To:      Health and Wellbeing Board

2 Dec 2021

Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Director of People, Place and Regeneration

1          Purpose of Report

1.1       The purpose of the report is to present the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy prior to consultation. The health and wellbeing board members have been engaged in developing the strategy along with wider stakeholders. This report seeks to confirm the vision for the strategy, agree the strategy for consultation and confirm the consultation arrangements.

2          Recommendation(s)

2.1 The Board is requested to formally agree a vision for the HWB strategy from the two options;

Option A: Bracknell Forest is one of the healthiest place to live, work, study and play, providing our residents with the opportunities to be happy, healthy and productive. We will support this by taking a health in all policies approach with a focus on reducing health inequalities

Option B: Bracknell Forest is one of the healthiest place to live, work, study and play, providing our residents with the opportunities to be healthy, resilient, and productive. We will support this by taking a health in all policy approach with a focus on promotion of health, prevention of ill-health and reduction in disparities in health outcomes between our communities

2.2 To agree the Draft Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for public consultation (Appendix A)

2.3 To agree the consultation arrangements as set out in paragraph

3          Reasons for Recommendations

3.1       The Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) as a formal committee of local partners is tasked with developing and publishing a local Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS) this is a statutory duty. The JHWS is a mechanism through which the HWB delivers its key role in improving the health and wellbeing of the local population. The JHWS should demonstrate how the local council and the NHS deliver their statutory duty in improving the health and wellbeing of the local population and reducing health inequalities. The is not about taking action on everything at once, but about setting a small number of key strategic priorities for action, that will make a real impact on people’s lives. 

4          Alternative Options Considered

4.1       Not to produce a Health and Wellbeing Strategy and rely on strategies from the different agencies and partners to deliver health and wellbeing initiatives for the local community.  As the Board has a duty to prepare a strategy this option has been discounted.

5          Supporting Information

5.1       The draft HWB Strategy as attached has been developed over a number of months by members of the Health and Wellbeing board, partners and stakeholders, via a process of co-production.

5.2       The draft strategy identifies six priority areas and four cross cutting themes which are set out below and contained within Annex A.

Priority areas

· Give all children the best start in life and support emotional and physical health from birth to adulthood

· Promote mental health and improve the lives and heath of people with mental-ill health

· Create opportunities for individual and community connections enabling a sense of belonging and the awareness that somebody cares

· Keep residents safe from Covid-19 and other infectious diseases

· Improve years lived in health and happiness

· Collaborate, plan and secure funds for local and national emerging new health and wellbeing priorities.

Cross Cutting Themes

· Reducing health inequalities        

· Creating healthy environments

· Enhancing experience of seamless care

· Community development for wellness.    

5.3       The above priorities and cross cutting themes have been agreed at the Health and Wellbeing Board and have been further developed with a number of workshops including agencies, and stakeholders to develop a series of outcomes, actions and indicators which can be monitored once the strategy is formally signed of following public consultation.

5.4       Once agreed the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy will be made available for a four-week public consultation to take place in January.  The document will be made available online for comment, will be shared with key agencies and stakeholders, hard copies will be made available on request.  All agencies will be asked to advertise the consultation to their user groups and stakeholders.  The consultation will also be publicised via press releases and on the council’s social media platforms, to try and reach as many groups as possible and individuals who may wish to comment on the consultation.

5.5       Following consultation, a summary of the consultation and suggested changes to the strategy will be presented back to the Board prior to final sign off, of the Strategy.

6 Consultation and Other Considerations

Legal Advice

6.1       The Health and Wellbeing Strategy is a statutory requirement for the HWB Board.

Financial Advice

6.2       The Health and Wellbeing strategy is expected to be delivered within the existing financial envelope of partner organisations, seeking to sues resources collaboratively to meet value for money objectives.

Other Consultation Responses

6.3       The strategy was co-produced with wider stakeholders. The list of stakeholders engaged during the process is attached as part of annex A.

Equalities Impact Assessment

6.4       Reducing health inequalities is a key cross-cutting theme of the strategy. It is expected that the strategy will have a positive impact on all communities. An equalities impact screening will be available prior to the board meeting.

Strategic Risk Management Issues

6.5       None identified currently

Climate Change Implications

6.6       The recommendations in Section 2 above are expected to:

Reduce emissions of CO₂

The reasons the Council believes that this will reduce emissions as the strategy healthy environment cross-cutting theme and improving years lived with good health promotes active transport.

Background Papers

Appendix A – Draft Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Contact for further information

Heema Shukla Interim Consultant in Public Health

Heema.shukla@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Andrew Hunter – Executive Director of Place Planning and Regeneration

andrew.hunter@bracknell-forest.gov.uk