Agenda and minutes

The following substitutions were made:-

Councillor Pascall for Councillor Boone

Councillor Swindlehurst for Councillor Salt

Councillor Beswick for Councillor Edwards

·       Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

·       Other Interests

No interests were declared.

RESOLVED: The minutes of the previous meeting held on 27 September 2023 be approved.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

Gail Edwards – Strategic Delivery Manager, SCC and Jackie Brennan – Head of Development, Together Active provided the Panel with a presentation on Better Health Staffordshire. Topics covered included:-

-        An overview of Better Health Staffordshire

-        Key Headlines

-        Better Health Staffordshire’s Mission

-        Whole system approach to local causes of excess weight and inactivity

-        Causal Mapping

-        Focus for the Moorlands

o   Food and nutrition

o   Increased physical activity – Move More Moorlands

o   Built environment

-        Contacts

Members debated the impact of drugs and alcohol, the cost of living, mental health, targeted work at specific areas where the issues were most prevalent and access to services. The challenges around the marketing of the food and drinks industry and healthy school meals was also discussed.

It was suggested culture and arts had a social aspect and promoted positive behavioral changes and that there was a lack of sports facilities for girls.

The success of the activities provided at Biddulph Youth and Community Zone and funding to expand the services at the Centre was highlighted to the Panel.

Members would be kept up to date with a bid to enhance community work with schools.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the presentation be received;

2)    Details of the drug and alcohol service in Leek to be circulated to Cllr Atkins after the meeting;

3)    Panel to receive clarification of the Everyone Health Check service;

4)    Possibility of the Panel to receive epidemiology training from the County Council;

5)    A Better Health Staffordshire update to be received in 6 months.

The Chair updated the Panel on the recent meeting he had attended at the County Council at which representatives from the West Midlands Ambulance were present.

A recent incident that had occurred in relation to the lack of accessibility of a defibrillator in the Tean area was described by a member of the Panel.

Some members of the Panel were still of the opinion that the service provided by the WMAS in the Staffordshire Moorlands was unacceptable and that they has not received a satisfactory response to their complaints from the organisation. The Panel was advised that there was a proposal for an independent review of the WMAS.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the update be noted;

2)    For Councillor Flunder to notify Councillor L Swindlehurst of the issue relating to the defibrillator in Tean and to write to Councillor Pert, Chair of the Staffordshire Health & Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The following items were suggested by members as future items for the work programme:-

-        Support and funding for locally based voluntary groups

-        Further work on Dementia and request Approach Dementia Support to make a presentation to the Panel.

RESOLVED: That the Work Programme be agreed.