Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received by Councillors Dunn and E Giles (Chair).

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2023 as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2023 are approved as a correct record.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business to consider.

To consider and comment on the draft Sandwell Winter Booklet.

The Interim Director of Public Health presented a draft of the Sandwell Winter Booklet for 2023.  The Booklet aimed to provide residents with information on health and social care and what was on offer within the borough. 

Following the success of the 2022 Winter Booklet, which had focused on the cost of living crisis and promotion of the Warm Spaces, the 2023 booklet had been designed with NHS partners and focused on the NHS by providing residents with information to assist them to navigate the healthcare system and access care.  The ambition was to enable residents to have a directory of services and had been curated following feedback that some residents lacked knowledge of how to access appropriate medical services and support.

The booklet would be sent in October 2023 to all households in Sandwell, via post and would be available at warm spaces, community centres, places of worship and online in multiple languages.

Following questions from members, the following responses were provided:-

·      The final version would incorporate graphics, and would be presented in a magazine format with an index at the beginning which would make it more user friendly.

·      There had not been a formal, structured, evaluation of the 2022 Winter Booklet, however, anecdotal feedback suggested that it had been a success. There would however be a formal evaluation of the impact of the 2023 Booklet.

·      The booklet would contain information about mental health and wellbeing services in addition to physical health needs.

·      Whilst the environmental impacts of printing a booklet for every household in Sandwell were acknowledged, it was more accessible than an online-only alternative, particularly for those with low levels of computer literacy. In addition, it would reach all residents, whereas the website did not typically generate high volumes of traffic.

·      It was proposed that the Sandwell Herald could publicise the resources to ensure the Winter Booklet had the biggest possible reach.

·      The booklet would contain information on winter ailments and flu vaccinations if the vaccination programme details were available before the print deadline.

Members were asked to submit any further feedback on the Booklet to Public Health by 14 September 2023.

To consider and comment on the Public Health Prevention Towns Plan.

The Interim Director of Public Health outlined efforts to ensure that elected members, were aware of the vast array of health services and offers within the community provided by Public Health in Sandwell to enable them to better inform their constituents. 

The Board received the Public Health Town Plans for comment, which contained details of the public health offer for each of the six towns, including information on the sexual health, asylum seeker, substance use, mental health and alcohol service offers.

This was the first stage in a piece of work to increase impacts from Public Health services, review when needs were not being met by the services available, review whether the offer was equitable and whether those that needed the services most were receiving them. 

Members endorsed the efforts to create a document to better enable them to support members of the public.  It was felt that a condensed version of the document to include a full directory of services for the Borough would prove the most useful. 

To monitor progress on the Board’s recommendations.

The Board noted the status of actions and recommendations it had made.  Further updates would be reported to future meetings of the Board.

Standing item to consider the work programme of the Board and the Cabinet Forward Plan.

The Board received the Cabinet Forward Plan and noted its work programme for 2023/24.