Decision details

The Board is asked to discuss the report and approve the recommendations contained within

The Director for Public Health (Harrow and Barnet) Dr Andrew Howe introduced the item and informed the Board that the Commissioning Plan is based on an assumption that spending on Public Health will be maintained at the present level through to the end of the decade.

The Commissioning Plan sets out the commissioning intentions and the revenue budgets and capital requirements for recommendation to the Policy and Resources Committee on 2 December 2014. It was noted that subsequent to agreement of the draft plan at the Policy & Resources Committee meeting in December 2014, public consultation will commence before the final Commissioning Plans are agreed in February 2015.

The Chairman noted that tackling obesity, particularly in children, by promoting physical activity and other measures is essential to increasing life expectancy and improving the quality of life. The Chairman requested that measures to tackle smoking in pregnancy and excess alcohol consumption should be included in the Public Health Commissioning Plan.

Dr Debbie Frost noted the importance for partners to share information and data to tackle obesity and promote physical activity with health visitors in Barnet with caseloads in London. Kate Kennally informed the Board that the Council will assume responsibility for the commissioning of Health Visiting services from October 2015.

Ms Kennally advised the Board that health visiting has historically been underinvested within the Borough. Dr Howe noted that action should be taken to work with other boroughs and the Department of Health to improve the health visiting work force in relation to the health visitor case load.

Paul Bennett expressed support for plans to work in close partnership with the Board to address the level of concern regarding the Health Visiting service levels, sufficient to allow for Barnet to deliver mandated HV services from October 2015.

RESOLVED that

1. The Health & Well-Being Board approves the proposed Commissioning Plan (Appendix 1), subject to consultation.
   
   
2. The Board agrees to public consultation on the proposed Commissioning Plan commencing immediately following Policy and Resources Committee on 2^nd December 2014, before final Commissioning Plans are agreed by Policy and Resources on 17 February 2015.