Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from:

Benjamin Bee (Fire and Rescue),

Rachna Vyas (Integrated Care Board)

Harsha Kotecha (Healthwatch), Kash Bhayani substitute.

Jean Knight (Leicestershire Partnership Trust), Glyn Edwards substitute.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed at the meeting.

Members were asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed at the meeting.  No such declarations were received.

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Board held on 19^th December 2024 are attached and the Board is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Board held on 19^th December 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Chair to invite questions from members of the public.

It was noted that none had been received.

The Senior Intelligence Manager to present a review of the first draft of the pharmaceutical needs assessment.

The Consultant in Public Health presented the report and updated the board on the consultation for the draft suicide prevention strategy refresh for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR). It was noted that:

·       Suicide affected many people and the ambition was to make the Strategy everybody’s business, by empowering, educating and equipping individuals and organisations to support suicide awareness prevention.

·       Leicestershire Police provided real time surveillance data for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The data was important to allow contact with the families of those affected by suicide.

·       The suicide rate for all persons in Leicester was 11.1 per 100,000 population for the period 2021-2023. The rate was not significantly different to the national average suicide rate of 10.7 per 100,000.

·       Year to year the rate of suicide was variable due to the size of the population.

·       The national rate had been increasing since 2021 and Leicester’s rates followed the same increase, based on economic difficulties people were experiencing in the city, which resonated with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

·       There was a local strategy which was overseen by the Suicide Audit and Prevention Group and Leicester’s local suicide prevention work benefited from the real time surveillance data provided.

·       The unexpected deaths reported in 2023 were predominantly white males. There was a priority group for suicide prevention in white males. Ages 50-54 were the largest age group, although it tended to be across the board.

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy’s ambitions were:

o   Reduce the suicide rate over the next 5 years, with initial reductions observed within half this time or sooner.

o   Continue to improve support for people who self-harm.

o   Continue to improve support for people who have been bereaved by suicide.

Priorities in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy were:

o   Promoting online safety and responsible media content to reduce harms, improve support and signposting, and provide helpful messages about suicide and self-harm.

o   Providing effective crisis support across sectors for those who reach crisis point.

o   Reducing access to means and methods of suicide where this is appropriate and necessary as an intervention to prevent suicides.

o   Providing effective bereavement support to those affected by suicide.

o   Making suicide everybody’s business so that we can maximise our collective impact and support to prevent suicides

Risk factors and high-risk groups were noted as:

o   Children and Young people

o   Middle aged men

o   Autistic people

o   Pregnant women and new mothers

Other risk factors included:

o   People who misuse alcohol and drugs

o   Armed forces personal and the veteran community

o   Female nurses

o   Financial instability and hardship, including unemployment

o   Relationship breakdown

o   Homelessness

o   LGBTQ + people

o   Domestic abuse

o   Childhood abuse, sexual trauma, and combat-related trauma are all associated with increased suicide risk.

o   Gypsy or Irish Travellers

LLR Strategy Key Messages:

o   Suicide is everybody’s business

o   Suicides were not inevitable

o   Suicide has a wide impact

o   Some people are at higher risk of suicide

o   Mental health is as important as physical health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113.

The Principal Public Health Intelligence Analyst will update the board on the Leicester Health and Wellbeing Survey 2024, conducted by DJS Research on behalf of Leicester City Council. The update will provide a snapshot of health and wellbeing for residents aged 16 and over.

The Principal Public Health Intelligence Analyst presented the report, which showed the results of the most recent Health and Wellbeing Survey. It was noted that:

·       The data was to be explored further but had already been made use of.

·       The survey interviewed those aged 16+. Child specific ones had previously been completed.

·       The primary purpose of the survey was to inform strategic decision making and specific needs assessments.

·       The survey is used by outside partners and contributes to a wide variety of work, including Public Health campaigns.

·       The survey provided levels of intelligence not everyone was able to access.

·       2100 interviews had been completed, which reflected around 100 people per ward. This was a weighted sample to reflect population data in the census to ensure it was representative.

