Ivan Browne, Director of Public Health, Leicester City Council to present the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy setting out the health priorities for Leicester and providing details of the Board’s plans over the next five years.
The Board will be shown a short promotional video on the Strategy.
The Board is asked to pledge its commitment to the Strategy and Action Plan, contribute to the delivery and reporting on progress with the Strategy and Action Plan and Board Members are asked ot ensure that there is strategic alignment between the strategy and their own organisations commissioning plans.
Minutes:
Ivan Browne, the Director of Public Health presented the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Action Plan to the Board. As part of this, Members received a power-point presentation. This differed slightly to the version included in the agenda, and the amended version is attached to the back of these minutes.
The Chair introduced the Strategy and Action Plan commenting on the importance of looking at the wider determinants of health and taking a longer term rather than a short term view.
The Director of Public Health explained that in drawing up the Strategy, they wanted to make sure that there was an early and a real engagement with the public and partners. One of the themes that had emerged was the need to look at the wider determinants that contributed to people’s health and wellbeing.
The full consultation had resulted in 83 responses and showed that the majority of individuals welcomed the approach. A recurring theme related to the use of green and open spaces and the need for an action relating to this, and environmental issues was emphasised. Concerns were also raised regarding the local environment and the proliferation of fast food outlets. In addition, comments were made that a greater emphasis was needed on people’s wellbeing and mental health. Members heard that the Board drove the Strategy and in turn, the Strategy drove the Action Plan.
The Director explained that the Action Plan was a live working document which would change over time. He asked all partners to pledge commitment to the Strategy and to contribute to the Action Plan. The Director also requested some strategic alignment; it was recognised that the different organisations had their own policies, but it was hoped that this Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Action Plan would be reflected in those individual policies.
Members welcomed the Strategy and Action Plan and comments were made that it brought a focus to the work. The Deputy City Mayor for Social Care and Anti-Poverty commented that it had been a pleasure to be involved in the Strategy and commended the work that had taken place to engage with the Children’s Trust at an early stage. As part of this, New College had their own Health and Wellbeing Strategy which linked into the City Strategy but focused on their school population and the issues that they could target. Members heard that New College had developed their own Strategy with the intention of rolling it out to other schools. Paul Hindson, Police and Crime Commissioner’s office stated that in terms of strategic alignment, there was a good opportunity to work together, as for the example the work in the Violence Reduction Unit was linked inexorably to health and wellbeing.
Comments were made that the Council were taking a holistic approach towards health and there were Executive Members on the Board to ensure that health and wellbeing was embedded across the Council.
The Chair concluded the discussion and gave credit for the Strategy and Action Plan to the officers and to the Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clarke who had been the previous Chair of the Board. The Chair added however that she looked forward to delivering the Strategy.
Members indicated their commitment to the Strategy and Action Plan. The Chair added that this would be brought back to the Board on a regular basis.
RESOLVED:
that the Board pledge their commitment to the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Action Plan.
Supporting documents: