Agenda item

(1)          Marcus Chrysostomou (Head of External Communications), Malti Varshney (Consultant in Public Health) and Mark Lemon (Strategic Business Adviser) introduced the report which said the current Kent Health and Wellbeing Strategy had been agreed by the Shadow HWB on 30 January 2013 and that it was now due for renewal.  A new strategy would be presented to the next meeting of the Kent HWB on 16 July 2014 and this would enable the final strategy to be endorsed in time to inform the next round of commissioning that would start in autumn 2014.

(2)          Mrs Varshney said a workshop had been held with key stakeholders on 30 April and the key issues to emerge were: a need for strategic alignment across the system; the identification of priorities and their connection with outcomes; the need to be more specific about children’s issues and a clear statement of the case for change. She drew the HWB’s attention to the key points of the refreshed strategy which were: to provide a strategic platform for change across the system; a revision to the wording of Outcome 5 to reflect holistic support for people with dementia and the stronger connections between outcomes and priorities.  She also said the strategy took into account the views of Kent residents about the changes they would expect such as: timely access to support; and improvements to professional communication. She also sought the views of the Board on whether to use national targets and benchmarking or to set stretch targets.

(3)          The Kent HWB supported the approach outlined in the report and emphasised the need for this strategy to be a high-level strategic document that would inform the commissioning plans of partner organisations which, in turn, would include detailed targets.  It was suggested that it was important: to make strong links with the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment; to be very explicit about the quality of outcomes for both existing services and for services that would be integrated through Better Care Fund initiatives and to explain that different priorities might be identified at the local level.  It was also suggested that a simplified version of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy be produced for residents and patients,

(4)          Mr Chrysostomou outlined the plans for engagement with the public and stakeholders including publication of the strategy on-line, appropriate press releases, use of social media, simplifying the document and seeking feedback from the public on the accessibility of the document. 

(5)          It was recognised that this was a key opportunity to engage with residents and stakeholders about the future of health and social care and the intention to provide services around the user and closer to home.

(6)          Resolved that:

(a)       The first draft of the Kent Health and Wellbeing Strategy be taken to wider engagement and consultation;

(b)       The proposal for communications and engagement and the associated key messages for all stakeholders be endorsed;

(c)        The final draft version of the strategy be received at the next meeting of the HWB on 16 July 2014;

(d)       Progress against the strategy be reviewed at a workshop to be convened c. June 2015;

(e)       Reports from the local Health and Wellbeing Boards on how they were engaging local populations be received by December 2014.