Agenda item

The Programme Director of Healthier Together spoke to the report (details and accompanying slides are in the published pack).

The Committee raised concerns about mental health inequalities not being listed as one of the agreed design principles and were advised that mental and physical health and well-being were  integral and this should be made more explicit.

There was a discussion about delivery of the 5 year plan, the list of priority care programmes, how success was measured and how risk was managed, and the Committee was advised that there are key deliverables and milestones which were reviewed via robust performance and risk management procedures.

The Committee noted the profile and diverse representation of people living in the Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire area and were advised that more insight could be produced by engaging more with people, and enhanced linking of data between agencies, which was an area where the BHSSG was improving.

Bristol City Council Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Member for Communities stated that the ‘wheel’ (shown on slide 9/36) is not representative of Bristol’s diversity and, although representative of the wider area, should not be used as an evidence base for local decisions without further drilling down of data.

The Committee was advised of the need to define value, which included focusing on health outcomes that mattered to people.

The Committee asked what was being done to increase the representation of BME respondents on the Citizens Panel from the current 7%   to the actual BME representation of the population across the area, which was 10%.   and were advised that plans were in place to make improvements in this area.

There was a discussion about population figures within the 6 localities in the BNSSG (shown on slide 25/36).  The Committee asked for clarification of the figures and sources, and it was agreed this information would be sent to the Committee. 

Delivering digitally enabled health and care, including issues with accessing services via digital technology was discussed, and the Committee was advised that digital was not a replacement to traditional ways of accessing services such as phone and face to face, and there was a need to maintain both.

The Committee asked if the IT systems were being built ‘in house’ or whether packages were being utilised, and was advised that both were being done; for example, in outpatient care, there was a plan to procure a system.  Regarding extracting insights from data, this would be done in house. Financial challenges were referred to, with the Committee being advised that growth of 3.4% in real terms was expected over the next 5 years, so it was important this was used well, including investing in primary and preventative care; together with a plan of reducing the historical deficit by £50M over the 5 years.

The Committee was advised that the draft plan would  go to the Partnership Board on the 15^th November for sign off, before being submitted to NHS Improvement for agreement; and then be published. 

The Committee noted that transport needs should be considered in the final draft of the plan.

The Committee asked about rates of vaccinations and was advised that there would be specific commitments on screening and vaccinations agreed with Public Health England, to be reflected in the plan.

The Committee was advised that GP closures and amalgamations would be better brought to local Health Scrutiny Committees. 

RESOLVED;

·         That GP capacity and closures should be placed on the next agendas of all three Council’s Health Scrutiny Committees.

·         That each local authority would benefit from a locally focussed presentation and scrutiny of the final plan; the item should be placed on the next agendas of all three Council’s Health Scrutiny Committees.

·         That population figures within the 6 localities in the BNSSG (shown on slide 25/36) and the sources be clarified for the Committee.