Aberdeenshire Health Inequalities Group

Friday 5 September 2014

Admin Block Meeting Room, InverurieHospital

Present: / Doug Milne (Chair)
Kim Penman
Tim Stephen
Alan Young
Susan Forbes
Linda Leighton Beck (VC)
Belinda May
George Rutten / Apologies: / Wayne Gault
No / ITEM / ACTION
1. / Welcome and Apologies
Doug welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies were received from Wayne Gault
2. / Minutes of Last Meeting
Amend to previous minute. Doug did not contact Maria Walker, Director of Education directly to discuss further service representation. Avril Nichol Spoke to Marie on Doug’s behalf.
Matters Arising
Influencing CPP Lead Partnership Groups
Doug in the process of arranging a date to meet with Chris White, Area Manager for Buchan and Chair of the Tackling Poverty and Inequalities Group.
Performance Indicators Update
Kim advised some work has been progressed in relation to health inequalities performance indicators. Linda LB and Kim met with colleagues from Health Intelligence and a consultant from Public Health to look at and agree how to proceed. Fred Nimmo, Statistical Information Officer, has been tasked with gathering a range of data in the first instance. Kim was not certain how quickly this data set would be available. It was also agreed at the meeting that we would not be changing the current SOA indicators until new ones were available. Linda advised that it would not be easy to encompass a single data set for both local authority and NHS. Kim will update the group when further information has been received. / KP
HIG Terms of Reference
Linda asked if she could add a paragraph on the public health vision into the terms of reference. Kim asked Linda to send to her and she would incorporate.
George and Alan advised they are looking at the development structure of the ALTA, and felt that it needed some high level input and asked the group if the HIG would support the outcomes of the ALTA from a strategic prospective. The group agreed to provide this support.
Amend to Alan’s job title from CVS Aberdeenshire Chief Officer to Aberdeenshire 3rd Sector Interface Officer.
3. / SOA Annual Report & Scrutiny Timetable
SOA Report
Kim advised that on behalf of the HIG she had contributed to the SOA annual report on health inequalities and children, which was submitted to the CPP Executive meeting. Feedback had been received regarding minor amends required on some data before being presented to the Scottish Government.
Overall the CPP is doing well. However, the health inequalities data indicators element isnot robust enough to be used in the long term.
The Group felt that the data could be more detailed to reflect a more accurate picture.
Scrutiny Timetable 2014-15
Kim circulate the rolling programme of scrutiny of the priorities set out in the SOA, and advised that the HIG is expected to provide a report on health inequalities and physical activity, detailing how we are supporting and improving outcomes for our priority areas by March 2015
Doug felt there is an opportunity for partners to come together to look at cross partnership actions on health inequalities, and will initiate conversations with the chairs of groups to see how this can be taken forward. / DM
4. / Annual Report for the Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland
Kim advised that there is a Scotland wide Child Poverty Strategy available,and its annual report was published in August 2014.
Kim advised that she is not aware of a clear over arching Strategy for Aberdeenshire focussed on child poverty. The Group acknowledge there is a lot of work being undertaken, but there is no collective response to this. Kim and Doug will meet to discuss. Doug will also discuss this with Ritchie Johnson.
Linda felt uneasy that this issue sits adrift from employment and wondered where the responsibility lay. She also felt that the groups involved in child poverty namely; Tackling Poverty and Inequalities, Employability, Financial Inclusion and Welfare focused on the 3 themes and a broader strategy on child poverty was needed. Attendees agreed that it was necessary forall lead partners link up with the aim of tackling child poverty. Kim and Doug will meet with Annette Johnson and Chris White from the TP & I Strategy Group to progress. / KP/DM
DM/KP
5. / Delivering Outcomes
Tim advised that a draft job specification for the post of Leisure Services Officer has been compiled and the funds, which were procured from an under spend of the sports budget; will be considered at an Education and Children’s Service DMT meeting on 16 September. An initial discussion on whether the funds will be approved has gained positive feed back. This post will help to drive the physical activity priority on behalf of the HIG.
Kim reported that a Principal Health Improvement Officer post for Community Planning has been approved, and she is in the process of gathering the relevant paperwork for the recruitment process. This post will work in partnership with the Leisure Officer post to progress the physical activity agenda.
Doug suggested that he ask Ritchie to contact the ELL Director to try and push this forward. / TS
KP
DM
6. / HIG Next Steps and Agreed Actions
Doug welcomed Mary Colvin, Physical Activity Improvement Advisorfrom the Scottish Government to the meeting and thanked her for taking the time to offer her support and advice to the Aberdeenshire HIG.
