Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        Councillor Bialyk of Exeter City Council be appointed Chair of the Board for the next 12 months; and

(2)        Dr Virginia Pearson be appointed Deputy Chair of the Board for the next 12 months.

This was received from Gillian Champion.

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2017 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as correct.

Jo Yelland updated the Board on the background to Integrated Care Exeter and overview of one of the main programmes - Wellbeing Exeter. This programme had been developed over a two year period and aimed to support the development of more resilient and connected individuals and communities with a focus on early intervention and prevention. Wellbeing Exeter is one of around 100 programmes nationally using social prescribing to empower individuals to improve health by connecting to non-medical and community support services.  

Martha Wilkinson of the Devon Community Foundation spoke in detail about Wellbeing Exeter and its three components of:-

·         neighbourhood asset based community building;

·         person-centred, non-medical support (social prescribing); and

·         Informed with population data backed up with grassroots knowledge

Central to Wellbeing Exeter, were GP’s introducing people to community connectors who were co-ordinated by Exeter CVS, to offer alternatives to traditional services. It was estimated that between 20% to 30% of patients visiting a GP with medical concerns had underlying social problems. Through signposting and one-on-one work, Wellbeing Exeter was helping people improve their mental wellbeing, reduce loneliness, re-engage with their community and manage their own health.

Simultaneously, community buildersworking within communities, identifying social resources, helping communities to develop and providing a resource for community connectors. Since the inception of Wellbeing Exeter, there had been over 900 referrals, one of the highest in the country, with an average of 22 a week from nine practices with 70+ GP’s referring electronically with open referral criteria.

The New Devon CCG and Devon County Council funding had been extended until March 2018 with City Council funding for community building coming on line from September 2017 from CIL monies. There was an in principle agreement to expand across all Exeter practises with funding for a further two years and with potential to expand into Eastern Devon. ICE had been invited to give a presentation on Wellbeing Exeter at Public Health England national conference in October.

Responding to Board members, Jo Yelland and Martha Wilkinson explained further the process of data evaluation through GP practices and the future use of control areas. Positive results and evidence of potential savings would, it was hoped, lead to greater support from social investors. Social prescribing could benefit the wider system including lifelong learning, employment and reduction in benefits etc. Further liaison would take place with community based partners such as Active Devon, with physical activity a good example of social prescribing, potentially stopping visits to GP’s in the first place.

Dawn Rivers referred to examples of community projects run by community builders such as Britain in Bloom work including improvements to the St Thomas rail halt, community orchards and the Wonford planters group. Community builders provided the necessary “kick start” when individuals were not sure about how to get involved and access permissions and resources to make a difference in their community.

Julian Tagg reported that the Exeter City Football in the Community Trust would be re-branded as the City Community Trust (CCT) to embrace all organisations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Existing Terms of Reference and Membership attached for information.

Jo Yelland sought Members views on the way forward for the Exeter Health and Wellbeing Board, an Exeter City Council forum established in September 2013 as a re-fashioning of the former Social, Health and Inclusion Partnership (SHIP) to form a single Exeter Health and Wellbeing Board involving partners from a political, professional and voluntary perspective together with those representing users. 

As Wellbeing Exeter was now to be mainstreamed there was potential for a revised Board to become the new stewardship/governance body. Referring to the previous focus of the Board on specific projects, there was consensus that mental health should be elevated given its recognition in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and by the Police as an area of concern.

Matt Evans agreed a review would be timely and stated that the value and achievements of the Exeter Health and Wellbeing Board should not be overlooked. Active Devon worked across the whole of Devon and this forum, with positive, joined up intent from key local strategic organisation was a huge asset that did not exist in all areas.

The value of continued partnership involvement was recognised. 

RESOLVED that Jo Yelland would draft a discussion paper and facilitate a discussion on future options to the September Board meeting.

Matt Evans reported that, of the 113 nationally, the expression of interest (Eol) submitted by Exeter City Council was one of only 19 shortlisted Eol’s to progress to the second stage for potential selection as one of 10 Sport England pilots. The pilots would focus on achieving broader social outcomes by tackling inactivity at population level and reducing inequality in physical activity participation. The particular aims of the Exeter Eol were: reducing congestion through active travel; improving health and wellbeing in Exeter's lower socio-economic areas, and; wellbeing outcomes. The Exeter Eol included the wider Exeter area bringing in Cranbrook NHS Healthy Town initiative.

The Eol carried the full support of the Exeter Health and Wellbeing Board and other key local partners in the Greater Exeter area and their further support and input would no doubt be called upon as the Stage II bid was prepared for assessment in September.

12 September 2017

31 October 2017

30 January 2018

10 April 2018

10 July 2018

11 September 2018

Future meetings, commencing at 2.00pm, were scheduled for:-

12 September 2017

31 October 2017

30 January 2018

10 April 2018

10 July 2018

11 September 2018