Agenda item
The structure of Public Health Services in Brent
This paper sets out the proposed structure for public health in Brent and how staff will be integrated into the current officer structure once the transfer to Brent Council from NHS Brent takes place.
Decision:
that approval be given in principle to the proposed structure for the public health service in Brent as set out in the report from the Directors of Adult Social Care and Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement, subject to the interim Chief Executive considering the detail of the structure of the service and how it will be integrated within the council.
Minutes:
The Deputy Leader, Councillor R Moher introduced the joint report from the Directors of Adult Social Services and Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement which confirmed that as from 1 April 2013 the council would be taking on responsibility for health improvement and with it many of the services currently delivered by public health teams based in PCTs as a result of the passing of the Health and Social Care Act. The report before members recommended a model for public health in Brent and integration into the current officer structure. The full time Director of Public Health would have a wide remit, promoting equalities, ill health prevention and guiding commissioning activity. The budget transfer was expected to take place in April 2013 and NHS Brent’s public health allocation for 2012/13 was £17.3m, which left a gap of around £1.3m in funding. The resource allocation could lead to a further reduction in funding for Brent of around 16% to around £13.5m. Additionally, the population figure used in calculations was approximately 60,000 less than the 2011 census would indicate, resulting in further underfunding. She recommended that the Executive adopt the proposed integrated model.
Councillor Hirani (Lead Member, Adults and Health) highlighted the three areas of activity on which public health would focus: health intelligence, public health commissioning and health improvement which would provide opportunities for existing leisure services. He put the view that as local government was receiving £2.2bn, less than 50% of the total public health budget, the transfer to councils should be viewed as being only partial.
Councillor Arnold (Lead Member, Children and Families) reminded the Executive that the report now before them was a revised version to that presented to the previous meeting and deferred for further consideration. She referred to the list of new services for which local government would be responsible and suggested the need for further clarification on the elements NHS work that were being transferred prior to agreeing the structure. Councillor R Moher responded that the decision at this stage was to agree to the integrated model and confirmed that further work would be taking place. The Director of Adult Social Services added that a further report on public health contracts was due to come before the Executive in December and work with colleagues was taking place.
Councillor Hunter (Vice Chair, Health Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee) welcomed aspects of the proposals particularly the opportunity for more joint working with the Director of Public Health at the centre. However, she questioned the extent to which in the absence of line managerial responsibility, the Director of Public Health could ensure that public health was a priority, sought assurances that money not spent on posts would be spent on services and the extent to which existing Brent NHS staff were aware of the implications for jobs. She also felt that central government should take into account the likelihood of under-funding as a result of the differential between population figure used in calculations and the 2011 census figures. The Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement advised that a meeting was due to take place with the trade unions and that a job matching exercise would be conducted. Councillor Moher assured that the programme would be driven to ensure a healthier borough.
The Chair (Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council) proposed an amendment to the recommendations in the report to approve the proposed structure in principle, subject to the Interim Chief Executive considering the detail of the structure and its integration within the council, which was agreed.
RESOLVED:-
that approval be given in principle to the proposed structure for the public health service in Brent as set out in the report from the Directors of Adult Social Care and Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement, subject to the interim Chief Executive considering the detail of the structure of the service and how it will be integrated within the council.
Councillor Crane declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the above item and left the meeting having taken no part in the discussion thereon).
Supporting documents: