Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 27 March 2024.

RESOLVED that the minutes be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members received a presentation that provided an overview of Stockton on Tees’ Strategy, for giving every child the best start in life 2021 – 2025.

The Board noted that:

-           There would be an extension to the Speech, Language and Communications Needs pathway across Key Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 in response to the increased number of children being identified as having speech, language and communications needs as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan needs assessment

-           Future funding had been secured through Council SEND and Inclusion services with contributions from ICB

Key issues highlighted and discussed:

-           Covid restrictions had had a significant effect on young children’s socialising and communication skills, given the isolation from their peers and wider community.

-           Members agreed that 0-5 years was the most important time of development for children and speech and language support was key.

-           It would be essential that the strategy reached those in high levels of deprivation and the multi-agency approach would assist with this, as would engaging with families directly.

-           It was requested that ‘measuring impact’ data include details of wards, free school meals, families on benefits.  Officers would look into this as the school/setting entered information into the impact tracker.

RESOLVED that the presentation and discussion be noted and actioned as appropriate.

To follow

The Board considered a presentation that described the process that had been followed in developing a new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The new strategy would have 4 Key themes:-

-           All children and families have the best start in life

-           Everyone has a healthy standard of living

-           Everyone lives in healthy and sustainable places and communities

-           Everyone lives long and healthy lives

It was explained that, in order to deliver outcomes, a logic model approach had been used. Members were provided with brief details of the model, together with 6 questions being used to focus resources, at a strategic level.

Details of draft focus areas, across the 4 key themes, was provided, together with issues it would be important to bear in mind when drafting the new strategy.

Key issues highlighted and discussed:

-           Data would inform the Board in terms of progress and would give context, specific to the borough, including a narrative on what the data was, or may be, indicating. It was also requested that a traffic light system be used to identify areas of success and concern.

-           Suggested that the logic model should be simplified.

-           The Strategy would need to be flexible and open to change, should that prove necessary. The Strategy would be monitored by the Board.

RESOLVED that the presentation and discussion be noted and actioned as appropriate.

The Board considered the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health 2023/24.

The report detailed progress made 2023/24 and focused on health inequalities, which persisted.  To help address inequalities and improve health and wellbeing, a holistic, systematic, evidence based approach needed to be agreed and implemented across partners and communities and be embedded in strategy, policy, design, action, monitoring and evaluation.

Reference was made to the Population Intervention Triangle (PIT) model, which could be used to provide focus on actions at civic, community and services level, as well as the interface between these actions.

The Board noted proposals to undertake a co-produced self-assessment on the Borough’s current position and generate recommendations and actions.

RESOLVED that the update and presentations be noted and the proposals included be endorsed.

There were no Member Updates.

RESOLVED that the forward plan be noted.