The Impact of Scrutiny Advisory Committee of Hertsmere Council met on Friday, 14 June 2024, to discuss several key issues, including barriers to employment for young people, women's safety, and patient experience in local healthcare services. The committee reviewed and signed off on multiple recommendations, ensuring continued monitoring and progress.

Young People with Barriers to Employment

The committee reviewed the response to the recommendations from the Young People with Barriers to Employment Scrutiny Review held on 23 June 2023. The Executive Member for Education, Libraries and Lifelong Learning highlighted the work of Services for Young People, particularly their efforts in attending skills forums and using the Chamber of Commerce to focus on vulnerable groups. The development of the Employment Hub was also noted.

Key Recommendations:

1. Securing Funding: The committee emphasized the importance of securing funding for Hertfordshire County Council’s (HCC) Services for Young People (SfYP) as several budget streams, including those from the European Union (EU), are ending. The executive member was asked to present a plan for ensuring continued funding.
2. Preventing NEET: Measures to prevent young people from becoming Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) were discussed. The committee suggested developing a recruitment hub linking schools, colleges, employers, and young people.
3. Holistic Corporate Parenting: The committee recommended a more holistic approach to corporate parenting, involving collaboration between HCC and other Hertfordshire councils to support vulnerable young people.

The committee was satisfied with the officer responses and agreed to sign off on all three recommendations.

Women's Safety

The committee considered the response to the recommendations from the Women’s Safety Scrutiny Review held on 27 September 2023. Stella Nash, Chairman of the Scrutiny Review, commended the ongoing work to support victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Key Recommendations:

1. Raising Awareness: The committee stressed the importance of raising awareness within the community about VAWG, involving stakeholders such as the public, police, schools, and employers.
2. Simplifying Support Pathways: The creation of a ‘one stop shop’ for support services was recommended to simplify pathways for victims and professionals.
3. Improved Data Collection: Better data collection was suggested to accurately record the number of VAWG victims and encourage reporting.
4. Advocacy and Counselling Services: Extending and improving access to advocacy and counselling services for survivors was recommended.

The committee was satisfied with the action taken and agreed to sign off on all four recommendations.

Annual Patient Experience Scrutiny

The committee reviewed the response to the recommendations from the Annual Patient Experience Scrutiny held on 19 June 2023, focusing on West Herts Teaching Hospital, East & North Herts NHS Trust, and the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Key Recommendations:

1. West Herts Teaching Hospital: The committee requested more details on how the hospital would achieve £16m in efficiency savings without negatively impacting patient experience.
2. East & North Herts NHS Trust: The committee sought information on improving the transition between different acute teams and health providers to ensure seamless patient care.
3. Integrated Care Board (ICB): The committee was interested in the progress of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) and how they could improve patient care. They also discussed the importance of preparing carers for unexpected health deteriorations and addressing community paediatric waiting lists.

The committee was satisfied with the responses and agreed to sign off on all recommendations, with further monitoring by the Health Scrutiny Committee.

Work Programme

The committee noted that the Obesity and HSAB Domestic Abuse and Dementia Scrutiny Reviews would be presented in December 2024.

For more details, the full debate on these items can be found in the Impact of Scrutiny Advisory Committee - 1 March 2024 minutes.