Agenda item

Councillor Hart introduced the new draft Health and Well-Being Strategy by emphasising that owing to demographic trends and financial pressures, health and care could no longer be provided in the way it was now, without money running out and people’s quality of life being worsened. She emphasised that the new Strategy required the active collaboration of all partners.

Ms Kennally made a more detailed presentation on the Strategy, setting out its ambition that all residents, not only current users of services, would be able to live as healthily and as independently as possible by:

–        being free of avoidable ill-health and disability;

–        being able to take responsibility for their own and their family’s health and wellbeing;

–        each being able to harness the support of their family and friends and the community;

and the two main themes of Keeping Well and Keeping Independent.

With the help of graphs and information on health trends, she explained the context and action already being taken on the four priorities, namely giving every child a good start; improving well-being in the community; how we live; and care when needed. She requested that the Partnership Board consider what more they could do individually and collectively to support.

In the resulting discussion, it was felt that rather than seek to interfere with the market’s proliferation of takeaway restaurants, it was more suitable for the Council with its partners to supply advice and information to persuade the community to adopt healthier eating practices, thus reducing the demand for such establishments. It was felt that all socio –economic classes were leading unhealthy lifestyles and hence this area of work needed to be universal.

Councillor Longstaff and T/Ch Supt Seabridge both stressed the link between health and community safety, in terms of enforcement around alcohol and licensing issues and the relationship between licensed establishments, takeaways and anti-social behaviour, and confirmed a targeted approach to problem hotspots would contribute towards solving the problem. It was noted that the potential providers of the new Development and Regulatory Service (DRS) had undertaken to take forward three areas of the Health and Well Being Strategy each year, and that licensing and community safety had been identified as one.

It was agreed that, while requiring national action,  Barnet should try and take forward localised schemes to extend information on healthy eating and supplying local information to a variety of staff and customers on choices and support available. Tom Nathan offered the use of Brent Cross for suitable events and campaigns and Mr Walkley highlighted there might be opportunities for a partnership with McDonalds whose headquarters were in the Borough.

Employment was recognised as a key well-being issue for all  but particularly for people who faced labour market disadvantages, e.g. through disability or mental health problems, and partners were requested to review the opportunities they were creating for meaningful employment for them.

Councillor Hart thanked all partners for their work on smoking cessation to date  and requested that this continue.

Mr Morley highlighted that in addition to JobCentre Plus being keen to share information and signposting to help with their clients, they would be meeting a lot of Incapacity Benefit recipients as part of the IB Assessment programme and there was the opportunity to review these people’s lifestyles and give advice.

Mr Knight agreed to share information on how Middlesex’s catering contract encouraged healthy eating, the University ‘s Well Being Strategy and how their Green Travel Plan delivered an increase in physical activity.

Ms Kennally outlined a comprehensive programme to engage and consult the local community on the strategy and requested that all partners encourage others to participate through their networks.