The Health Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to receive updates on the stroke rehabilitation service review and improvement programme, and on the work of Healthwatch Derbyshire. The committee was also due to discuss the council's food plan for Derbyshire and consider items for its future work programme.

Stroke Rehabilitation Service Review and Improvement Programme

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be dedicated to an update on the Derby & Derbyshire Stroke Rehabilitation Improvement Programme. This programme aims to transform stroke rehabilitation services across the Integrated Care System (ICS) following recommendations from the East Midlands Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) Regional Benchmarking Report in November 2022. The report pack indicated that community stroke rehabilitation services across Derby and Derbyshire are currently at capacity, with limited provision of Early Supported Stroke Discharge (ESSD) in some areas.

The programme includes new investment for ESSD provision within the High Peak area, aiming to facilitate timelier hospital discharges for stroke patients and reduce waiting times. It also proposes the recruitment of a full-time Psychologist to increase stroke-specific psychology provision and reduce waiting times for patients, as well as upskilling existing staff in low mood psychological support. Furthermore, a new service delivery model has been negotiated with The Stroke Association to provide a standardised Stroke Recovery Service across Derby & Derbyshire, aiming to offer greater equity and additional peer support groups.

The report pack highlighted that public engagement, including face-to-face events and surveys, had been conducted between September and November 2024. Feedback from this engagement indicated appreciation for early support and dedicated staff, but also raised significant concerns about long waiting times, inconsistent follow-up, and gaps in long-term care, particularly regarding psychological support and communication about available services. The report recommended that the committee note the patient and public engagement report and the ongoing improvement programme.

Healthwatch Derbyshire Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the current work of Healthwatch Derbyshire. This included information on their ongoing engagement activities, such as attending summer fêtes and fayres, and speaking with various community groups. The report pack indicated that over the previous quarter, Healthwatch had received 98 comments about 55 different organisations, with the top themes being access to services, communication with patients, administration, and quality of treatment. A significant portion of the feedback related to GP practices, with recurring negative comments about the 8am rush for appointments and difficulties in obtaining timely appointments after receiving blood test results. Positive feedback was noted for renal and kidney care at the Royal Derby Hospital, and for the exemplary care provided by a dentist to disabled patients. The report also detailed specific Enter and View visits to Goodlife Pharmacy in Hatton and inpatient mental health units, as well as ongoing work related to smoking cessation and the views of home care workers on infection prevention.

Food Plan for Derbyshire

A verbal report was scheduled to explain the background to the development of a food plan or strategy for Derbyshire. This item aimed to provide the committee with an understanding of the work undertaken in this area.

Work Programme

The committee was due to consider its current and proposed future items for its work programme. The report pack indicated that the committee believed there were already sufficient items on the programme but would make adjustments to prioritise certain areas. The minutes from the previous meeting noted that the committee had prioritised items around Ashgate Hospice/End of Life Care in Derbyshire, Long COVID, and Dementia, and would receive a briefing paper on the Sickle Cell Barrier Update. The forward-looking work programme for 2025/26, as detailed in the report pack, included topics such as Neighbourhood Health, the effects of screen time on children, Ashgate Hospice/End of Life Care, Dementia Strategy, Learning Disabilities (Adults) – short breaks, and Healthwatch Derbyshire.