Agenda item

The Chair resumed the meeting.

The Chair proposed that items 8 and 9 be considered together and noted that the two reports were interrelated. It was explained that the first report presented the North Central London Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy and the second report contained a proposed response from the Barnet Health and Wellbeing Board to the Strategy (but not the Joint Forward Plan). Both reports were for the Board to discuss and agree, subject to amendments.

Amy Bowen (NHS England) introduced the report and explained that work had continued on the development of the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), with work being carried out with colleagues from across the system to outline the approach to both population health management and integrated care. It was explained that the document should be considered a ‘draft in development’ as the document forms a milestone in the population health journey, but it was recognised that there was a need to continue to develop partnership working as well as engagement with communities.

There had been engagement with a wider range of forums across the NCL Integrated Care Board (ICB) to develop the strategy, building upon the existing Health and Wellbeing strategies for the five boroughs and the Board were requested to give their opinions on how they wanted to be engaged with, in the development of the Joint Forward Plan.

The Director of Public Health and Prevention explained that a response had been drafted and appended to the report. The following points were raised:

i)             Whilst there were areas of deprivation within the 5 Boroughs, Barnet was not considered to be one of the most deprived areas but it has large population of residents with protected characteristics and pockets of deprivation.

ii)            Barnet has a high level of children under 19 years old which presented challenges as well as a significant population of over 65’s.

iii)           Whilst it was noted that work was ongoing to align population health priorities with the Director of Children’s Services and Director of Adults and Social Services priorities, it would be good to see these embedded into the document and not just referred to.

iv)            The use of population-based approach can result in those with the greatest and/or most complex needs being overlooked. There is a need for it to be at a more granular level.

v)           It was acknowledged that the challenge is that in the North Central London area, the statutory signatories were the 5 Boroughs and the ICB, and how a strategy designed at system level is fit for purpose for more local system.

In response the points raised, Amy Bowen (NHS England) explained that she appreciated and recognised the feedback and points raised and stated that she would continue to work with the North London Councils team on the strategy and would try and take a more integrated approach. It was explained that there had been focus on the national and had jettisoned somewhat on the local strategy; Local priorities, she assured the Board would be included in the next draft of the strategy and forward plan and would be circulated to the Board Members for further comment. There would be a need to explore how then NCL operated at more spatial levels to allow them to see more nuances and to get a more granular perspective, whilst creating a balance between what is provided at a hyperlocal level service level. 

The Chair thanked the presenter and the Board Members for their participation in the discussion.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The Health and Wellbeing Board considers and formally agrees the response to the consultation on the North Central London Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy appended to the report.

2.    The Health and Wellbeing Board considers the Joint Forward Plan at its next meeting on the 11 May 2023

3.    The Health and Wellbeing Board reviews the Barnet Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and the Board’s way of operation. The results of this review will be reported back to Board in May 2023.