·       Sensitive questions were self-completed to encourage reliability.

·       The team reflected the diversity found in the city allowing for different languages.

·       A huge range of topics were covered, including new areas such as gambling, covid implications, mental health and wellbeing, food insecurity and some around vaping.

·       The top 5 positives identified by residents were:

o   4 in 5 residents rated their general health as good or very good.

o   There was a decline of 4% in those who smoked cigarettes compared to 2018.

o   3 in 4 residents had used waterways, parks and green spaces at least once per month.

o   Most residents felt they had support they could rely on in difficult times.

o   4 in 5 residents said they tended to bounce back quickly after difficult times.

·       The top 5 challenges identified were:

o   Nearly a quarter of residents had faced difficulties paying their food and energy bills, this was double the figure of 2018.

o   Challenges were faced by residents accessing medical services, particularly NHS dentists or GP appointments.

o   1 in 14 residents with children at home say they smoked in the home.

o   1 in 7 residents consumed alcohol to a level that was classified as ‘increasing risk’ or higher.

o   1 in 20 households had reported damp or mould in their home.

·       Long term conditions affected an individual’s ability to ‘bounce back’ after hard times.

·       5 or 6% of residents had often felt lonely. This seemed like a small figure but 5% is 16,000 individuals.

·       There were new questions on cultural aspects and sporting included. These showed that 25% of residents were using the libraries once a month. But half of the population had never attended a sporting event. This could be broken down further by economics and gender.

·       Questions were asked on financial difficulties. These showed that 16% had difficulty paying council tax, 15% couldn’t afford to go on holiday and 10% had difficulty affording food which was a significant increase. The difficulties affording food seen in the data can be broken down by gender, socio economic group and ethnicity.

·       The key issue found regarding people’s homes was tenure breakdown. When the homeowner occupied their property, the focus was on the cost of heating and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 114.

Public Health have submitted a report to inform the Health and Wellbeing Board of the Leicestershire, Leicester City and Rutland (LLR) Suicide Prevention Strategy. The report shows ambitions of the local Suicide Audit and Prevention Group (SAPG) to promote partnership to build on current efforts to support people at risk of death by suicide and people who have been affected by suicide.

The Consultant in Public Health presented the report and updated the board on the consultation for the draft suicide prevention strategy refresh for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR). It was noted that:

• Suicide affected many people and the ambition was to make the Strategy everybody’s business, by empowering, educating and equipping individuals and organisations to support suicide awareness prevention.
• Leicestershire Police provided real time surveillance data for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The data was important to allow contact with the families of those affected by suicide.
• The suicide rate for all persons in Leicester was 11.1 per 100,000 population for the period 2021-2023. The rate was not significantly different to the national average suicide rate of 10.7 per 100,000.
• Year to year the rate of suicide was variable due to the size of the population.
• The national rate had been increasing since 2021 and Leicester’s rates followed the same increase, based on economic difficulties people were experiencing in the city, which resonated with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
• There was a local strategy which was overseen by the Suicide Audit and Prevention Group and Leicester’s local suicide prevention work benefited from the real time surveillance data provided.
• The unexpected deaths reported in 2023 were predominantly white males. There was a priority group for suicide prevention in white males. Ages 50-54 were the largest age group, although it tended to be across the board.

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy’s ambitions were:

o   Reduce the suicide rate over the next 5 years, with initial reductions observed within half this time or sooner.

o   Continue to improve support for people who self-harm.

o   Continue to improve support for people who have been bereaved by suicide.

