Agenda item

The report from the Director of Public Health is attached

The Director of Public Health presented the Development of Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2018-2022.

The Director welcomed the new Health and Wellbeing Board into their second Board meeting as the Board was growing together in its early stages.

The report outlined the purpose of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2018-2022 and suggested options to the Board for developing the strategy.

There were three options discussed and the Board was in consensus that they were sensible and attainable.  The Board deliberated in finding the best way forward, looking into the principles in developing strategy. The Board agreed that there was an opportunity to collaboratively work together, bringing in all Members involved with the development of the strategy.

The Board was in discussion over some areas where they need to be responsible in focusing a strategy in supporting communities. Issues concerning:

-           Overall health in society;

-           The need for diversity and the citizen’s voice should be included in decisions as it was noted that young children were often missed in capturing information due to their age;

-           Issues in the north of Croydon around parenting; and

-           Issues in New Addington around environmental issues

The Board was reminded to include the voice of the child. The Local Strategic Partnership would also be linked into the shape of the Health and Wellbeing programme.

The voluntary sector would be beneficial to the Board, as it would represent engagement and networking where voices from the community would be heard; the Board heard that fantastic work and citizen led projects, had a great impact at the Upper Norwood Health and Wellbeing Oasis.

The Board discussed the issue of timescales and how they proposed to achieve their focus in developing strategy. Moving forward, the Board considered options of completing tasks by mid-2018, to have some steps and forward plans in what they would have achieved, and by when.

The Board agreed to a multi-agency workshop to begin the process in understanding each partner’s roles and work on proposals to develop the joint health and wellbeing strategy. This workshop would help shape the identity of the Health and Wellbeing Board in Croydon. The idea of holding a summit in the coming future was also considered. The Board also recognised internal challenges, such as funding.

The Board was of the view that they would need to include all Members in the process around what they set out to achieve; thus work would not be duplicated, and with co-production as a new Board, the idea was to focus on being realistic in how they chose to go forward.  It was emphasised that all Members should have an equal voice. The Board noted that they would have greater impact when specifically focusing on discrete areas to improve wider determinants of health.

The Chair stressed the idea of strategy as being an opportunity for the Board to take ownership of what they wanted to achieve. The Chair highlighted that the workshop would be an impeccable start to discuss the three underlining priorities in line with the strategies and the way the Board would progress forward. The Chair talked about taking ownership and making decisions in light of the Board effectively working together and thinking about looking at other partners such as those working in autism and mental health who may want to be included as part of a representation to the Board. The Chair concluded that the workshop would be used as a guideline to prepare their timeframe for what they had set out to achieve.

The Board NOTED the report and AGREED a timeline of the third option within the report being discussed.