Agenda item

5.1

Maddy Desforges attended the meeting and presented the report which presented the findings of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy engagement work undertaken by Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS) andHealthwatch.

5.2

The engagement work had listened to the views of citizens on health and wellbeing.  There had been a focus on seldom heard voices.  The engagement had been carried out where people congregated, including the Beach and the Moor Market.  Three key questions were asked at the feedback events.  There were:

·         What do you love most about Sheffield?

·         What don’t you like?

·         What would you change?

5.3

Maddy Desforges informed the Board that items such as dying well did not feature much in the feedback, but people were concerned about public transport, getting about and access to open spaces, rather than the availability of good quality open space.

5.4

George Lindars-Hammond stated that he was glad that people were talking widely about things and asked whether there were any areas where Healthwatch would like to engage in a different way.  Maddy Desforges said that it would be helpful to engage the community before the next strategy was written, which would help inform the direction of the strategy.

5.5

There were concerns regarding the effect of austerity on cohesion and resilience.  Physical green spaces were good for health and wellbeing, but activities in those spaces had been cut.

5.6

Judy Robinson noted that people sometimes got lost in the system and Healthwatch tried to help them navigate through it.  It had been agreed that Healthwatch would provide quarterly qualitative feedback.

5.7

Councillor Jackie Drayton said that although funding had been cut to outside activities, the Council was not very good at communicating what was actually being carried out.  The community sector was making use of the spaces, but more information needed to be available to the public.

5.8

RESOLVED: That, (1) in considering the questions set out in the report in relation to the Healthwatch Strategy Engagement Report, the Board’s answers be as follows:

1.    What are your reflections on feedback to date? As detailed above.

2.    How can the engagement report and findings best be used to shape the next phase of work on the strategy?  Specifically within that;

-       To inform planned workshops. To be determined by individual bodies.

-       To link back into the next phase of the engagement work to inform/refine the approach.  To be determined by individual bodies.

3.    Are there specific next steps the board would like to see in terms of engagement? Look at adult mental health and public transport.

4.    How will the Board respond to the challenge where key messages don’t align with the ambitions as described in the strategy? The Strategy should be fluid and responsive to changes in public ambition.

(2) the information and intelligence gathered is actively used within the next phase of the Strategy development including proactive communications,

(3) the report is used to inform the discussion and action within the upcoming workshops, and;

(4) the Board notes and reflects on the findings, particularly where the key findings don’t align directly to the ambitions as described in the strategy.