Agenda item

An overview of the Health and Wellbeing board structure in Trafford and the Trafford Age Well Plan

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Interim Director of Public Health which gave an overview of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the three life course boards: the Start Well Board, the Live Well Board and the Age Well Board.

 

The Consultant in Public Health and the Public Health Project Support Officer attended the meeting to present the information and to address the enquiries of the Committee.

 

It was reported that the Health and Wellbeing Board had been in place since 2013. Its function was to develop a share understanding of local needs through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), to support the development of strategies to improve health and wellbeing of local population and to foster partnership working.

 

On the basis of the data gathered by the JSNA, five priorities were identified for Trafford for 2019-25. These were: reducing the number of people who smoked or used tobacco, reducing physical inactivity, reducing harm from alcohol, reducing the impact of mental illness, improving cancer prevention and screening.

 

The remit of each of the life course boards was outlined. Each of them reported to the Health and Wellbeing Board. The Mental Health Partnership sat alongside these three boards and it was in the process of developing a mental health strategy for Trafford.

 

It was explained that the Age Well Plan for Trafford was developed following Greater Manchester being named as the first age-friendly city region in the UK in March 2018. The plan was submitted to Greater Manchester Combined Authority in March 2019 and Trafford itself was named as an age-friendly community by the UK Centre for Ageing Better in May 2019.

 

Members queried the efficacy of current measures to reduce health inequalities, considering that resources such as Sure Start Centres and Children Centres were no longer in operation. It was explained that the structure in place focused on key issues such as better start in life and education; through tools such as screening work in the community, it was possible to identify groups that required intervention. It was noted that, although the national context was difficult, different initiatives in the community were ongoing to address long term goals through a collective approach.

 

Members sought and received clarification on the Poverty Strategy which was being developed; a workshop, led by Public Health and attended by several partners, had taken place. The draft strategy would be brought to the Health and Wellbeing Board in March 2020. Members asked for the draft to be brought to this Committee after endorsement by the Health and Wellbeing Board. Members also requested to be involved with Neighbourhood plans which looked at aspects of JSNA and their links with communities and GPs in specific areas of Trafford. Members also queried whether, within the Start Well Board’s work plan, communication skills were included in the school readiness plans. It was explained that there were place based plans and speech and language were prioritised.

 

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That the Poverty Strategy be shared with this Committee after its endorsement by the Health and Wellbeing Board.

 

Supporting documents: