Issue - meetings

To accept the report and approve the recommendations.

The report was presented by Cllr Llio Elenid Owen.

DECISION

To accept the report and approve the recommendations.

DISCUSSION

The report was presented, recognising the period of change and adjustment that had taken place.

It was stated that the promotion of Safety Models had reached all managers, with the aim of strengthening understanding and joint-working across the organisation. It was also noted that key policies had been reviewed – including the Alcohol and Drugs Policy – to protect everyone associated with the Council's services.

The Cabinet was guided through the main points of the report:

·       A total of 4,128 accident reports had been recorded, of which 53 were RIDDOR, which were the most serious type of accidents. She also mentioned the increase in violent incidents.

·       There had been two incidents in residential homes which had led to visits by the HSE. Recommendations were received to improve fall prevention documentation and training, with an intervention fee of £1,044.

·       It was mentioned that 9 IOSH Managing Safely courses and 5 refresher courses had been undertaken, meaning that 72% of managers were now trained.

·       1,051 referrals had been received from Occupational Health, of which 464 were related to mental health. She added that the counselling provision had increased by over 180%.

·       It was reported that the BSI continued to support and maintain the ISO 45001 accreditation. She mentioned that discussions were underway to combine the two existing systems.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       It was confirmed that the report included data from schools as well.

·       It was asked whether the high number of accidents came from a particular place within the Council. It was stated that staff were encouraged to report any accidents so that the organisation could get a picture of where these accidents originated, and how to prevent problems in the future.

·       It was explained that children's needs were becoming more profound and that we may need to consider how to respond to this.

·       The violent incidents that take place outside the area of Education were discussed, noting that there was a range across the Council in terms of the type of incidents and the severity of those incidents. The need to report such incidents was emphasised.

·       A member asked for an explanation for the increase in the number of members of the public being transported to hospital. The duty to report such cases was highlighted, and it was noted that the incidents ranged from school children and people in residential homes to people in leisure centres, for example.