Agenda item

To receive the Health & Wellbeing Board Strategy Quarterly Progress Report.

Members received the Quarterly Strategy Progress Report on the Health & Wellbeing Strategy, which was accompanied by a short presentation. The report provided an update against strategic priorities and was aligned with the wider performance framework. Members were advised that the report included case studies and highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges.

The Service Delivery Manager Health Improvement & Preventionsummarised the report, noting strong developments in the last quarter, particularly in relation to underserved groups. Members heard that targeted work had been undertaken to address health inequalities, with new insights emerging from consultation activity. This included a focus on healthy weight, where data had identified higher obesity levels among specific population groups, such as individuals with learning difficulties.

Members were informed that grant funding had been secured to support new initiatives, including the Get Yourself Active project, a training and education programme involving social workers and national partners. The Board welcomed the progress made in co-production with voluntary sector organisations and local residents playing a key role in shaping services. The Live Well and Family Hubs were noted as examples of successful community engagement.

In relation to integration, Members were updated on improved neighbourhood-level working, supported by newly established steering groups. Collaborative efforts with Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, SaTH and Shropshire Community Hospital Trust were highlighted as positive developments. The Board were advised that the area had been selected by Sport England as one of 53 sites participating in the Place Expansion Programme, a long-term initiative aimed at delivering strategic outcomes over a three to five year period.

Members heard that the resilience of the voluntary sector remained a concern, particularly in relation to long-term funding and capacity. While funding had been built into the Sport England bid, the need to maintain contracts and secure sustainable investment was emphasised. Integration and coordination across services was identified as a further challenge, especially in supporting individuals with multiple complex needs. Members were advised that scaling up preventative work would require additional resources and funding.

The Board noted that while the report celebrated progress and the shift towards care closer to home, there was a need to manage prioritisation and expectations in light of available data, resources and funding. Members were assured that data would continue to inform future work and that existing assets and resources available at local level would continue to be promoted and utilised in new ways. The Director of Public Health highlighted the strong collaborative work that took place between Shropshire Community Health Trust and the neighbourhood teams and suggested that the Board receive an update on the primary care healthy lifestyles offer at a future meeting.

Members noted increasing hospital admissions related to alcohol and drugs and asked about the future direction of integrated working. The Director for Public Health responded that ambitions were high, with strong engagement from Trust and Integrated Care Board (ICB) colleagues, citing the Telford & Wrekin Integrated Place Partnership (TWIPP) Accelerator Group as an example of collaborative leadership. The Board were advised that it was key that access to support for residents was seamless, regardless of the provider, and that funding resource grants could be a potential solution to this. The Chief Executive Officer for the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB noted that integration would vary depending on its impact on effectiveness and resident experience. He encouraged Members to view the 10-Year Plan as a mobiliser for existing work and stressed the importance of coordination and shared goals. He also raised the need for a broader conversation around financial sustainability and suggested TWIPP could support this. Members noted that grant funding was highly competitive, and resources were limited nationally. They acknowledged positive developments through TWIPP and the ICS, while recognising the scale of the challenge.

The Board noted the report and welcomed the progress made.