Agenda item

This report asks Members to commence their work planning for the municipal year 2007/8.

Members considered a report, which detailed the Committees work during the last municipal year. It was reported that in January 2007 the Committee had agreed for future scrutiny they wished to identify an area of work based on the remit of the Healthy City Board as part of the Local Strategic partnership.

It was confirmed that Government funding of £10,000 had been made available for the formation of a regional network of stakeholders in health scrutiny. This network had met and agreed that a main priority issue would be health inequalities and how to develop work plans to address these.

The network would work closely with a national local government capacity building programme project, which would cover the whole of the Yorkshire and Humber region and be hosted by the City of Bradford Council. This project was being funded by central government and the Department of Health and had commenced in April 2007.

Geoff Ainsley of Bradford Metropolitan Council who was co-ordinating this project attended the meeting. He gave a presentation to Members on the Yorkshire and Humber Local Government and Health Project, details of which were circulated at the meeting and are attached as an appendix to these minutes.  

He confirmed that this was a new project, the first of its kind in the country, to run from April 2007 to March 2009. It was supported and funded from the Yorkshire and Humber capacity building programme “Working Together to Improve” and the Regional Public Health Group at the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber. It was explained that the objectives of the programme were to support local authorities in strengthening their contribution to public health in order to achieve excellence in improving health and reducing health inequalities, as well as ensuring that these achievements were recognised by their local population.

Arising out of the presentation Members stated that the main problem related to prevention and that major links were required with GP’s etc to provide a joined up service.

Officers referred to a regional health scrutiny event in Leeds, being organised to help strengthen scrutiny’s contribution to public health to which all members would be invited. As soon as the date and venue were known these would be emailed to Members.

Officers and the Chair confirmed that it was also hoped to hold an informal work-planning seminar to determine the major issues for scrutiny during the current year. This was proposed for August or September and would involve the cancellation of the scheduled meeting on 3 September and its replacement with the above event.

 It was confirmed that invitations would be extended to the voluntary sector, PCT and the Ambulance Trust together with representatives from the Health Forum held in January. Members felt that it would be useful if Bill Hodson, Director of Housing and Adult Social Services could be also be invited. The Chair confirmed that if Members were aware of any additional groups or individuals that could add to the informal work planning session that they should contact Barbara Boyce, Scrutiny Officer to enable her to send out invitations.

As the Chair would be away for the scheduled October Health Scrutiny meeting it was proposed to bring this forward to 24 September 2007.

The Scrutiny Officer confirmed that the Patient Experience Monitoring Group were seeking a further member to represent the Committee at their meetings, the next of which scheduled for 7 September 2007.

RESOLVED:             i) That Bill Hodson, Director of Housing and Adult Social Services, be invited to a future meeting to discuss how health scrutiny can contribute to the work of the Healthy City Board and the local area agreement.

                                 ii) That Members agree to take up any places available at the Regional Health Scrutiny event the date and venue to be confirmed.

iii)                That a facilitated work planning event be arranged for August or early September to determine the major issues affecting all health partners and the York public and to subsequently deliver a prioritised work plan for the Committee for the remainder of the municipal year.

iv)                That Cllr Funnell be appointed to attend meetings of the Patient Experience Monitoring Group on behalf of the Committee.

REASON:                              In order for the Committee to carry out their duty to promote the health needs of the people they represent.