Agenda item
Keep Tower Hamlets Safe - Local COVID-19 Outbreak Plan
- Meeting of Online 'Virtual' Meeting, Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee, Thursday, 23rd July, 2020 6.30 p.m. (Item 3.1)
- View the background to item 3.1
- Test and contact trace;
- Shielding vulnerable people in Tower Hamlets; and
- Supporting BAME groups amidst the dangers of covid19.
(Lead – Somen Banerjee, Director of Public Health, LBTH) (45mins)
Minutes:
The Sub-Committee received a presentation on the local COVID-19 Outbreak Plan by Somen Banerjee, Director of Public Health. The main points of the discussion maybe summarised as follows:
The Committee noted that:
- The Tower Hamlets local outbreak plan sets out plans for prevention and management of outbreaks in the Borough. In line with the national framework it sets out prevention and outbreak arrangements in particularly high-risk settings (including care homes, school, and other venues).
- It is recognised that effective communication is essential to inform and reassure different groups across Tower Hamlets on how to prevent further outbreaks and reduce transmission of infection. Therefore, the communications strategy does need to broaden its engagement by enabling effective outreach with hard to reach groups.
- The plan also outlines proposals for test and trace; surveillance of COVID-19; support for vulnerable groups; and governance arrangements.
- The plan is a living document and will adapt in response to scenario testing, experience, and ongoing review of governance arrangements.
- The plan identifies the disparities that have emerged nationally and locally in COVID-19 infection and deaths. For this reason, it has a specific priority on ensuring that equalities are integrated into outbreak prevention and response. Specifically, the community engagement plan aimed to ensure that communication messages and support is targeted at equalities group that are at particular high risk e.g. Shielding vulnerable people in Tower Hamlets; and Supporting Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups amidst the dangers of COVID-19.
- This plan is owned by partners across Tower Hamlets and is accountable to the people of the Borough through the Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board.
- As shielding support from the Government will be reduced from September and it is important to secure funding and maintain and resource local pathways going forward.
- It sets out what is to be done to ensure that how Tower Hamlets is a place where coronavirus infection is kept as low as possible, those who are most at risk from impacts of COVID-19 are protected and people can get on with their lives free from disruption;
- To keep infection low, it is important to focus on two things:
1. To make sure that Tower Hamlets is continually doing everything possible to prevent outbreaks of coronavirus in the first place; and
2. When outbreaks happen, Tower Hamlets needs to be prepared to respond as quickly as possible and this means having clear plans in which it is clear what needs to be done, who needs to do it and when.
- The plan sets out the principles of keeping infection low and managing outbreaks but also provides more detailed plans which are designed to help manage incidents. It is based on the seven themes that have been set out by national guidance.
- Co-morbidity (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) is considered a likely factor in leading to COVID related deaths. Which stresses the importance of building health resilience amongst these groups of people and settings.
- Because of the continually evolving situation, this plan is a live document and will need to be continually shaped by new knowledge about coronavirus, ongoing experience, and scenario testing.
Accordingly, the Chair moved, and it was agreed that:
- The communications strategy needs to broaden its engagement by enabling effective outreach with hard to reach groups.
- Local networks are utilised to target these groups and settings and increase uptake.
- As shielding support from the Government will be reduced in the coming months. It is therefore important to secure funding and maintain and resource local pathways beyond September supported by Primary Care Networks; and
- Co-morbidity (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) is considered a likely factor in leading to COVID related deaths. Therefore it is important to build health resilience amongst these groups of people and settings.
Supporting documents:
- HAOSC Report_Local Outbreak Plan (1), item 3.1 PDF 243 KB
- Appendix A - Local Outbreak Plan, item 3.1 PDF 717 KB