Agenda item

Purpose: Where the Board is now and where it is going next.

(Appendix to the report attached will follow)

(The decision was taken to discuss item 8 before item 7 on the agenda, due to the references to the performance framework under item 8)

Rachael Wardell updated the Health and Wellbeing Board on the development session that took place on 30^th April 2014 and was facilitated by the Local Government Association (LGA). The main body of the report that was circulated with the agenda ‘The West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board – Three Years On – A Review’ (on page 25) formed the basis for the development session. It reviewed the progress that had been made over the past three years, drawing on national research conducted by the Kings Fund.

The report reflected on the West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board’s position in comparison to other Health and Wellbeing Boards nationally. It found that the West Berkshire Board was in a similar position to that of many Boards nationally and was still on a journey. 

Rachael Wardell reported that the report had been written with the expectation that the Board would move to an Executive Decision Making Model.

An addendum update report had been circulated following the Board’s development session on 30^th April with a purpose of summarising the debate and to agree the next steps. The update report highlighted what had been identified as going well and what had gone less well.

Using the King’s Fund three scenarios, the conclusion reached at the development session was that the West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board should be positioned between options one (continue on the current trajectory) and three (an executive decision making body).  Ambitions should move the Board towards option three, without damaging what had been developed so far.

Rachael Wardell asked if the Board were in agreement with the next steps outlined in the update report.

Councillor Graham Pask commended the development session and stated that it had been a very useful event. The West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board had been set up with the best intentions and the way forward for the West Berkshire Board was what was important. It needed to be an executive decision making board. It was acknowledged that there had been predominant emphasis on health to date however, wellbeing required further focus. Councillor Pask stated that the Board also needed consider how it should move forward with regards to other bodies such as the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). Some places in the country had merged their Health and Wellbeing Board and LSPs. The question of whether this approach diluted issues needed to be asked and this needed further discussion with a certain degree of urgency.

Adrian Barker stated that one option that had only been lightly touched on was an option for the Board outside the King’s Fund three scenarios. This could involve the Board being strategic without an executive decision making power. This as an option had not yet been discussed.

Adrian Barker stated that he was hopeful that Healthwatch could be involved in the proposed Management Group that would be set up to support the Board, if the next steps outlined in the report were approved.

Adrian Barker stated that it was felt by Healthwatch that there was generally more scope to involve the public in general. There was opportunity to involve a wider group of stakeholders in the Board however, this did not necessarily mean having a large amount of people sat around the table and alternative approaches needed to be explored. Adrian Barker stated that the format and style of Board meetings needed further thought as it currently functioned as a traditional Council meeting. He also suggested the use of task and finish groups. Finally Adrian Barker suggested that the Board did not always need to meet in the Council Chamber at Market Street and could meet in different locations.

The Board were in support of the next steps detailed in section three of the addendum report subject to the membership of the Management Group being reviewed to include Healthwatch.

RESOLVED that the Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed the next steps included within section three of the addendum report, subject to the membership of the Management Group being reviewed.

Rachael Wardell reiterated words stated by the facilitator at the development session, that the key to partnership working was about what partners were willing to give up in order to stay at the table. Councillor Pask supported this view and stressed that partners must not operate in silos.