The meeting focused on the appointment of new leadership roles, the Skimped Hill development, and updates on health and wellbeing strategies. The Skimped Hill development and the health and wellbeing strategy updates were the most significant topics discussed.

Skimped Hill Development

The new Bracknell Forest Centre for Health is being developed to address population growth and the need for integrated healthcare services in the area. Jane Worley Batty presented the project, highlighting the limitations of the current Skimped Hill Health Centre and the benefits of the new development. The new centre will include primary care, community services by Berkshire Healthcare Trust, and maternity services by Frimley. The project is expected to start in August 2024 and be completed by March 2025. The development will use a modular build approach to speed up construction and minimize noise. Concerns about transport and access were raised, and it was noted that parking management is already being addressed.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Update

Hema provided an update on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, focusing on priority three: social isolation. The strategy involves multi-agency collaboration and has seen good progress despite changes in primary care and the Integrated Care Board (ICB). The suicide prevention toolkit has been delayed but is expected next year. Philip Bell from Involve discussed efforts to target social isolation, including the development of friendship tables and the success of the community map, which has grown by 10 assets in the last quarter. Emma Presley presented findings from a survey on social prescribing, noting that motivation and social anxiety are significant barriers to engagement. Training for volunteers and social prescribers is planned to address these issues.

Review of Bracknell Forest Health and Wellbeing Physical Activity Service

Katja Mileva from London South Bank University presented the evaluation of the Bracknell Forest Health and Wellbeing Physical Activity Service. The service, delivered by Everyone Active, aimed to improve physical activity among residents with long-term conditions. The evaluation found that while the service was well-received, engagement and retention were challenges. Recommendations included better marketing, improved referral pathways, and more diverse activity options. The evaluation also highlighted the importance of the health and wellbeing coach in supporting participants.

Briefing on the New ICB Structure

Nicola Airey provided an update on the new ICB structure. She will now be responsible for all five places, with Martha Early appointed as the Associate Director for Bracknell Forest and other Berkshire areas. The governance structure is still being finalized, and a workshop is planned for July to discuss this further.

Other Business

No other significant business was discussed. The next meeting is scheduled for September.