Agenda item

In March 2022, the LGA facilitated a workshop for Health and Wellbeing Board members.  The workshop provided the opportunity for colleagues to consider the work of the Board and its priorities on the health and wellbeing of Buckinghamshire’s residents.

Angela Macpherson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Buckinghamshire Council

Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Gill Quinton, Corporate Director, Adults and Health, Buckinghamshire Council

The Chairman explained that a workshop had been held in March 2022, assisted by the Local Government Association (LGA) to look at the priorities within the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy under the strategy’s three themes; Start Well, Live Well, Age Well and the impact the reconfiguration of the ICS would have on the residents of Buckinghamshire. 

Neil Macdonald, CEO, BHT, stated that he appreciated the simplicity of the Strategy and wanted to see the key priorities being achieved by working together.  It was an opportunity, with the growing strength of Place, to be able to link the HWB Strategy across multiple place based initiatives.

The Pledge

The Chairman advised that one of the outcomes of the workshop was an agreement to make a ‘pledge’ to the Buckinghamshire residents.   Following discussion, it was suggested the following changes be made to the pledge along the lines of:

• The third point to be changed to ‘We will put everyone at the heart of our services’.
• The fourth point to be changed to ‘We will ask for ideas when designing initiatives to improve your health’.

The following key points were raised in discussion:

• The biggest challenge was to reduce the health inequality gap and this metric should be built into every initiative.
• Healthwatch Bucks had worked on the inequality issues previously and could support.  Jacqueline Boosey, Business Manager, Health and Wellbeing, to follow up.

Action:  J Boosey

• It was agreed that wide communication was required to ensure that service leaders and residents were aware of the pledge.

Action:  J Boosey

• It was agreed that minor changes be made to the pledge and circulated to the Board.

Action:  J Boosey

Priority Areas

Dr J O’Grady, Director of Public Health, referred to the paper and slides in the agenda pack and stated that workshop discussions had been informed by evidence and from previous workshops on Start Well and Age Well priorities.

Dr O’Grady ran though the priorities and example measures listed on page 27 of the agenda pack and highlighted the relevant targets and how Covid-19 had affected residents.  These are underpinned by principles to improve health outcomes and to reduce health inequalities especially for those living in more deprived areas and ethnic groups.

The following key points were raised in discussion:

• There should be a preventative approach which should be mindful of accessibility to services, particularly for residents who may find it more difficult to access services and those who may not be willing to access services for various reasons.
• Wider determinants such as housing were key to the delivery of priorities.
• It was agreed that mental health, obesity and smoking were relevant across all of the ages represented in the Strategy.
• Consideration should be given as to whether there was capacity to cope with higher demand when engaging with residents.

Dr O’Grady emphasised that there were already groups and programmes underway with stakeholders which could support several of the workstreams e.g., obesity and cardiovascular disease.  It was proposed that Health and wellbeing Board partners lead the remaining workstreams as follows, supported where appropriate by Public Health:

• Maternity – lead BHT
• Early Years – lead BHT/Children’s Services
• Mental Health – lead Oxford Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Social Isolation - CCG (until the end of June)
• Implementation of the WHO Age Friendly Communities initiative – Buckinghamshire Council Public Health.

Partner organisations were asked to identify an existing group or new group to deliver the workstreams and to provide a named person to lead the workstreams. Public Health would provide team members to help with the metrics for each of the new groups.

Action:  All

Healthwatch Bucks and the VCSE organisations offered to help wherever possible.

It was agreed that there should be a dashboard, to enable partners signing up to the initiatives to be held to account on the data.  Dr O’Grady stated that data was available although some data was provided annually.  Process indicators and quality assurance would also be required.

Concern was expressed that the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy – ‘Happier, Healthier Lives, a plan for Buckinghamshire’ expired in 2024 and that the plan should be refreshed and the end date be extended.  This would be fed back to Clare Capjon, Strategic Business and Governance Manager.

  Action:  J Boosey

Resolved:  The Health and Wellbeing Board:

• Considered and approved the key priorities for the Board under Start Well, Live Well and Age Well as set out in paragraphs 3.22 and 3.23.
• Considered and agreed draft principles for the Board as set out in paragraph 3.24.
• Considered and agreed the concept of a Health and Wellbeing Board pledge or charter.