Mary advised that she had been seconded on to the post from NHS Tayside to look at improving physical activity, andgave the group a snapshot of the work she has previously been involved in. Mary has direct experience of public health and was a physical activity programme manager. Mary advised that her post would be looking at how communities empower themselves,and what that would entail. Mary is using collaborative improvement methodology with local partners across Scotland, to undertake test of change to increase physical activity levels.
Mary circulated the Physical Activity Implementation Plan, which was launched in February 2014, setting out actions under 5 themes; Environment, Workplace, Education, Health and Social Care and Sport and Active Recreation, which supports the vision of gettingScotland’s people more active.
Mary also shared a driver diagram, which needs refining but gives good ideas. Mary gave an example of a primary driver being initiated in NHS Highland.They are working with Glasgow School of Art to find creative ways to gather information from Communities to encourage more physical activity.
Mary stressed that we need all partners to work together to influence change, which will need to involve transport, workforce, local authorities etc. Mary advised that the SG will be providing support to Active Scotland Division Team to achieve change at a local level.
George stressed that to encourage people to become more active we would require stealth in relation to physical activity.
Linda thanked Mary for the update and highlighted that it would be necessary for employers to be proactive if they are to build physical activity into the working day, ensuring there is provision for showering and changing facilities etc. Mary advised this was set out in the HPHS, which encourages medical and nursing directors to look into NHS attaining exemplary work places. Doug advised Aberdeenshire already has a Wellbeing Team looking at this.
The Group discussed the issue with older people not being active enough. Alan advised there is a lot of work going on in Garioch for older people, for example, tea dances, gardening sessions, sitting exercises and also looking at a whole holistic approach to make a difference. Areas where older people are active is producing results, but there are still gaps. Mary offered emphasised that communities need to decide what works; this can involve an element of trial and error.
Doug reported that there is a lot going on across all sectors including voluntary. For example, the new swimming pool in Fraserburgh has been hugely successful. Work being carried out in transport with the implementation of new cycle lanes.
All this will be discussed at the Physical Activity Workshop that the group is in the process of setting up. Belinda offered to help Susan with this and Mary offered to attend the workshop to talk about what we are trying to accomplish and how we measure this. Mary also offered to provide training for the new post if required.
Linda asked our LA colleagues where we were with delivering Physical Education. Tim advised that we are reaching our targets and that we have a curriculum based Youth Sports Strategy, which schools and young people had input into.
Doug advised that school inspectors concentrate on one theme across Scotland, which worked very well in helping reflect what was working. Head teachers are trying to work collaboratively with services outwith the curriculum. For example, there is difficulty encouraging 14 and 15 year old girls to take part in group sporting activities, but they were happy to attend aerobics, dance classes etc on an individual basis.
Tim advised there will be clearer direction after the referendum when the National Strategic Group, Chaired by Shona Robinson meets to discuss how Government will support Local Authorities to deliver PA. There was also a discussion around tax payers may not be happy using taxes to support PA.
Kim felt that there is a need for ongoing support and guidance so that we can have a clearer joint vision, and we need to share our understanding of health inequalities; modules of good practice would help with this. Kim asked Mary to share any information available.
Doug advised working with partners within the community can be of great success as the NHS, LA, Private Sector and Sports Scotland all contributed to a 1.2 million sports facility in Alford, which for a relatively small amount of money, brought the community together.
Next Steps
Belinda and Susan to meet to organise the workshop.
Contact Chairs of Partnerships – Document to be produced setting out what is required. The Group agreed that the Terms of Reference should be adequate for the purpose.
Linda advised we needed to engage with Groups and to look atwhat tools/methodology we could use. For example, the Health Impact Assessment Tool. Susan advised that she has met with key officers in the community and local authority, and has gained approval to use this tool within Aberdeenshire Council Services, and thought that we should be looking to expand its use with our community planning partners in the long term. / BM/SF
7. / Scotland Becoming a Good Food Nation
Kim circulated a respondent information form for Scotland’s National Food and Drink Policy, which the CPP have been asked to respond to, and did they think it was appropriate for the HIG to undertake as a group. Doug felt we needed to focus on health inequalities, but was happy to adopt if members agreed. The group agreed to look at the consultation document and submit comments If appropriate for a collective HIG response. / KP to circulate document
8. / DONM
Admin Block Meeting Room, Inverurie
7 November 2014
10.00-12.00am
9. / Meeting Dates for 2015
9 January
6 March
1 May
3 July
4 September
6 November
All 10.00am – 12.00pm
Admin Block Meeting Room, InverurieHospital

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