Agenda item

To enable the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to establish a scrutiny task and finish group to review social prescribing in Brent.

Councillor Ketan Sheth introduced the report, which proposed that the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee established a Task and Finish Group to review social prescribing in Brent. He highlighted that the pandemic had highlighted health inequalities, which many in Brent had known about for a long time. Social prescribing had also been developing for a while amongst the NHS, sometimes referred to as ‘community referral’. The scheme enabled health and care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services and recognised that health was determined primarily by a range of social, economic and environmental factors. As such, he highlighted that social prescribing sought to address needs in a holistic way, and aimed to support individuals to take greater control of their own health. This could involve a variety of activities, typically provided by voluntary and community sector organisations such as volunteering, arts and crafts, group learning, gardening, befriending, cookery, healthy eating advice and sports. With the emergence of the Integrated Care System (ICS), social services, public health, the NHS and the voluntary sector were coming together and working together, and therefore it was felt to be a good time to look at social prescribing to see what benefits could be had from working closer together and harnessing those relationships for better outcomes for residents.

Following his introduction, Councillor Ketan Sheth invited Councillor Neil Nerva, as Cabinet Member of Public Health and Adult Social Care, to address the Committee in relation to the task group.  Councillor Nerva felt that the task group represented a good opportunity for the whole of Brent, including the local authority, NHS and voluntary sector. He highlighted that, to have effective social prescribing, there needed to be a thriving third sector as a provider of activities to improve the wellbeing of residents, and therefore it was important to consider the capacity in the voluntary sector for social prescribing. He added that it was important to recognise there were different behaviours in GP practices across the borough and it would be important to understand the awareness GPs had of social prescribing. At the end of the task group, he hoped for a consistent approach from all Brent GPs to social prescribing and for the recommendations to be taken to the Health and Wellbeing Board for endorsement.

Dr Melanie Smith (Director of Public Health, Brent Council) also welcomed the task group and felt it had potential to address health inequalities. She noted that, traditionally, social prescribing had been seen as falling within the remit of GPs and other health professionals, but she was aware there was an appetite from colleagues in Social Care for Social Workers to be able to do social prescribing, and asked the task group to consider looking at that. She concluded by highlighting the value of involving elected members would be in their ability to scrutinise whether the offer for social prescribing across the borough was equitable, acceptable, and accessible to all Brent communities.

The Chair thanked colleagues for their input, and invited comments and questions from the Committee, with the following issues raised:

The Committee queried what the early indication of the take up from GPs was. Dr Melanie Smith responded that it was variable. Some GPs were very passionate about social prescribing but that was not universal. There was a good offer available, but she felt it might not be comprehensive. Councillor Sheth added that, as Brent moved out of the pandemic, there was a growing appetite for this work and he felt that the work of the task group could be a catalyst to ensure that the health inequalities agenda was at the heart of social prescribing.

In response to whether there was an intention to involve faith groups and other community led groups, Councillor Sheth confirmed it was the intention to work that way as well as with various Council departments, Cabinet Leads, and stakeholders in and out of the Council.

The Committee asked whether there would be any danger of duplication of work. Councillor Sheth highlighted the intention to work in partnership and bring everyone around the table to share good practice and ensure no-one was working in silos but collectively. An interim report would be brought to the Committee to give comfort that this was being done in synergy with all stakeholders.

The importance of local residents having an understanding of the opportunities of social prescribing was highlighted.

Having considered the report, the Committee RESOLVED:

i)              To note the content of the report and scoping paper attached in appendix 1 of the report.

ii)             To agree to establish a scrutiny task and finish group with the terms of reference and membership outlined in appendix 1.