Issue - meetings

To approve the draft Health & Wellbeing Strategy for 2023-2027.

The Cabinet Member: Healthy, Safer & Stronger Communities and Partnerships presented the report of the Director: Health & Wellbeing.

The report introduced the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Telford & Wrekin for 2023-2027.  There had been unprecedented challenges during the previous three years faced by the Council and its partners but despite this there had been many improvements and innovations, including collaborative working which has strengthened the health and wellbeing offer.

Work to tackle the wider determinants of health, support for the cost of living crisis, homelessness and improving ‘start well, live well, age well’ would continue.  This would be achieved with strong preventative measures, a community centred approach and by tackling the causes of poor health, unhealthy weight and health care needs in order to reduce inequalities.

Further challenges were expected over the next five years which included continued recovery from the pandemic and the impact of the cost of living crisis.  The refresh of the strategy was an opportunity to re-frame ways of working through health and wellbeing partners, with particular focus on people who faced the greatest risk of poor health and disadvantage.

Cabinet Members noted the report and expressed that there was always more that could be done to improve statistics and this was supported by putting in place good health and wellbeing strategies.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat group welcomed the report and expressed that the open green spaces, local nature reserve and volunteering opportunities supported mental health in the Borough.  He asked that the Council encourage initiatives to generate income and join up with local medical practices to signpost events.

The Leader encouraged health partners to read the report as it set out the Council’s preventative agenda.  It also gave details of the leisure offer, green guarantee and volunteering opportunities.   He hoped this would bring forward funding and integration in order to create a stronger, healthier community.

RESOLVED – that

a)    the draft Health & Wellbeing Strategy for 2023-2027 be approved for publication; and

b)      the annual progress update on the implementation and impact of the Health & Wellbeing Strategy be agreed.