Agenda item

Presentation of Director of Place / Head of Integrated Commissioning, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

The Director of Public Health, Amanda Healy gave and overview of the first meeting of the Healthier and Fairer Advisory Group, noting the work that had been built upon from the Prevention Board, and the work at a regional level to add value to what happened at place.  She explained that the Healthy and Fairer Advisory Group had been established as a whole system means of supporting the ICP aim of better health and wellbeing for all our people and communities.  It was explained the Advisory Group was jointly chaired by the ICB Executive Medical Director Neil O’Brien, and Chair of the Association of Directors of Public Health North East Network (Amanda Healy) and that the group drew its membership from a wide range of system partners across the health, care, public health, research, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) community, and that the Advisory Group reported into the ICB Executive.

The Director of Public Health noted the Advisory Group oversaw the delivery of a programme of work that encompasses prevention, healthcare inequalities, and the NHS contribution to social and economic inequalities. 

The Board were given an overview of the governance arrangements and workstream structure, with local Directors of Public Health heading up each workstream area and it was noted not to duplicate work, with the Health and Wellbeing being the statutory Board.  The Director of Public Health noted that at the first meeting of the Advisory Group there had been the usual first steps including agreement of terms of reference for the Advisory Group, the workstream groups, along with governance and reporting arrangements and declarations of interest.  She noted there had been an overview of the Healthy and Fairer programme that built upon an established history of collaboration across partners within the prevention agenda.  She explained there was a review of programme finances provided for delivery of the programme and discussion regarding long-term funding strategy.  She noted there had been a review of the NHS planning requirements and forthcoming submissions, including the ICB Joint Forward Plan.  It was added there had been updates from the three workstreams as they established their individual workplans.  Members noted the Advisory Group had also looked at the recent NHS Healthcare Inequalities stocktake submission and also the paper on vaccine inequalities programme, detailing projects across all North East and North Cumbria Local Authorities and ICB-wide projects.  It was noted the next meeting of the Advisory Group would be in April and the Health and Wellbeing Board would be kept up to date with regular updates, noting issues such as Mental Health and Suicide at a future meeting.

Councillor R Bell asked as regards the 30 percent savings for the ICB in the long term, noting he understood short-term savings are coming together, however, asked as regards any transition funding.  The Head of Integrated Commissioning noted that the target was for 2024/25 and noted that there had been a challenge in terms of waiting for things to happen then all the changes having ‘gone live’.  She noted that the ICB Chief Executive was working on a running cost exercise, looking at a longer term running model, with back office savings, for example no longer having 13 separate auditors and rationalisation of estates, could help yield savings rather than reducing staff, however, there would be some impact.  Councillor R Bell noted that it appeared to be as much a time challenge as it was a funding challenge. 

Dominic Gardner, Director of Operations, Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) noted that the report into governance at West Lane Hospital had been published, and a response from the TEWV had also been published as regards changes that would be made.  He noted how deeply sorry the Trust was and noted that updates would be provided as appropriate.

Resolved:

That the update presentations be noted.