Agenda item

Report of Liz Gaulton, Director of Health and Wellbeing

The Board considered a report of Liz Gaulton, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, which provided an update on the development of a Local Outbreak Control Plan for Coventry as part of the wider Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire pilot. This was to be a key part in the next steps for managing Covid-19 locally. Copies of the Coventry Solihull Warwickshire Covid-19 Outbreak Plan and the Coventry Local Outbreak Implementation Plan were set out at appendices to the report. Endorsement was sought for the establishment of the Health and Wellbeing Test and Trace Sub Group and its membership.

The report indicated that the next phase of the response to Covid was critical. To avoid a second peak and to enable the gradual and phased return to a more normal way of life, it was key that social distancing was maintained; measures such as hand washing continued; that cases were rapidly identified and people took the right steps to self-isolate; and that any emerging outbreaks were managed quickly. Contract tracing and outbreak management would only be effective if case numbers and the transmission rate remained at a manageable level.

The NHS Test and Trace service was launch on 28^th May and formed a central part of the Government’s coronavirus recovery strategy. Anyone with symptoms would be tested and their close contacts traced who must then isolate for 14 days. It was part of a wider test, trace and isolate approach. The report provided detailed information on this approach which included the following four elements:

·  rapid testing at scale to control the virus and stop its spread;

·  an integrated contact tracing service to follow up and advise any contacts of positive cases and support people to self-isolate;

·  using data to identify and target any outbreaks at local level; and

·  using our knowledge of the virus and how it behaves to inform social and economic decision making.

The importance of bringing the public with us was also highlighted. This needed strong communication and engagement at a local level so that people were willing to participate, know what steps they could take and understand why certain measures were being introduced and comply with these. In order to be successful, this required a co-ordinated effort from local and national government, the NHS, GPs, businesses and employers, voluntary organisations and other community partners, and the general public.

Reference was made to £204,100 of funding allocated to Coventry from the Department of Health and Social Care to develop tailored outbreak control plans. This would be used to increase capacity and capability in order to manage outbreaks, provide preventative training and analyse data.

Eleven Local Authorities areas had been selected as Beacons to work with national leaders to rapidly develop and test outbreak control plans at a local level; identify common themes, and share best practice; as well as innovating to develop faster approaches to testing and tracing and identifying opportunities to scale the programme rapidly. Warwickshire had been selected as the lead authority for a pilot with Solihull and Coventry, which would also work with the NHS, Public Health England and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The report set out the local governance arrangements for Coventry which included the establishment of a Covid-19 Health Protection Board, who would develop and oversee the delivery of Coventry’s Local Implementation Plan led by the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing. This Board would report at regular interval to the public facing Health and Wellbeing Test and Trace Sub Group. The Terms of Reference for the Sub-Group were set out at a further appendix. A Shadow CSW Leader’s Group brought together senior executive and political leadership from across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull to provide senior leadership across the CSW sub-region. In addition, a Coventry Member’s Panel had been set up providing political leadership and maintaining a Council strategic oversight of the implementation and operation of Covid-19 Test and Trace in the City.

The Local Coventry Implementation Plan was developed by the COVID-19 Health Protection Board and published, alongside the wider Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire plan in June. Both plans include the following priority areas:-

·  Community engagement to build trust and participation

·  Care homes and schools

·  High risk places, locations and communities

·  Track cases at local level to spot any trends by time, place or location

·  Contract tracing in complex settings

·  Data integration

·  Vulnerable people

·  Local Boards.

The report also detailed the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire combined response.

Members discussed slight increase in daily infections that had occurred over the previous two weeks that corresponded with a relaxation in the rules and more people socialising. Clarification was sought over how people were contacted by Test and Trace with concerns being raised about bogus calls with people being asked to give payment card details to finance the testing. It was acknowledged that Test and Trace was a free service with no intention to charge for services.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The setting up of the Health and Wellbeing Test and Trace Sub Group to provide a strategic steer to the Covid-19 Health Protection Board be endorsed.

(2) The membership of the Sub Group, as detailed in an appendix to the report, be endorsed.

(3) Communications be requested to extend the Covid-19 messages to include warnings about scam callers requesting funding in connection with Test and Trace.