The Future of Public Health in Merton
21st March 2.00 to 4.00 pm
Main Hall, Chaucer Centre
Context
The meeting was organised at the request of the Merton Clinical Commissioning Group, with the aim of bringing together public health professionals, GPs and commissioning groups, PCT and local authority leads and voluntary and community organisations to discuss the proposals in the Public Health white paper. The meeting provided an opportunity to begin a dialogue on the future of public health services, building on strong partnership work in the borough. It was attended by approximately 100 people from a range of agencies. A list of attendees is included in the appendix.
- Welcome from the Chair
Councillor Linda Kirby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked MVSC for organising it. Linda also welcomed Dr Val Day, who has recently taken up the post of Interim Director of Public Health at NHS Sutton and Merton.
- Healthy Lives Healthy People
Val Day introduced herself and spoke briefly about her role. Julia Groom, Joint Consultant in Public Health, then gave a presentation on the main proposals in the Public Health white paper and what they might mean for Merton. A copy of the presentation is can be found by clicking here.
Questions to Julia and Val covered the following areas:
- How commissioning decisions are made and the importance of a strong evidence base.
- How to encourage people to register with a GP.
- The difficulty in defining which services are the responsibility of the council and which come under the NHS.
- How to ensure all are aware that the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)is available online ( and the importance of maximising its use.
- How the inclusion of mental health services in the public health proposals is welcomed.
- Local perspectives
Simon Williams, LBM Director of Community and Housing
Simon highlighted the following key points in relation to the council’s perspective on public health:
- The importance placed in the Community Plan of bridging the gap in terms of health inequalities.
- The partnership structures already in place, including the Healthier Citizens Thematic Partnership and the Healthy Living Delivery Group.
- The high quality services already in place, such as the stop smoking service.
- The JSNA being made widely available for all partners to use.
- A fantastic local voluntary sector at the forefront of partnership working, as reflected in the numerous Compact awards.
- Specific areas of work, e.g. the Aging Well strategy and Celebrating Age festival, the Happy Soul festival and work with learning disabled people.
- Investment in early intervention and prevention has been maintained, despite less money being available for adult services,
Dr Carrie Chill, GP and Joint Chair of the Merton Clinical Commissioning Group
Carrie gave a presentation on recent developments in setting up the Federation GP Commissioning Consortium. A copy of the presentation is can be found by clicking here.
Dave Hobday, MVSC Head of Community Engagement and Partnerships
Dave gave a brief presentation, also emphasising the strong partnership working in the borough and the role played by the voluntary sector in delivering public health services and in its ability to reach local communities.
- Working together to improve Public Health in Merton
Ten round table discussions took placeto look at the following questions:
- What do we do well already?
- What could we do differently?
Discussions are summarised as follows:
What do we do well already?
Partnerships
The overall approach and commitment to partnerships from a range of local agencies (NHS, council, voluntary sector, police). Strong relationships already exist and new relationships are being built, e,g, with GPs. This provides a strong basis for joint delivery of services.
Evidence base
A number of points mentioned how the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) provides a strong evidence base and mechanism for sharing information, and how information is used to underpin commissioning processes.
Voluntary sector
The role of the voluntary sector in deliveringearly intervention and prevention services and providing opportunities for engagementwas highlighted. Other points referred to the extent of collaborative working between organisations and the sectors ability to act as a strong voice for local communities.
Public Health Services
A range of services were identified as being delivered well, including work on unwanted pregnancy, substance misuse, collaborative work on domestic violence and targeted support to migrant communities, people with learning disabilities and mental health service users.
NHS care
Other comments pointed to good local health services, from primary care to improved accident and emergency services at St Georges hospital.
What could we do differently?
Communication
A number of different points were made about the opportunity to improve communication and access to information in the borough. These included the need for better information for patients, service users and carers on healthy living information and access to services, and for this to be easily available for everyone working in this field.
Working together
Comments highlighted the opportunity to further develop collaborative working. These ranged from the strategic level - setting joint outcomes for the council, GP commissioners and the voluntary sector - to opportunities for developing and delivering joint services. There were a number of points about greater participating and collaboration in setting priorities, identifying gaps and planning service provision and in sharing evidence on what works.
