The Chairman welcomed the news that the Government had agreed to increase the NHS budget by an average of 3.4% in each of the next five years.  He hoped that part of this funding would be allocated to the work being carried out by public health.

The Chairman congratulated Healthwatch on receiving the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Cheering Volunteering Awards on 5 June 2018 and thanked them and their volunteers for their work.

RESOLVED that the Accountable Officer, Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group be elected as Vice-Chairman for 2018/19.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the last meeting held on 21 March 2018 and note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Central Bedfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board held on 21 March 2018 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

None were declared.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part 4G of the Council’s Constitution.

The Chairman invited the public speaker to make his statement in accordance with the Public Participation Scheme.

Primary Care Arrangements in Leighton Buzzard

Mr Morris referred to minute number HWB/17/27 ‘Outline of the pilot arrangements for primary care development in Leighton Buzzard’ from the meeting on 24 January 2018.  He was concerned that that the provision of an Integrated Health and Social Care Hub in Leighton Buzzard was not progressing fast enough to deal with the demand of patients in the Leighton Buzzard area.  Leighton Buzzard was the largest town in Central Bedfordshire and did not have a local hospital.

The Accountable Officer for the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group confirmed that work to improve health care provision in Leighton Buzzard continued.  Dr Marshall was leading on this work and he would be asked to contact Mr Morris directly and an update would be provided to the Board at their next meeting on 31 October 2018.  The preferred option for Leighton Buzzard was to have a virtual hub based on collaboration between three General Practices in Leighton Buzzard. 

The Chairman of the West Mid Beds Locality explained that the buildings in Leighton Buzzard were being considered and how these could be put to best use to support patient needs.

To receive a presentation providing an update on the development of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. (To follow)

The Board received a presentation on the proposed vision to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities now and for future generations by:

·         driving change to improve mental health and wellbeing for people of all ages;

·         enabling people to optimise their own health and wellbeing; and

·         ensuring that growth delivers improvements in health and wellbeing for current and future residents.

The presentation explained how these priorities would make a difference to people’s lives and the learning that could be taken from the Government’s healthy new towns programme.  It was proposed that the Board visit Bicester, as the town had been awarded Healthy New Town status in 2016 with the aim of managing the town's proposed growth in a way that helped obesity and social isolation.

There was a need to think about how to increase resilience in children by, for example, influencing Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) in schools.  The type of accommodation where people lived also played a huge part in a person’s mental health and support was needed for those with long term mental health conditions.  Clinical Commissioning Groups were working on personal healthcare budgets and would liaise with the Council.

RESOLVED

1.         that the three main priorities, set out above, that make up the proposed vision for the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy be supported;

2.         to organise for the Board to visit Bicester; and

3.         the final strategy be presented to the Board on 31 October 2018.

To receive an overview of the findings of the School Health Education Unit (SHEU) survey and action required.

The Board considered a report that provided an overview of the findings of the School Health Education Unit (SHEU) survey.  The survey was commissioned biennially to gather pupil’s perception of their own health and wellbeing.  The survey had been undertaken by an equal number of males and females from year groups 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.  5,502 pupils from 36 lower and primary and 19 middle and upper schools across Central Bedfordshire took part in the survey.

The key outcomes from the results of the survey were:

·         that more children were afraid to go to school due to bullying;

·         21% of older pupils had experienced physically hurtful behaviour at home;

·         more pupils had a low measure of resilience with 9% of older pupils self-harming when they had a problem or felt stressed;

·         17% of older pupils had less than 6 hours sleep the night before completing the survey; and

·         pupils with SEND and who were lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) were more likely to be bullied.

Healthwatch had appointed an assistant engagement volunteer to focus on young people and to develop more webpages to support young people.  The surveys it had carried out reflected a similar outcome to the SHEU survey.

The Board agreed that resilience in young people needed to be increased and this linked to the proposed priorities in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

RESOLVED

1.      to champion the delivery of the actions relating to improving mental health and wellbeing for children and young people which had been identified as part of the emerging Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy; and

2.      to report back to the Board on 23 January 2019 with an update on the actions being considered to address the results from the survey.

To receive a draft outline on the proposed membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board for discussion.

The Board considered a report that set out a proposed change to the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board.  To ensure that the Board could deliver its functions, including the outcomes from the emerging Joint and Health and Wellbeing Strategy, it was proposed that the membership be expanded to include representatives from the following sectors of the system:

·         Primary Care Practitioner

·         Acute Care (in 2018/19 a representative of each local provider may be required)

·         Mental Health

·         Community Services.

RESOLVED

to support the above proposed changes to the membership of the Board, ask the Council’s General Purposes Committee to recommend to Full Council the amendment of the Board’s terms of reference in the Council’s Constitution.

To provide an overview of flu vaccination uptake in 2017-18 in Central Bedfordshire with the maximum possible implementation of locally planned actions.

The Board considered a report that provided an overview of flu vaccination in Central Bedfordshire in 2017-18.  The annual flu immunisation programme was a critical element of the system-wide approach for delivering robust and resilient health and social care services, helping to reduce unplanned hospital admissions and prevent avoidable deaths, and reduce impact on the wider economy due to increased absenteeism.

In 2018/19 there would be a change to the eligibility criteria to include an additional cohort of children in year group 5.  The Clinical Commission Group’s ambition was to have vaccinated those on the eligibility criteria by November 2019, but this was dependant on when the manufacturer’s released the vaccination.

Maternity Services and Care Workers were also a priority to ensure those that wanted the vaccination had the opportunity to take it up.

RESOLVED

1.         that 2017/18 performance be noted;

2.         that the proposed actions set out in the report be noted; and

3.         that the intensification of efforts to increase take up amongst eligible groups be noted.

To receive an update on the progress of:

·         the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP)

·         the Better Care Fund and improving outcomes for Frail Older People

·         the STP Place Based Plan

The Board considered a report:-

·         that provided an update on the progress of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK), often now referred to as an Integrated Care System or ICS;

·         that set out details on the emerging collaborative approach and newly established Clinical Commissioning Group leadership structure to strengthen commissioning across BLMK;

·         that reported on the publication of BLMK’s Single Operating Plan and the requirement for a Central Bedfordshire Place-based implementation Plan;

·         that explained the development of a Capital and Estates Strategy for BLMK, including proposals covering Central Bedfordshire; and

·         that provided an update on the Integration and Transformation projects incorporating the Better Care Fund Plan and progress on improving outcomes for frail older people.

RESOLVED

1.         that the progress on the five key priorities of BLMK Integrated Care system be noted;

2.         that the recruitment to key posts for the STP as well as the establishment of a BLMK CCG Committees in Common and new leadership structure be noted;

3.         that the publication of BLMK’s Single Operating Plan and the requirement for a Central Bedfordshire Place-based Implementation Plan be noted; and

4.         that the update on the Better Care Fund Plan and the end of year submission to NHS England be noted.

To consider and approve the work programme.

A forward plan ensures that the Health and Wellbeing Board remains focused on key priorities, areas and activities to deliver improved outcomes for the people of Central Bedfordshire.

RESOLVED

that the following items/amendments be added to the work programme:-

·         School Health Education Unit Survey – 23 January 2019;

·         Primary Care Work in Leighton Buzzard – 31 October 2018;

·         Placed Based Plan – 31 October 2018;  and

·         the date of the next meeting was 31 October 2018 and not the 21 October 2018.

The Chairman took the opportunity on behalf of the Board to thank Sarah Thompson, Accountable Officer for the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group for her work with the Board as this would be her last meeting.