Macc attended the Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on 7 December. This meeting focused on three main reports; Gambling Related Harms (Public Health), Adult Learning Disability Services (Adult Social Services), and Climate Change-Impact of the recent heatwave (Public Health).
Gambling is now being viewed as a public health concern across the UK because of the significant negative impacts on health for individuals, their families but also society as whole. It was suggested that gambling is targeted at the most vulnerable, less wealthy and those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods. A significant concern is online gambling and the lack of regulation around this, particularly for students. You are 1.5 times more likely to experience problem gambling in Greater Manchester when compared with people in the rest of the UK. It is acknowledged that people in deprived communities are twice as likely to participate in gambling and Greater Manchester residents who participate in gambling are three times more likely to use foodbanks. The concern is for children impacted. Statistics show that the proportion of children and young people in Greater Manchester who have gambled in the last 12 months was 36%. It is agreed that action needs to be taken and it is the NHS who has the responsibility for providing regional clinics. The NHS Northern Gambling Service provides specialist support to individuals and their families. The report makes reference to the Gordon Moody charity, which has recently opened a new facility in Greater Manchester offering residential rehabilitation. A recently launched campaign, Odds Are: They Win, highlights that the gambling industry are always more likely to win and highlights the harm that can be caused by gambling. To read the report in full visit; https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/documents/s37240/Gambling%20Related%20Harms.pdf
The Director of Adult Social Care outlined the new changes being developed within this service. A new head of commissioning has been appointed who has to develop an immediate commissioning plan for Adult Learning Disability Services. An engagement service is open between the middle of November and end of December to listen to view of individuals and their carers. There are plans to develop ways people using adult learning disability services can engage with the learning disability board, who are currently working with People First. There are plans to change care for people in hospital and since June 2022, they have been implementing the Learning Disability Strategy, which aims for people to make more informed choices about their own care. Cllr Richards made the comment that she couldn't properly scrutinise the report without the voices and opinions of people who use these service being represented. Cllr Bayunu asked for more information about people experiencing inequalities by people with a learning disability from minority communities and asked for clarification of what VCSE organisations are involved in this work. It was confirmed that BHA and Breakthrough UK (plus another VCSE organisation currently being recruited) will work with Pakistani and Black Caribbean communities to enable their views and experiences to be heard. Findings form this work will be published next year. To read the report in full, visit: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/documents/s37195/Adult%20Learning%20Disability%20Services.pdf
The Climate Change report outlined the negative impacts that the heatwave in July 2022 had on the residents of Manchester. The main concern was for older people and those people living with long term or serious health conditions. The prediction is that we will have these types of heatwaves in the future and Manchester is developing approaches to this, including City Heat Packs, which is the data collection and detailing of the issues of concern, and the Heat Vulnerability Index, which looks at the impact on individual neighbourhoods. Manchester is also developing the Local Climate Adaptions tool, which is a collaboration with the University of Exeter. To read the report in full, visit: https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/documents/s37243/Heatwaves%20and%20Health%20Report.pdf
You can access the recording of the December Health Scrutiny Committee meeting by accessing the following link here: https://vimeo.com/771072923
There is an ongoing invitation to VCSE colleagues to attend any of Scrutiny Committee meetings. Macc would encourage VCSE sector colleagues to attend any of the six Scrutiny Committee meetings, which are relevant to your organisation and or to send information that showcase the vital work your organisation does. Each Manchester City Council Scrutiny Committee meeting is open to the public, streamed live and recorded. For more information, visit https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/ieDocHome.aspx?bcr=1.
The next Health Scrutiny Committee Meeting will be held on 11 January at 10am at in the Council Antechamber, Level 2, Manchester Town Hall Extension but will also be live streamed and recorded.