The Hertfordshire County Council cabinet met to discuss the Refresh Sensory Strategy and to award a contract for the provision of public health nursing services. The cabinet approved the updated Sensory Strategy and action plan, and also voted to award the public health nursing contract to a preferred provider, after discussing additional information in a closed session.

Public Health Nursing Contract

The cabinet voted to award the public health nursing contract to a selected provider, as outlined in the part two recommendation. The public health nursing contracts cover children from 0-19 years, and up to 25 years for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The contract is currently provided by Hearts Community Trust, and has been in an extension period since 2018.

Ajanta Hilton, Executive member for Public Health and Community Safety, explained that a transformation programme was undertaken in 2024 to modernise the service, ensure it was affordable, met the changing needs of the local population and aligned with national policy. Key changes included an additional school readiness check in health visiting, resetting the role of public health nursing in relation to safeguarding, and a more concrete offer for children classes missing from education or effectively home educated.

Anthony Rowlands, Executive member for Children's Social Care, raised concerns that the service provided to children looked after would be changing, and that this was in the hands of the Integrated Care Board (ICB).¹ He stated:

So I just record that as something we must ensure is, um, a top priority in terms of any conversations we have the ICB. Um, so cause those young people and their health, their health, everybody's health is important, but those young people often do have health challenges. And we mustn't be parted to anything that, as it were, would undermine what, um, what they currently receive.

Ajanta Hilton, Executive member for Public Health and Community Safety, responded that nurses would no longer be undertaking health assessments for looked after children, as it was now an ICB commissioning and funding responsibility. She added that the council would take responsibility to ensure that the ICBs fulfil that responsibility, even though they are going through big changes.

The item was then moved to a part two session to discuss further details, before being approved in part one.

Refresh Sensory Strategy

The cabinet approved the refreshed Sensory Strategy and action plan. Sally Symington, Deputy Leader of the Council; Executive member for Adult Care Services; Chairman Health & Well-being Board; Vice-Chairman Employment Committee, introduced the item, noting that the strategy aligns with the council's corporate objectives of supporting those most in need and fostering inclusive communities. She also noted that the service is delivered by Hearts County Council to the highest standard and is well regarded nationally, but is difficult to deliver at scale, so the council needs to be mindful of what's going to happen to it when they face the local government reorganisation.

The strategy includes an action plan to deal with five priorities. Sally Symington, Deputy Leader of the Council; Executive member for Adult Care Services; Chairman Health & Well-being Board; Vice-Chairman Employment Committee, stated that in 2022, there were close to 40,000 people in Hertfordshire living with sight loss, and it is predicted that by 2030, nearly a quarter of a million people will be suffering with hearing loss.

Anthony Rowlands, Executive member for Children's Social Care, supported the strategy, noting that services for children who identify with sight or hearing challenges are more valuable the earlier they take place.

Adrian England, Executive member for Sustainability, declared an interest as his wife is a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter and works with some people in the sensory services team. He stated that it's really important that the council uses all of the resources that they have, and enables all of the resources that Hertfordshire has to perform and to be part of making the county what it is.