Issue - meetings

Anjan Ghosh (Director of Public Health), David Whittle (Director of Strategy, Policy, Relationships & Corporate Assurance) and Jenny Dixon-Sherreard, (Policy Advisor) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Gough (Leader of the Council) introduced the Strategy that had been developed under the leadership of the three statutory partners of the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) – Kent County Council (KCC), Medway Council and NHS Kent and Medway. At its meeting on 7 December 2023, the Integrated Care Partnership recommended the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Strategy for approval by the three statutory partners, which was required before the strategy could be implemented. Cabinet were asked to approve the strategy for KCC.

2.    Dr Ghosh and Ms Dixon-Sherreard outlined the purpose of the Integrated Care Strategy and the next steps in the delivery and monitoring of progress against the strategy. A shared delivery plan was already in development across the partner organisations which would bring together and build on delivery already underway across the system and would signpost to supporting strategies and action plans. The Integrated Care Partnership would provide oversight and assurance of the strategy.

3.    Further to comments and questions from Members, it was noted:

·         Members welcomed the change of emphasis, tone and language used throughout the strategy which signified the importance and extent of the consultation process with partners and service users, with a strategy that now encompassed personal responsibility and the participation of those in receipt of their care as opposed to a strategy that instructed service users how they would receive their care.

·         Members paid tribute to the team for their extensive work and the development of a strategy that represented a dynamic leadership team and a passion to tackle health inequalities through unity.

4.    Mr Gough reiterated his thanks to Dr Ghosh, Ms Dixon-Sherreard and colleagues for the outstanding work they had done and noted that the development of the strategy was the first step in a gradual process of embedding structures and a way of working that would benefit residents in the years to come.

5.    RESOLVED to agree to the recommendations as set out in the report.