Agenda item

[To receive and endorse the proposed approach for the delivery and development of a Health Inequalities Strategy for the City of Wolverhampton.]

Madeleine Freewood, Stakeholder Engagement Manager and Dr Kate Warren, Consultant in Public Health presented the Progress Update on the Wolverhampton Health Inequalities Strategy report accompanied by a presentation. The report provided a summary of activity undertaken to date following the October board meeting to gain partner feedback and approve direction of travel. The presentation provided a visual overview of the aims of the Strategy, the approach to development and delivery as well as the priorities for the first year.

It was acknowledged that the issue of health inequality was a complex one and the report outlined that COVID-19 was exacerbating existing health inequalities, with negative impacts falling disproportionately on more deprived, disadvantaged and excluded groups and individuals.

In an effort to tackle these issues, differences in outcome had been divided into three groups: Deprivation, Protected Characteristics and Inclusion groups to be approached by employers and commissioners, providers of care and other services and as anchor institutions.

The suggested approach for delivery consisted of Health and Wellbeing Together having oversight and delivery of the strategy with the Children and Families Together Board focussing on children, young people and families and the Black Country and West Birmingham STP leading on regional coordination.

Health contributions would be driven by the Integrated Care Alliance Workstreams (soon to be Integrated Care Partnership from April 2021), supported by joint commissioning arrangements between the CCG and the Council, including thorough use of the Better Care Fund.

The delivery vehicle for wider determinants contribution to city strategy would be the Local Authority in partnership with Health and Wellbeing Together partners.

The three priorities for the first year were outlined as: Governance – to clarify who was responsible for delivering what and monitoring progress; Intelligence – to agree a streamlined approach to gathering, analysing and sharing data and Engagement and Co-production – to collaborate with partners and services across the City to provide fair inclusion and access to health services for all.

Guest speaker Lucy Heath, Academy Director for Healthier Futures Academy delivered a presentation which gave an in-depth overview of the role of the Academy in working together for a healthier post-COVID future. It also covered delivery of the WHoLE Programme initiative which provided support to partner organisations on understanding their local population, developing a set of priorities for action, stakeholder and community engagement and the coproduction of projects to improve population health. Partners were invited to consider the following questions and provide feedback via email or a survey website by 22 January 2021:

1. What priority should be given to each of the target socio-economic outcomes, and why?
2. Are there specific population cohorts that whole-system action should focus on?
3. Are there additional intervention mechanisms that should be considered?
4. What specific candidate interventions might be considered?

It was agreed that the link and contact details would be shared outside the meeting via email. 

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People suggested that a place-based approach would be beneficial as there was a mix of affluent and very deprived areas within his ward which often skewed the figures. It was agreed that this was a sound approach to ensure no deprived areas were overlooked.

Emma Bennett, Director of Children and Adult Services offered support and it was noted that co-production and engagement was a priority that the Children and Families Together Board was also championing. It was suggested that the Co-production Charter signed up to by the Authority could be shared as a useful reference tool to inform the Engagement and Co-production priority work.

Tracy Cresswell, Healthwatch Wolverhampton advised that Healthwatch were participating in a national piece of work around digital exclusion and reports could be shared with the Board once available.

Professor Steve Field CBE, Royal Wolverhampton Trust echoed Councillor Reynolds’ suggestion to target deprived areas down to street level and pledged the support of the Trust. It was noted that the long-term impact of COVID would be felt for some time, particularly by the most deprived areas and BME communities. It was acknowledged that the reach of the Clinical Commissioning Groups merging across the Black Country would be a good opportunity to target those most at risk as well as encouraging communities to take responsibility by following the restrictions more closely.

Resolved:

1. That Health and Wellbeing Together endorse the proposed approach and Year 1 priorities for the delivery and development of a Health Inequalities Strategy for the City of Wolverhampton.

2.    That a link to the WHoLE Programme Survey be returned by 22 January 2021.

3.    That the Co-production Charter be shared to contribute to Engagement and Co-production priority work.

4.    That digital inclusion reports by Healthwatch Wolverhampton be shared with the Board once available.