Agenda item

The Board received a report and presentation providing an update on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation Group; a draft of the Implementation Approach and Plan was also provided.

From the presentation, the Board noted updates in relation to the need for action across policy objectives and the wider determinants of health through a cost-of-living crisis. Concern was noted that the cost of living is having a detrimental impact on health and consequently there will be more people living in poverty.

An example objective map was presented; the Board acknowledged that there would be both ‘key’ and ‘targeted’ strategies coving each objective of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy across the entire system. A summary of staff consultation responses for the development of the strategy was provided, it was reported that some staff did not understand what health inequalities were and were not aware of the information on the strategy. The Board were advised that following this process work began to identify areas of action and priorities, these included partnership working, communication and community engagement.

The Board were advised that the next steps in the implementation of the strategy will include:

•       Creating a digital home for this Implementation Approach and Plan

•       Working with the Implementation group to:

•       Capture and develop a deeper understanding of Governance Structures within Part 2 of the plan. This will also consider this work in the context of statutory duties.

•       Development of processes for monitoring progress, learning and improvement

•       Identify and establish leads and groups to take forward the implementation themes, starting with Health and Wellbeing in all Policies

•       Implementation Group to focus on strategic areas at future meetings, to further develop this work and support system involvement and collaboration. Focus this spring/summer:

•       Poverty, Economic Development, and Mental Health

•       Housing, Neighbourhoods, and Community safety

The recommendations of the report were:

·         The Health and Wellbeing Board agree to, and endorse, the plan and approach for implementation of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

·         The Health and Wellbeing Board agree to the approach and plan being a live and iterative document, shared and owned by partners, with ongoing review, annual reflection, and reporting on progress to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

·         Health and Wellbeing Board members and partner organisations agree to ensure their plans and strategies clearly align to Thrive and the Health and Wellbeing strategy and support their staff to understand their role in delivering them to provide a strong foundation for the implementation of the H&W Strategy.

·         Health and Wellbeing Board members and partner organisations commit staff

time and capacity to enable prioritisation of the delivery of this plan going forward to ensure progress.

·         The Implementation group continues in its current form to enable continued

progress, partnership, and collaboration on strategy implementation. Members of the Board are invited to consider whether further representation is required within the group.

The Board discussed the recommendations of the report; a comment was made noting that the strategy could open opportunities for joint commissioning. A further comment was made nothing that the implementation group should focus on the practicalities of implementing the strategy to ensure that the aims are understood by staff.

RESOLVED:

(i)            That the recommendations were agreed.