Agenda item

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development outlining the strengths and areas for development in relation to the Health and Well-being Board.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report outlining the strengths and areas for development in relation to the Health and Well-being Board.

Appended to the report was a copy of a document entitled ‘Review of Partnership Boards’ prepared by the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board for the information/comment of the meeting.

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:

-  Councillor Lisa Mulherin (Executive Board Member for Health and Wellbeing) Chair of Leeds’ Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board

-  Rob Kenyon (Head of Partnerships and Organisational Effectiveness) – Leeds City Council, Adult Social Services

-  Dr Andy Harris, Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group – Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board

-  Susie Brown, Third Sector Leeds – Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board.

At the request of the Chair, the Executive Board Member for Health and Wellbeing and Chair of Leeds’ Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board presented the report with specific reference to the memebership of the Board and the proposals in place for the end of May when the new Board goes ‘live’. 

It was noted that the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board was at a different stage of development to other Strategic Partnerships, with the key focus being on influencing commissioning and service delivery.  It was also noted that health service providers were not represented on the shadow board.

An outline of the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy was provided, to help demonstrate the joint working and planning that had taken place within the shadow board. 

In summary, specific reference was made to a number of areas, including the following matters:

• The balance between preventative medicine and acute services.

(It was highlighted that the transfer of public health responsibilities to the Council provided significant opportunities to influence health outcomes – through a whole-council approach.  One of the aims of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy was to raise aspirations within communities and to jointly address priority areas: a key focus being the wider determinants of health and wellbeing.)

• Data sharing across the Leeds health economy and organisational boundaries.

(The role of Health Champions/ Area Leads was highlighted as offering important links into the overall Health and Wellbeing Strategy)

• Clarification around the definition of ‘Deprived Leeds’ referred to within the report.

(It was clarified this referred to Medium Super Output Areas (MSOAs) – each with a population of around 7,000.  Those MSOA’s identified as being in the bottom 10% nationally were classed as representing ‘Deprived Leeds’.) 

• The representative and advocacy role played by Third Sector Leeds as part of the membership of the (shadow) Health and Wellbeing Board.
• A pragmatic approach to demonstrating progress in priority areas highlighted in the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
• The role and benefit of the Health and Wellbeing Board in helping to target resources effectively across the City.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That this Board takes specific note of the:

a.  Context of the shadow board as a preparatory vehicle for the establishment of the statutory Health and Wellbeing Board from April 2013

b.  Profile that the work of the board has received nationally and the influence it has had on shaping national guidance

c.  Preparatory work undertaken in Leeds to ensure that the full Health and Wellbeing Board can move forward at pace with its statutory duties once it is formally established.

c)  That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser be requested to draft a paper incorporating Board Members comments with a view to presenting this to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Board for agreement.

(Councillor C Gruen left the meeting at 12.10pm during discussions of the above item.)

(Councillor S Bentley left the meeting at 12.15pm during discussions of the above item.)

(Councillor M Robinson left the meeting at 12.25pm during discussions of the above item.)

(Councillor J Walker left the meeting at 12.35pm during discussions of the above item.)