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Health and Wellbeing Board |
20th March 2024 |
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Report of the Chair of the York Health and Wellbeing Board
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Chair’s report and updates
Summary
1. This paper is designed to summarise key issues and progress which has happened in between meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB), giving Board members a concise update on a broad range of relevant topics which would otherwise entail separate papers.
Key Updates for the Board
2. An update on the delivery of York’s Dementia Strategy is at Annex A to this report.
3. An update on the Better Care Fund is at Annex B to this report.
4. The York and North Yorkshire Domestic Abuse Strategy was published in February. It is estimated that 32,500 adult victims across York and North Yorkshire are affected by Domestic Abuse, and our joint strategy is framed around a clear message that domestic abuse will not be tolerated, and we will collaborate to prevent it and reduce its harms. The strategy underpins crucial support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse and also work with perpetrators to reduce risk of harm. The adoption of the strategy, its key priorities and commitments provides a whole system approach with multi-agency working at its heart. City of York Council, along with North Yorkshire Council, the Office of Fire, Police and Crime Commissioner and North Yorkshire Police are working in partnership to offer a range of interventions and support, as well as a focus on prevention, understanding healthy relationships and raising awareness of what constitutes domestic abuse.
5. The Annual Report of the Health Protection Committee was received by the council’s Executive in February. The report noted the ongoing challenge of infectious diseases, screening and vaccination uptake and environmental hazards in the city, and included information on the ongoing risk of measles outbreaks, and on the demand and funding issues faced by the city’s sexual health services, together with a rise in rate of certain STIs in York. The discussion focussed on the challenge of public health funding and the use of the public health reserve.
6. Pharmacy provision in York: Pharmacies are essential to the UK health system. They provide a broad range of services including dispensing, medications reviews, flu vaccinations, and advice on over-the-counter treatments. Recently pharmacists have been given new powers to prescribe medications for some common conditions. Every three years the York public health team produce a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) on behalf of the HWBB. This is to assess the access to pharmacy provision in York. In 2022 the PNA found ‘There is adequate choice of pharmacies and a good geographic spread of pharmacies in York.’
7. Since then, nationally and locally, there has been a pattern of pharmacies reducing hours and some closures. One pharmacy closure in York has created a gap in provision: some households which previously had good access to pharmacies are now more than a 15-minute walk from a pharmacy following a closure of a Boots Pharmacy in Clifton in February 2024. In response, public health are publishing a supplementary statement on this closure, this can be used by other pharmacies as evidence of need if they are looking to open a new branch in York. Neither the local authority or the ICB have any powers to refuse a closure of a pharmacy. The Pharmacy Services Regulations Committee (PSRC) must be notified by a pharmacy wishing to close or reduce hours, but the PSRC is also not able to refuse the closure so long as sufficient notice is provided. Locally, a number of partners - including local ward councillors – are working together on a solution to the Clifton pharmacy access issue.
8. A new provider has been awarded the contract for the York Drug and Alcohol Service. The current contract with Changing Lives ends on June 30th 2024 and over the last 18 months the public health team have followed the full procurement process to recommission the service. At the end of January, we were able to award the contract to Change Grow Live (CGL). CGL had impressed the panel throughout the evaluation process. They have proposed a strong service model and have clearly explored the needs in York and how best to use the contract value to provide sound, safe effective services. They will provide an Integrated Adult and Children/Young People’s service, with a very strong clinical model for the treatment aspect of services. They have great plans to capitalise on some of our strengths in York, for instance our community rehabilitation model, recovery community and lived experience programmes. Their values are Be Open, Be Compassionate, Be Bold were clearly demonstrated in their presentation with their enthusiasm to be a key partner supporting the people that live here.
9. Healthwatch York Recommendations: The Director of Public Health, the Manager at Healthwatch York and the Health and Wellbeing Partnerships Co-ordinator met recently to discuss how we can best monitor the implementation of the recommendations contained within Healthwatch York reports.
10. They have suggested that an annual update on the recommendations from the last 12 months of Healthwatch York reports be included within Healthwatch York’s annual report.
11. The Health and Wellbeing Partnerships Co-ordinator will facilitate this process and will be in touch with board members soon to ask for their updates.
Specialist Implications Officers Not applicable
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Wards Affected:
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For further information please contact the author of the report
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Annexes
Annex A: Update on the Implementation of the Dementia Strategy
Annex B: Update on the Better Care Fund