The Sub-Committee received a draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-25 that had been refreshed and outlines the vision, priorities and action agreed by the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB) to improve the health, care and wellbeing of local communities and reduce health inequalities for all ages.  The questioning on the main points of the discussion on the Strategy may be summarised as follows.

The Sub-Committee:

v  Remarked that the consultation phase of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-25 had been launched on 16th April 2021 and noted that it is scheduled to last around eight weeks.

v  Expressed interest in looking further into the ‘safe social spaces’ ambition as set out in the draft Strategy 2021-25 so as to help shape the final strategy expected to be finalised in the summer of 2021.

v  Commented that it wished to see the consultation giving consideration what is being done to address residents’ concerns (i) following the murder investigations that are underway following fatal stabbings in Poplar and Canning Town; and (ii) in regard to addressing the high incidence anti-social behaviour in Tower Hamlets.

v  Remarked that the Board is working with partners across the borough, including the Council’s Public Realm team and housing associations, to reduce traffic levels and make the best use of local land/spaces. The Board wants to ensure that all residents are owning and using local open spaces to lead active, social lives – whatever their age, sex, ethnicity, health condition or locality.

v  Was informed that the Board will work with health, social care, and wider community services across Tower Hamlets to improve/create networks across organisations and improve visibility and proactive communications between services and those who need them most.  Therefore, the aim is that anyone needing help will know where to get help and they are supported to find the right help.  The Board will facilitate this by the creation of networks across organisations and improve visibility and proactive communications between partners services and those in greatest need of these services.

v  Noted that there have been dramatic improvements in air quality, especially for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). However, the Borough still has multiple pressures on health and wellbeing particularly for children and pensioners who have poverty rates 3-4 times above the national average and the highest rates of poverty in London; toxic air pollution; poor diet and limited activity.

v  Commented that there are multiple pressures on health and the toll from these pressures is dramatic, and particularly impacts girls and women in the Borough e.g. girls born in Tower Hamlets have just 56.6 years of healthy life expectancy, which is 7.3 years less than the England average. Whereas boys have 60.5 years of healthy life expectancy, which is 2.9 years below the England average.

v  Noted that organisations, resident groups, and community leaders have led impressive programmes to combat these issues. However, more needs to be done and the Covid pandemic has resulted in a recognition that the Council and its partners will not change health inequalities unless they work together with urgency.

v  Was pleased to note that many things thought previously impossible have been achieved in 2020/21 and especially when communities and organisations came together. When people needed food and medicines, volunteer groups across Tower Hamlets acted e.g. when a swift rollout of new programmes like vaccination, food support systems, helplines, local contact tracing, local services came together to deliver at pace or when certainty was needed on new rules, residents came together in forums like the Covid Community Champions to disseminate up to date information.

v  Commented that regarding any consultation on the Strategy should ensure that the patients and the public feel their engagement has made a difference.

v  Indicated that it is important that patients and the public receive feedback on how engagement activities have influenced the development of the Boards policy, priorities, and actions.

v  Engagement activities should be based on evidence of what works and therefore consideration should be given to the most appropriate methodology and medium for engaging the particular target group concerned. e.g. using social media can be very effective for some audiences, but not others.

v  Commented that there might be a need to identify funding to underpin the strategy 

v  Stressed that the success of any such activity needs to be evaluated and used to plan and develop future undertakings. Any evaluation should also actively involve the local grassroots organisations e.g. the Coriander Club, the Canal Club Community Garden, or the Tower Hamlets Food Partnership.

v  Where a person lives can also be a barrier to participation in any such engagement activity e.g. people living in residential homes, homeless people.  Access needs to be recognised as a fundamental principle of the process if everyone is going to take part on an equal basis. It is about ensuring that everyone has the same opportunity to take part in an activity fully, in the way that suits them best.

Include a note:

1. On learning from community driving change
2. Community asset list to be integrated and shared 
3. Inform each councillors of the strategy and encourage councillors to engage with community groups

As a result of a full and wide-ranging discussion on the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The Chair Moved and it was RESOLVED to:

1.    Thank all those attendees for their contributions to the discussions on the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

2.       Note that community groups should be widely engaged with and a timeline of engagement shared

3.       Review past outcomes of the 2019 Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee on “Improving health, environmental quality, economic and social outcomes through Housing Open Spaces"

4.       Note that violence reduction might be considered as part of the open space strategy 

5.       Request whether ‘Place’ might be considered as part of the open space strategy and that a full list of council and community assets be included as part of the overall review

6.    Agreed that these discussions will form the basis of the feedback to be submitted the Health and Well-Being Board; and

7.    Noted the presentation on ‘safe social spaces’ ambition of the draft Strategy 2021-25 and the initial actions linked to this ambition.