Agenda item

10.1  The Consultant in Public Health, Population Health, introduced the report. The Health and the Wellbeing Board had previously agreed the overall aim of this strategy was to reduce health inequalities, focusing on three priorities; improving mental health; increasing social connections; and supporting greater financial security. The Strategy was signed off at the March 2022 Board meeting, and work had started to develop the action plan in July 2022. Since November 2022 this work had been led by the Population Health Hub.

10.2  The Consultant in Public Health highlighted:

·  The Population Health Hub had been tasked with coordinating the implementation of the strategy with a report on this work to be submitted to the next meeting of the Board;

·  The role of the system wide resource was to support people in looking at how to improve population health;

·  The aim was to ensure that the work leverages opportunities to add value to systems and structures that are already in place;

·  It had been agreed to convene a social connection actions group with nominated champions to take forward the draft action plan that emerged from the workshop. The aim was to build on the good work carried out, and identify the existing gaps and opportunities;

·  Work was ongoing around the system wide cost of living group, with the Population Hub attending to ensure that the perspective around increasing financial security was considered.

10.3  The Consultant in Public Health, highlighted:

·  Much good work was being carried out on mental health in North East London, with the Integrated Care Strategy reflecting both mental health and place-based priorities;

·  The approach was to design something that was complimentary to all systems currently in place, and the priorities that had already emerged;

·  The proposal was to develop a strategic action plan to be rooted in a strong evidence base. Work had started on scoping what the needs assessment is going to accomplish, with time frames dependent on the chosen questions;

·  The Population Health Hub attends the Mental Health Integration Committee, to ensure that health and wellbeing priorities are fed in.

10.4  Dr Stephanie Coughlin stressed that the interface between mental health and physical health was recurring as a theme, and suggested this area should be considered as part of this ongoing work.

10.5  The Consultant in Public Health confirmed that this area was forming part of the need assessment.

10.6  Cllr Williams raised the question of trauma amongst the Turkish community following the recent earthquakes. The Chair stressed that work had been carried out in this area, with concerns around long term impacts. There was a need to look at a long term approach to the impacts of issues such as inequalities and external events. 

10.7  The Chair asked if there were any barriers to the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that the Board could assist with.

10.8  The Consultant in Public Health confirmed positive reaction to the wide engagement on the strategy, but highlighted that there was no specific funding attached to this work despite it being a big priority. There was a need to think more creatively around socal connection and consider other levers such as how services are commissioned. The Chair welcomed any business case for investment. He stressed the need to connect with the broader themes on mental health, aligning with the Mayor's initiatives and the work of the Integrated Care Board, and giving access to external expertise and resources. 

10.9  The Head of Policy and Strategic Delivery highlighted:

·  There was was a need to developing a long term approach when considering how inequalities and external events impact on mental health;

·  The need to consider how the Council works with the Community and Voluntary Sector to inform the current thinking around investment, and also consider how organisations are funded, valuing social connection and outcomes.

10.10  The Director of Public Health highlighted;

·  The need for increased funding in the area of social connection;

·  The need to value the work of community groups in relation to social connection;

·  The need to consider doing things differently by bringing people together;

·  Measuring impacts in different ways.