Agenda item

Report of the Consultant in Public Health (attached).

The Public Health Specialist (NSC) presented the report outlining progress on the development of a new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and seeking the Board’s endorsement of its overarching vision, collaborative approach, and extended timeline for delivery; and feedback on themes, priorities and engagement.

The Public Health Specialist responded (as italicised) to Board Member’s comments and queries as follows:

(1)     Was there any risk of the timeline slipping due to covid-19 issues? - the timeline was ambitious but achievable.  As the vaccination programme rolled forward, it was hoped that this would allow more time for engagement with partner organisations.

(2)     The need for focus on early intervention (particularly around early years) – this had been identified as a key theme in the Strategy. The Director of Public Health also emphasised the importance of the Action Plan, which would accompany the strategy, providing clear priorities and measurable difference about strategy aims.  A corresponding resourcing plan was also required, setting out how to refocus investment around priorities as they become apparent across all service areas and organisations.  It was important to identify how to use existing commissioning and other new opportunities to have an effect on health inequality and in particular how to “proof” our services around inequalities and early intervention “effect”.  The Board’s views on how to line-up resources most effectively were invited.

(3)     The Chairman said that although the Strategy may be “owned” by the Local Authority, the expectations was that the CCG and authority were equal partners in this process.  - The Director of Public Health added that aim was that the strategy should be complementary to the overall development of the integrated care system, working with partners at system level to identify strategic priorities and measurable actions but, at place level in North Somerset, localities would become integrated care partnerships delivering at operational level. The Area Director (BNSSG CCG) confirmed that the CCG felt involved in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy process.

(4)     The challenges in Weston around inequalities were understood but the Area Director (BNSSG CCG) questioned whether more work was needed in the north of the district - the Chairman acknowledged this with the caveat that inequalities were an identified priority, and these were most acute in Weston-super-Mare.  The Director of Public Health agreed that a “whole population” approach was needed noting that some priorities, such as healthy aging, were a particular issue in the north of the district.  Others such as childhood obesity were prevalent across the region and had lifelong consequences.  Additional focus would be required where specific communities needed it.

In concluding discussions, the Chairman noted comments from Members about the importance of coordinating the strategy across health and social care systems and joining this up with other interventions and strategies around local planning, economic development, sport etc.  It was only by doing this that the wider determinants of health would be addressed effectively. 

Resolved:

(1)       that (a) the focus of the vision or overarching theme as a shared ambition to reduce health inequalities; (b) the collaborative approach to development and delivery of the strategy; and (c) the extended timeline resulting in publication of the strategy in 2021 - be endorsed; and

(2)       that the Board’s feedback on the progress made on the development of the strategy be provided to officers in the form of the minutes.