Agenda item

To ask board members to formally review the Draft Surrey 10 year Health and Wellbeing Strategy as part of the engagement period running from 28 February 2019 and 27 March 2019.

Witnesses:

Tim Oliver, Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Chairman briefed the Board on the background to the Strategy and highlighted its key strategic aims. He explained that the idea behind the Strategy was to tie in the NHS 10 Year Plan, the Surrey 2030 Vision and the Social Care Green Paper into a county-wide, multi-organisational plan of action, and that the priorities contained within it had been agreed by all of the partners who had taken part in its formulation.

2.    The Chairman went on to talk about the engagement process, which was not a formal consultation but engaged Surrey residents in commenting on the three priorities and target groups set out in the Strategy. He also highlighted the fact that the Board’s role was to make sure that the Strategy’s aims were implemented in a way that allowed residents to witness a demonstrable improvement, and that the implementation process remained transparent and accountable throughout.

3.    A discussion was had about the collaboration between organisations in the production of the document, with Board Members expressing their satisfaction with the levels undertaken.

4.    The Chief Executive of Healthwatch Surrey asked whether the Board could assure that there had been enough engagement with the public and whether the rest of the Members were clear on the metrics to be used and the timeframe for their development. In response, the Chairman said that the Strategy was not a completed piece of work but instead would change as it was implemented. Regular reviewing and public engagement would make sure the Strategy continued the meet residents’ needs.

5.    The Director of Public Health informed the Board about a process of metric development that would be undertaken throughout the summer and autumn of 2019 as the Strategy moved into its next stage. Members also heard about the development of a performance dashboard, and that work would be done with stakeholders to provide an overview of performance.

6.    The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families asked about the aspirations behind the targets and noted that, in some instances, those included in the Strategy were lower than what was being achieved at that moment in time. The Cabinet Member was informed by the Senior Responsible Officer for Surrey Heartlands that the targets related to obesity and depression levels were typographical errors and would be corrected.

7.    Responding to a question about the engagement undertaken with district and borough councils and the extent to which this would continue throughout the Strategy’s implementation period, the Chairman told the Board that he saw such engagement as a key area of focus. He went on to inform Members that conversations would be had with district and borough leaders about how best to discuss issues relating to the Strategy. This point was echoed by the Head of Housing and Community and the Director of Integrated Care Partnerships.

8.    The Police and Crime Commissioner welcomed the Strategy but expressed his disappointment at the lack of mentions to drugs included in the report. In response, the Director of Public Health reiterated how seriously the Strategy took the dangers associated with drug taking and that this had been factored into the draft strategy.

9.    The Chairman informed the Board that the next stage of Strategy development would be to review the feedback given by Members and suggest changes where necessary. The Board would be asked to agree these changes at the next meeting on 4 April 2019.

Actions/further information to be provided:

None.

Resolved:

1.    The Board noted the updates provided on the Strategy and used the opportunity to formally feed into the draft strategy engagement period.