Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Director of Public Health introduced board members to the draft Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS).

The JLHWS sets out the local priorities for improving the health and wellbeing of the population of Darlington. The development of the Strategy has been informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and a series of workshops with members of the Health and Wellbeing Board and wider partners.

The JLHWS has adopted a life course approach, with the themes of Best Start in Life - Children and Young People, Staying Healthy – Living Well and Staying Healthy – Ageing Well.

The overarching priorities for each theme are:

a)      Best Start in Life - Children and Young People: pregnancy and early years; mental health and resilience

b)      Staying Healthy – Living Well: making smoking history; mental health and wellbeing

c)      Staying Healthy – Ageing Well: minimise time in ill health; maximise independence

d)      Healthy Places - workplace health and good work; healthier environments

It was also highlighted that joint work with board members’ agencies will be welcomed in order to establish pathways to tackle the above and also to support children and young people and establish key priorities and impacts.

Board members expressed their approval of the workshop sessions that contributed to the formation of the strategy.

Discussions were held which included a board member expressing that focussed efforts are required to realistically maintain any positive results in areas such as smoking and oral health with officers confirming that oral health and toothbrushing schemes, alongside the new Oral Health Strategy will have positive results in these areas and confirming that tackling smoking remains a focus.

Discussion was held around “healthy ways of working” with clarification that a good job / work environment has a large impact on someone’s health, and it is important to work with employers to help them get the most from their employees and assist the economy as a result.

Board members provided feedback on the strategy that included a suggestion that more positive language would be helpful, that “joining the dots” between partner agencies would yield the most positive results with minimal overlap.  Board members expressed their general approval and support for the strategy.

RESOLVED – That board members note the content of the draft Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, including the overarching priorities identified to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Darlington.

REASON - It is a statutory duty of the Health and Wellbeing Board to develop a Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy