Agenda item

This report reviews how the Health and Wellbeing Board is functioning and considers how its effectiveness can be further strengthened.

Ben Spinks (Assistant Chief Executive, Assistant Chief Executive’s Service) introduced the report that set out a starting point for discussion for future ways of working for the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB).  He explained that there were three types of items that the HWB to consider, these being:

·         Nationally mandated issues, including statutory responsibilities

·         System leadership

·         Leadership on key issues in Brent

Ben Spinks advised that the HWBB had been successful in meeting its statutory responsibilities, such as developing and agreeing a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and health and wellbeing strategy for the borough.  The HWBB was also developing its system leadership role, an example of this was the oversight role it played for the health and wellbeing action plan that brought together all the work being undertaken by the relevant organisations in delivering the health and wellbeing strategy.  However, Ben Spinks advised that there was considerable scope for the HWBB to play a greater role in providing leadership on key issues and in view of this, the report was suggesting that the HWBB focus its development in this area over the next twelve months. 

In order to strengthen its leadership on key issues in the borough, Ben Spinks suggested some ways in which this could be done, including:

·         Facilitation of workshops by the council and through other organisations in Brent as appropriate

·         External facilitation of workshops by a relevant expert

·         Appoint a partner to lead the facilitation across all topics

Ben Spinks then referred members to the recommendations in the report.

Phil Porter added that the HWBB could look at issues across a number of  areas and its work programme would be flexible to reflect any changes either at local or national level.  He suggested that a more workshop like approach could be taken at meetings, with greater participation from a wider audience and providing a clear focus in achieving practical outcomes.

During discussion by Board members, Councillor Moher stated that it had been agreed by the Board last year that there would be a distinction between business meetings and other meetings and she sought clarification that both such types of items would be covered during meetings and whether there would be sufficient time to consider both.  Councillor Hirani indicated his support for the proposals and members agreed to his suggestion that Board’s work programme should be guided by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and the HWBB strategy.  Councillor Hirani felt that a discussion about dementia would be a useful topic of discussion at a future meeting and the Board agreed that this be part of its future work programme.  Ann O’Neill (Brent Health Watch) emphasised the need for the HWBB’s work to relate to the public and for them to have faith in its effectiveness.  She felt that there was a need for more community engagement and use of feedback from Brent Connect Forums and other local evidence should be used.  Ann O’Neill felt that external facilitation of workshops was a good idea and it would be preferable that this was undertaken by a not for profit organisation, whilst the layout of the meeting should also be changed to a less formal one so as to encourage discussion amongst all who were present.

Jo Ohlson, in supporting the proposals, stated that the HWBB’s role should be broad and there was a clear need to develop its system leadership role.  There would also need to be a review after a period of time to see if the changes had made the HWBB more effective across its wider role.  Jo Ohlson also supported external facilitation of workshops and she felt that this would help ensure wider views were heard.  Sarah Mansurall also felt the proposals would make it easier to piece together information and feedback from a variety of sources to provide a broader picture and allow the HWBB to have a greater impact on a range of services and agencies. Dr Sarah Basham (Co-Clinical Director, Brent Clinical Commissioning Group) commented on the benefits of talking with other relevant agencies, especially as many issues involved a number of different organisations.

The Chair felt that the direction that the HWBB was taking was positive and he welcomed external facilitation of workshops.  He added that the workshops would discuss key items and would take place in a setting relevant to the topic under discussion.

In reply to the issues raised, Ben Spinks confirmed the intention to include both workshop items, as part A of the agenda, and more formal items under part B of the agenda, at the same meetings. By taking a disciplined approach to each item and dividing the agenda into parts A and B, this would ensure that there was sufficient time to discuss and debate the items under part A.  Ben Spinks advised that the proposals were designed to make HWBB meetings more inclusive and other forums, such as the Brent Connects Forums, could feed into this.  He also advised that the Chief Executive was currently undertaking a review for restructuring Partners for Brent in order that the relevant organisations could work closer together. 

Phil Porter advised that the Board could decide what items were most key and to allocate appropriate time at the meetings accordingly and people affected by a particular topic would be invited to that meeting.  He informed members that the external provider appointed for the workshops would need to be capable of providing development of system leadership and opening up the HWBB to different ways of working and would either be appointed based on the particular issue for discussion or for the rest of the municipal year.

Melanie Smith (Director of Public Health) added that the workshops would benefit from subject matter experts as well as external facilitation.

The Chair then invited the Board to submit topics for discussion at future meetings and the following were put forward:

·         Dementia

·         Dental health/children’s oral health

·         Obesity

·         Social isolation

·         Mental health and well being

·         Autism

·         Housing and homelessness/rough sleepers

·         Fuel poverty

·         TB

The Chair added that other items may also be suggested to be added to the list above and following further discussion, a proposed schedule of topics would be circulated at the end of August.

Members agreed the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED:

(i)           that a trial of a number of changes to the format and focus of the Board’s work be agreed as below:

· Focus on a priority list of key areas where a stronger partnership approach has the potential to drive change and improved outcomes.

· Develop a part A and B agenda in future, with part A comprising a limited number of items for detailed discussion and debate and part B items for noting and/or ratification.

·      Agree the approach for facilitation of the part A discussions.

·      Agree to hold meetings in venues related to the issue being discussed where relevant and appropriate;

(ii)          that discussion and agreement of a provisional list of priority areas which will form the basis of the part A work programme over the coming months be agreed; and

(iii)       that these changes starting from the October meeting of the Board be agreed, with dementia as the subject of part A of the agenda.