Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Director of Public Health, Susan Lloyd, Public Health Consultant and Cllr. Dean Carroll, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health & Climate Change

The Director of Public Health introduced her report (copy attached to signed minutes) which included an update on COVID-19 within Shropshire, the Local Response to Test and Trace and the publication of the Local Outbreak Control Plan 2020.   She also provided a presentation (copy also attached to signed minutes) reflecting on the 125 days since the Board had last met.

To date in Shropshire there had been 1,397 cases, and 246 deaths in the community, care home and hospital sectors.  Every single case and life had been affected and there had been an impact on every single person. 

She explained how the pattern across Shropshire had differed to that of the national one being delayed, longer and flatter.  The pandemic had progressed to an outbreak stage and a close eye needed to be kept on the situation - local outbreaks would happen and preparation was needed for a potential second peak. 

She referred to the phenomenal collaboration over the last months and the Outbreak Plan was built on this good practice.  The Plan was a live one which would be updated and strengthened continually (available from www.shropshire.gov.uk/local-outbreak-plan)

The Board considered the increase in number of cases in workplace settings and heard that particular work place settings were more susceptible than others but that spread was sometimes in the communities around that work place setting. 

The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health thanked the Director of Public Health and her team for the excellent job on the Local Outbreak Plan which had been pulled together very quickly.  He emphasised some of the messages which it was important for all to remember – that lock down was easing, not lifting, and every single person still needed to take precautions in order to save lives.  He had been made aware of some recent large scale parties which had been held in people’s homes and emphasised that anyone attending and not observing social distancing would not only be putting their own life at risk but other vulnerable people around them. 

The Chair also expressed thanks to the Public Health Team for the Plan.  The Director of Public Health thanked everyone who had contributed to the plan across the Council, NHS, Community, Voluntary Organisations.  Covid had not gone away and the guidelines were there for a reason, she thanked all those who were adhering to the guidance.

RESOLVED:

That:

The Board notes the position to date in Shropshire in relation to COVID-19;

The Board recognise that Shropshire Council, alongside all local authorities in England, has been required by the Department of Health and Social Care to develop and deliver a COVID-19 Outbreak Control Plan. The Shropshire Outbreak Control Plan is for local publication and will be one of the Outbreak Control Plans set out to prevent and contain COVID-19 across England;

The Board recognise that the Shropshire Outbreak Control Plan meets the specifications set out by the Department of Health and Social Care, and meets the outbreak control needs of the Shropshire population;

The Board recognise that the plan will be updated as new evidence on COVID-19 emerges and as local systems develop including its associated action plans and risk logs.