Priorities in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy were:

o   Promoting online safety and responsible media content to reduce harms, improve support and signposting, and provide helpful messages about suicide and self-harm.

o   Providing effective crisis support across sectors for those who reach crisis point.

o   Reducing access to means and methods of suicide where this is appropriate and necessary as an intervention to prevent suicides.

o   Providing effective bereavement support to those affected by suicide.

o   Making suicide everybody’s business so that we can maximise our collective impact and support to prevent suicides

Risk factors and high-risk groups were noted as:

o   Children and Young people

o   Middle aged men

o   Autistic people

o   Pregnant women and new mothers

Other risk factors included:

o   People who misuse alcohol and drugs

o   Armed forces personal and the veteran community

o   Female nurses

o   Financial instability and hardship, including unemployment

o   Relationship breakdown

o   Homelessness

o   LGBTQ + people

o   Domestic abuse

o   Childhood abuse, sexual trauma, and combat-related trauma are all associated with increased suicide risk.

o   Gypsy or Irish Travellers

LLR Strategy Key Messages:

o   Suicide is everybody’s business

o   Suicides were not inevitable

o   Suicide has a wide impact

o   Some people are at higher risk of suicide

o   Mental health is as important as physical health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 115.

An overview of the activities of the Centre Project.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this item was withdrawn.

An update will be provided for the board on a consultation completed by the NHS in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR). A large-scale engagement was launched to better understand the health and wellbeing needs of children and young people aged 11-25, along with their families and the healthcare staff who support them. This initiative aimed to gather insights into their experiences, priorities, and challenges in accessing healthcare, ensuring their voices shape future services.

The Engagement Officer for the Young Voices Consultation provided the update. It was noted that:

• The action plan considered things that were done well and that needed improving to be implemented in 2025/26.
• This was the first large scale engagement with children and young people that was youth led. It focused on inclusivity and was the foundation for ongoing conversations to improve health outcomes and experiences for children and young people.
• The Consultation had been influenced by the Lundy Model.
• It had been considered brave for the NHS to commission the VCS to hear children’s and young people’s voices through creative methods.
• Data gathering was concluded October 2025. There was a celebration event led by young people and the findings were shared with the ICB.
• A short video was created, featuring young people to explain the findings in a more appropriate way for children and young people.
• 3002 individuals participated in the survey including 2239 11- to 25-year-olds, 682 parents and carers and 81 Healthcare staff. The survey was conducted online and via a hard copy with an easy read version available. There were also creative focus groups.
• The results were for the whole of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This had created complexities in data collection.

• The key insights were:
  • That the healthcare experience was generally positive, although parents and carers were less satisfied.
  • When young people were ill, they first sought advice from parents and used the internet as their next step.

• Key concerns were:
  • Mental health and wellbeing including school stress, social media, bullying, family breakdown and poor sleep. Loneliness was also listed for young carers. Barriers to addressing these concerns included a lack of awareness of what mental health services were available and how to access them.
  • Access and transitions in care were also raised because young people were often having to repeat their health story multiple times, transitions between child and adult services were unclear and young people sometimes felt they were not heard or taken seriously by healthcare professionals.
• Healthcare professionals commented that they wanted more support, particularly around mental health resources as well as improvement of referral pathways so they were more joined up.

• Next steps were:
  • An engagement strategy.
  • A move to digitalisation.
  • Moving healthcare into community settings.
  • Ramping up children, young peoples and families’ voices.
  • Identify missing voices and engaging with those communities.
  • Improving communications.
  • Co-designing with young people.
  • Work with VCS to improve engagement and create information flow.
  • Improving experiences of services including transitions.

In response to comments from members, it was noted that:

·       This work demonstrated the importance of identifying gaps to understand what was missing and that staff understand all the different pathways.

·       A stronger parental voice may enhance the welfare and experiences of children.

·       The transition from children to adult services had been described as ‘falling off a cliff’.

·       Parents and carers were often dissatisfied with waiting times.

·       The medical jargon was cited as a barrier for children and young people.

·       Parents often felt they had to become  ...  view the full minutes text for item 117.

The Integrated Care Board will provide an overview to the Board of Mental Health Services available to Children and Young People from preventative and early intervention to specialised services.

