The Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday, 20 March 2024, to discuss a range of important public health matters. Key decisions included noting reports on the delivery of inequalities priorities, the substance misuse Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), and the annual public health report on mental health. The Board also received updates on Healthwatch Ealing's maternity project and care home strategy, and the Health and Wellbeing Board's work programme.

Healthwatch Ealing: Maternity Project and Care Home Strategy

Carleen Duffy from Healthwatch Ealing presented findings from two significant projects. The Maternity Project highlighted that while most women reported positive childbirth experiences, those with mixed or negative experiences felt unsupported postnatally, expressing a need for more appointments, financial assistance, information, and emotional support. Challenges faced by asylum seekers during pregnancy and childbirth were also detailed, including inadequate accommodation, loneliness, financial constraints, and language barriers. Recommendations included improved meal options, communal kitchens, emotional well-being check-ins, financial and itemised support, adequate language services, dedicated midwifery leads for asylum seekers, and better cooperation between the NHS and voluntary sector organisations.

The Care Home Strategy report detailed findings from Enter and View visits to eight care homes in Ealing. The visits observed service delivery and gathered feedback from residents, families, and staff. Key issues identified included capacity constraints, staff retention challenges, and the need for improved access to dental care and cultural sensitivity. Despite rating differences between Good and Requires Improvement homes, no major discrepancies in care quality were found, though specific areas for improvement were noted in the latter, such as staffing concerns, infection control, risk management, and activity provision. The committee discussed pressures on the NHS, the ambition to pay all care workers the living wage, and the need for cross-partner collaboration on the report's actions.

Delivery of Borough-Based Partnership (BBP) Inequalities Priorities

Anna Bryden, Director of Public Health, provided an update on the BBP's efforts to address inequalities, including the allocation of two funding opportunities. Ealing Cabinet committed £400,000 from the Public Health Grant for initiatives to reduce health inequalities. The first round of funding in May 2023 allocated £191,854 to four bids. A second round in October 2023 allocated the remaining £208,146 to two successful bids: a Trading Standards initiative targeting underage vapes and illicit tobacco, and an Alcohol Partnership Group addressing alcohol-related harm.

Izabella Gregory, Regulatory Services Operations Manager, elaborated on these bids, highlighting the significant impact of illicit tobacco and vapes on public health and organised crime. Neha Unadkat from NHS England explained the allocation of recurrent health inequality transformation (HIT) funding to bolster strategic capabilities in addressing health disparities. The report detailed promising results from Therapeutic Thinking initiatives in Ealing high schools, which showed a decrease in suspensions among priority minority ethnic groups, contrasting with an overall increase in suspensions across the borough. Other initiatives highlighted included training for nurseries on Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN), health check sessions in Southall, and School Readiness sessions for families. The Public Health Consultant's work in coordinating targeted engagement with Black British communities and issuing grants to organisations was also noted. The next steps for Healthy Ealing were outlined, focusing on improving access to services, upskilling the workforce, and organising events to reduce health and social inequalities, targeting communities such as asylum seekers, homeless individuals, and ethnic groups experiencing specific inequalities.

Substance Misuse Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

Anna Bryden introduced the final version of Ealing's JSNA chapter on drugs and alcohol. The assessment methodology involved quantitative and qualitative analysis of data, service user and staff engagement, service mapping, and a review of strategies and evidence. Consultations with service users, partners, and stakeholders were integral to informing the JSNA's recommendations and future service planning.

Annual Public Health Report on Mental Health

Rajwinder Hira, Public Health Senior Specialist, presented a visual report on mental health in Ealing. The report emphasised that mental health is a significant concern influenced by social determinants of health and highlighted the role of communities in promoting mental wellbeing, aligning with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The report was co-designed with a visual artist and a local community organisation, incorporating insights from the mental health JSNA and broader community engagement, particularly with underserved communities.

Health and Wellbeing Board Work Programme

Anna Bryden presented the Health and Wellbeing Board's work programme, outlining upcoming agenda items and strategic work.

Questions from Members of the Public

In response to public questions, the chair, Kerry Stevens, and Neha Unadkat confirmed that existing Careline service users would continue to receive the service, which would transfer to Harrow, and that additional support would be provided to those in shattered accommodation. They also confirmed that the council was implementing a new responder service and had put new systems in place to minimise backlogs and train staff on accessing the Careline service.

The next Health and Wellbeing Board meeting was scheduled for 8 May 2024.