Agenda item

The Homes, Health & Wellbeing Team Manager introduced the report seeking adoption of the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy the principles of which would provide a framework for improving health and wellbeing across the county, demonstrating how District Councils deliver services which contribute and support the health and care system.

It was advised that Health and Wellbeing had been embedded in the ‘Our People’ and ‘Our Place’ themes of the Council’s Corporate Plan and the new plan retained this focus and contains strategic aims and objectives relating to improving health outcomes and promoting wellbeing through the promotion of healthy lifestyles. This has influenced the focus of the Council’s work with other Lincolnshire districts in the development of shared district Health and Wellbeing strategic aims and objectives.

The Strategy was based on five key ‘lever’ areas which district councils are uniquely positioned in the system to influence and where they can most effectively work with partners to deliver sustainable change. These include Housing and Homelessness; Activity and Wellbeing; Environment and Climate; Economic Inclusion and Working with Communities.

The Lincolnshire District Councils had approved this Strategy through their relevant governance routes. For West Lindsey, the Strategy had been developed to align with existing policies, strategies, projects and workstreams in operation across the Council, including the Corporate Plan, the Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, the Housing Strategy and the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan. As such, the District Health and Wellbeing Strategy aligns these threads into one overarching strategy that sits in support of delivering the Council’s Corporate Plan.

Each lever area would be allocated to a Team Manager in the relevant area to implement through their business plans and the overall co-ordination of the Strategy will be led by the Homes, Health and Wellbeing Team Manager.

The business planning process was used to identify action already being taken in support of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and to identify and address any gaps to ensure new actions were deliverable, appropriately resourced and that they offer value for money.

The premise of this really was that the majority of this work was being undertaken in one form or another already and there was a need to start ensuring that those outcomes were captured and areas where more could be done these could be scoped and delivered under the health and wellbeing umbrella.

A Councillor in welcoming the strategy highlighted the need for a concurrent action plan to be in place with some of the questions that might need to be asked and were relevant to members of local communities. It was emphasised that there would be variations in priorities within the district. It was requested that update reports be presented on the overall strategy and identifying what has been done, what we're able to do and any new issues.

Members spoke in support of the strategy and noted that the process had been ongoing and the impact of the Covid pandemic had clearly demonstrated the role and impact that district councils can have as advocates for the community. In addition lessons could be learnt from work undertaken during the pandemic and schemes like community grants had proved effective. It was considered that the strategy was timely particularly when it was the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the National Health Service.

Disappointment was expressed that, as a collective of seven districts in Lincolnshire, there was still only have one place allocated on Health and Wellbeing Board, and the introduction of the integrated care system was also welcomed. The district councils role was primarily prevention and there was the potential to make a difference in the future.

A member questioned the changes in countywide health arrangements, the budgets allocated and their impact in actually delivering improvements. The need to deliver better partnership working was emphasised to deliver priorities and the strategy bought together was being done across the seven districts. The issues of access to GP services within six weeks, lack of NHS dentists, suicide prevention and mental health particularly around young people were highlighted as key aims.

A member referred to the recommendations in respect of the strategy being agreed and delivered by officers and members and asked how this would be undertaken so gaps could be identified. In response it was explained that delivery would be through business plans and the Executive business plan which were regularly reported to members. If the strategy was adopted it was anticipated that officers would work with members, including a workshop, at the start of the process to look at issues.

A member suggested links to partners such as the Primary Care Trust and GP’s were also needed. It was reported that work was undertaken with the housing, health and care delivery group for Lincolnshire and that had representatives from different partners. The strategy was about coordinating what was currently being done, where do we already influence, the health and wellbeing of residents, where are the

gaps and what is within the District Council remit to actually be able to change and

Influence. Members welcomed the approach and emphasised the importance of involving a wide range of interested groups in communities.

The committee discussed a number of areas including access to services, lack of public transport and the need for investment in rural areas.

The recommendations were duly proposed and seconded and on being put to the vote were carried.

RESOLVED:

a)    that the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy, attached as Appendix A to the report, which provides the Council with a high-level strategic framework for improving health and wellbeing outcomes across West Lindsey be adopted.

b)    that delivery of the Strategy to be developed by officers and members through the Council’s business planning framework with progress reported back to members through the Executive Business Plan be agreed.