The Children, Young People Mental Health Support Team from the ICB, introduced and presented the report to highlight the services that are commissioned by the ICB and their impact in supporting children and young people’s mental health support and emotional wellbeing needs. It was noted that:

• Mental health support for children and young people (CYP) in the city was provided by Derbyshire United. There were two referral routes into the service, via GPs and an online self-referral option that CYP and parents could use. This approach aimed to reduce the need for GP visits and allowed individuals to complete referrals at a convenient time while sharing their story.
• Relate a Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) ran two services, an early intervention service offering one-to-one counselling and a parent support programme for CYP aged 5-18. Following the closure of ADHD Solutions and they put on a pathway within their own service. Relate absorbed 1.5 team members to continue delivering support. The service had been operational since January.
• The Early Intervention Service is a step-down service from CAMHS that was provided by Leicester Partnerships Trust (LPT), offering evening appointments to improve access for CYP and parents. These appointments were based in the city centre to enhance attendance.
• Community Chill Out Zones operated at a preventive level for CYP, running in schools and community venues. Workshops were delivered in targeted areas to ensure support reached communities with health inequalities. The initiative had the capacity to reach up to 700 children per month. It also incorporated mental health assessment, diagnosis, and assistance.
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a specialised mental health service offering support for CYP for more moderate to severe mental health presentation. They would receive an assessment, diagnosis and treatment for mental illness. There was a variety of teams within CAMHS such as CAMHS Eating Disorder Services, Access Service where assessments took place, Young Persons Teams. 
• A lot of work had been completed recently within CAMHS to improve waiting times, which had historically been long. Significant efforts had been made over the past year to reduce waiting periods, including the introduction of evening appointments. The current waiting list for urgent outpatient cases was 4 weeks, aligning with the target. Routine cases had an 8-9 week wait, with a target of 13 weeks for access to mental health support.
• First Steps ED, a VCSE provided service which offered various forms of eating disorder support, including one-to-one counselling, psychoeducation, befriending services, and sibling and parent support. First Steps worked closely with CAMHS and were closely integrated together.
• Work was ongoing to prevent CYP from being discharged from CAMHS eating disorder services without appropriate follow-up. Concerns were raised about the impact of inadequate support on family environments. A large-scale piece of work had been undertaken to improve referrals, particularly for ethnic minority communities, leading to a significant increase in referral numbers to 26% in a short period of time.
• Tell Me VCSE provided digital peer support for CYP aged 11 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118.

A standing item around activity at the Leicester Integrated Health and Care Group.

The Public Health programme manager presented the update which is a standing item on Health and Wellbeing Board agenda, and it was noted that:

• The Integrated Health and Care Group was a subgroup from the Health and Wellbeing Board which met monthly.
• The Sub-Group aimed to improve and address health inequalities in the populations.
• The group monitored the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing strategy and had recently provided updates on mental health, hypertension and healthy weight. Meetings of the group also cover emergency care at University Hospitals of Leicester and good practise within Primary Care Networks.
• The Better Care Fund subgroup had been developed, along with a VCSE Task and Finish Group to strengthen community ties.

In response to comments from members, it was noted that:

• Concerns around the Joy platform had been raised at 4 separate meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board. The concerns focused on safeguarding and due diligence following feedback received. Many VCS groups felt under pressure to be part of the website despite their concerns.
• It was highlighted that these concerns had been raised separately at the scrutiny commission of Public Health and Health Integration as well. The Chair stated that the Joy platform was to be included on the next agenda but a response to the concerns was to be circulated before the next meeting.

Agreed:

1. Update noted.
2. Joy platform to be on next agenda to address safeguarding concerns.

To note that meetings for the 2025/26 municipal year will be circulated to Board Members via email following approval at Annual Council on 15^th May 2025.

Meetings of the Board are scheduled to be held in Meeting Rooms G01 and 2 at City Hall unless stated otherwise on the agenda for the meeting.

The Board noted that future meetings of the Board would circulated following Annual Council on 15^th May 2025.

Meetings of the Board are scheduled to be held in Meeting Rooms G01 and 2 at City Hall unless stated otherwise on the agenda for the meeting.

With there being no urgent business, the meeting closed at 11.58am.