Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Head of Health Improvement (attached).

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Health Improvement on the draft interim Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  Councillor Clowes, Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care, explained that the Health and Social Care Act 2012 placed a duty upon the Council and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to produce a Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  

The Strategy was informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and should demonstrate how the Council and CCGs would meet the needs identified in the JSNA.  The Strategy before the Committee was an interim document for 2013 – 14 and during that year work would be undertaken to produce a more detailed version of the Strategy for forthcoming years.  The Strategy had been approved by the Health and Wellbeing Board for public engagement over the summer months.  The public and stakeholders would be asked to support the Strategy and provide ideas on how best to tackle the priorities for action and identify any ways the HWBB could be assisted in its aspirations.  

The Strategy listed Priorities under 3 headings:

      Outcome one – starting and developing well – this had priorities including increasing breastfeeding rates and reducing levels of alcohol misuse by children and young people;

      Outcome two – working and living well – this had priorities including reducing the incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease, meeting the needs of people with mental health issues, and supporting carers;

      Outcome three – ageing well – this included priorities around provision of good palliative care and supporting older people in rest of life and end of life planning.

The Committee discussed the Strategy and raised the following questions or issues:

      Whether the document was a strategy or a vision and whether there should be action points that listed how the priorities would be achieved?  It was also felt the Strategy contained general statements and was lacking in detail.  In response, the Committee was advised that there was a requirement for the Council to have a document called a Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Strategy as drafted was a starting point from which to develop a more detailed document.  The Strategy was drafted in an open manner so as to encourage stakeholders and the public to bring forward ideas as to how the priorities could be achieved.  The Strategy did not include statistical information as that could be found in other sources such as the JSNA;

      The reference to providing good palliative care was welcomed but did this include support to hospices?  The Committee was advised that some innovative work was currently underway with hospices and the Council;

      Support to carers was vital and it was noted that carers often put off their own health needs;  it was suggested that more support was needed than a short amount of time each morning and evening and that some people would not mind a long bus ride as they would enjoy the company of others on the bus;

      Which groups of mums were being targeted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21