply. 

To ensure there is sufficient supply, there is Communication and signposting to provide information to relevant providers on PPE Guidance, the process for ordering PPE supplies, and how to escalate issues via the National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR) system. In addition, the following has been established: - 

·                     Business Intelligence – Work with providers to model PPE requirements (using new guidance), to assist with identifying their estimated needs when ordering on the new supply chain platform. 

·                     Specialist advice & Risk Assessment – Utilise our Infection & Prevention Control (IPC) experts to support providers with advice on PPE, and risk assess any offers of PPE donations for use within the Mutual Aid PPE Stock. 

·                     Escalation - Ask providers to escalate where PPE supplies are below 48 hours’ worth of supplies and they are experiencing any issues with the supply chain.  

·                     Mutual Aid – Co-ordinate the provision of short-term Mutual Aid PPE to providers that have escalated if they have less than 48 hours’ supply. This will be distributed via the Somerset County Council depot.?  

·                     Provider PPE Stock Levels – We have an overview of the PPE stock levels that Providers are holding within the Somerset system so that discussions can be held to reallocate stock (should stock levels not be available within the Mutual Aid PPE Supply) to meet the needs of other providers in urgent need of PPE supplies.