The Community and Partnerships Manager introduced the report explaining that the Health and Wellbeing Improvement Plan 2020 – 2023 had come to the end of its delivery period but as part of the emerging Corporate Plan, health would be holistically embedded across the work of the Council and there were a number of cross cutting key objectives which would contribute to tackling the wider determinant of health.  She said that a new Community Development Strategy was proposed and the team would continue to support the community and develop relationships with key partners in the health sector.

The Chair said that Members and officers had spent considerable time highlighting health issues for Swale residents.  She referred to the presentation given to the Housing and Health Committee in July 2023 by Nikki Teesdale of the Health and Care Partnership for Medway and Swale.  The Chair said that health and well-being was an important part of all service committees.

Members were invited to speak and made comments including:

·           Thanked and praised the team for the work carried out and support given to communities;

·           were attendance figures available for the One Swale Roadshow?;

·           raised concern that without a set of priorities in an accessible form, focus could be lost;

·           scrutiny of declining health and life expectancy in the borough was important and without a priority and framework to work towards, this could be lost;

·           considered it was important to have all the health priorities in one accessible place and expressed desire to keep the Health and Wellbeing Improvement plan;

·           raised the difference in support to Sittingbourne and Sheppey residents from Medway Swale Health and Care Partnership compared to the support given by East Kent Health and Care Partnership as health authority to Faversham residents;

·           cross-boundary issues were frequent;

·           many residents were unaware of the services provided;

·           health providers needed to work together to sort out issues;

·           the health service was divided and it was often about who held the contract;

·           could see the value in obesity clinics as was very difficult to undo once obese;

·           there was a risk that it was nobody’s business when it ought to be everybody’s business and suggested getting Local Plan Policy involved;

·           highlighted that in Workstream 2 – Supporting Healthy Lifestyles – family hubs should be added as many children’s centres were closing; and

·           needed to see the Community Plan before deciding whether to cease the Health and Wellbeing Plan.

The Community and Partnerships Manager said attendance figures were still being collated for the Roadshows, but would be circulated.

The Chair said a possible future Committee topic discussion was to invite Primary Care networks representatives to talk about other forms of direct support.  She added that an invitation could be extended to Nikki Teasdale to attend again to give an update on the work being carried out with community groups and the diagnostic services available that could lead to improved health outcomes.  The Chair suggested that KCC could also attend to give an update on Adult Social care.  Members agreed.

The Head of Housing and Community said that the Integrated Care Strategy was nearing completion.  She said that at the health and care partnership levels there were localised plans with priorities which SBC fed into and she also highlighted that the Community and Partnerships Manager represented SBC on the East Kent Health and Care Partnership.  The Head of Housing and Community said that the HCP plans and the Integrated Care Strategy focused on clinical outcomes and SBC had the most influence within the Integrated Care Strategy.  She referred to the cost of living work and working with the voluntary sector as the main areas that SBC could maximise their influence and said that work through the Local Plan could significantly influence the long-term health and well-being of residents.

In response to the Chair’s comments that there had previously been a health and wellbeing input in Planning and Planning policy, a Member said that he hoped the intention was to bring those policies back in.

The Chair supported the offer by the Community and Partnerships Manager to hold a workshop with Members to discuss what health priorities should be included in the Community Development Plan and stressed the importance of Members having sufficient information.

The Chair referred to a yearly health publication by the Public Health Observatory with useful information that used to be circulated.  The Community Services Manager agreed to circulate.

The Chair proposed the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Chris Palmer.

Resolved:

(1)  That the proposed next steps to support Health and Wellbeing as set out in the proposals be agreed.