The role of the voluntary sector
A number of points reflected on how the sector could play a greater role in public health. These included developing relationships, e.g. between the sector and GPs, and a greater understanding of the role and contribution of the sector, especially smaller community groups. The sector’s role in reaching communities could also be harnessed, e.g. in promoting GP registration. The need for greater flexibility in commissioning and funding arrangements was also highlighted, in particular the value of grants as a mechanism for funding the sector.
Specific services
A number of comments highlighted specific areas of service delivery, especially mental health services and support for carers, end of life care, stroke services and support for people discharged from hospital.
Wider health service changes
Some of the discussions were wider than the Public Health agenda, especially in looking at the changes proposed in the Health and Social Care bill and the move to commissioning by GP consortia. There were a number of views concerning community involvement in, and greater awareness of,the development of GP commissioning.
Public Healthcommissioning
There were comments on the need for a smooth transition process in relation to the public health proposals and GP commissioning. It was also noted that the holistic nature of public health, encompassing the whole life experience, presents a challenge to everyone involved in this area.
- Next Steps
Linda closed the meeting, noting that it had provided a valuable start to a dialogue on the future of public health which can be taken forward through partnership structures. Linda thanked all of the speakers and the attendees. MVSC will produce a report of the meeting which will be made available via Merton Connected.
Attendance list
Linda Kirby LBM - Cabinet Member for Adult Services
Stan AndersonLBM - Councillor
Margaret BrierlyLBM - Councillor
Suzanne EvansLBM - Councillor
Jeff HannaLBM - Councillor
Logie LohendranLBM - Councillor
John SargeantLBM - Councillor
Peter SouthgateLBM - Councillor
Kris WitheringtonLBM - Chief Executives
Mark ClarkLBM - Children, Schools and Families
Joyce HarvieLBM - Children, Schools and Families
Allison JonesLBM - Children, Schools and Families
Keith ShipmanLBM - Children, Schools and Families
Leanne WallderLBM - Children, Schools and Families
Helen CookLBM - Community and Housing
Simon Williams LBM - Community and Housing
Steve NottageLBM - Environment & Regeneration
Julia Groom NHS Sutton and Merton / LBM
Adam HurdConcordia Health Limited
Caroline ChillMerton Clinical Commissioning Group
Mike LaineMerton Clinical Commissioning Group
Robert WelchmanNelson Community Reference Group
Jatinder BhuhiNHS Sutton and Merton
Catherine CroucherNHS Sutton and Merton
Val DayNHS Sutton and Merton
Tessa GilsonNHS Sutton and Merton
Penny TaylorNHS Sutton and Merton
Sue TreeNHS Sutton and Merton
Gabby WaltersNHS Sutton and Merton
Athena EvansWilson Health Centre
Paul HarveyWilson Health Centre
Amanda DibblinWilson Hospital
Jim CookMetropolitan Police Service
Tim Sargeant Merton Priory Homes
Lynne BainbridgeAge Concern Merton
Chris WaltonCardiac Exercise Club
Sue BatleyCarers Support Merton
Maggie WooChinese Cultural Group
Naomi MartinCommonside Community Development Trust
Simon BirdCommunity Drugs Service for South London
David PinderFanon Resource Centre
John VanekImagine
Pam ByfieldJigsaw 4 u
Andrew WakefieldMerton Chamber of Commerce
Steve CoxMerton Citizens Advice Bureau
Fitzroy DawsonMerton Community Transport
John StroverMerton Cricket Green Community and Heritage
Andrew WhittingtonMerton Mencap
Sheila KnightMerton Mind
Colin WillardMerton Mind
Myrtle AgutterMerton Seniors Forum
Jaime Walsh Merton Unity Network
Roy BenjaminMertonVision
Justin DennyMVSC
Chris Frost MVSC
Dave HobdayMVSC
Douglas GoldsackRETHINK
Daphne HusseinRETHINK
Laura JohnsonRETHINK
Ian PetherbridgeSt. Mark's Family Centre
Susan DehnelThe Royal Homes
Ros DavisTree Warden Group Merton
Beau FadahunsiVolunteer Centre Merton
Peter CarginWimbledon Film Club
Russell HumphreysWimbledon Guild
Jane PlattsWimbledon Guild
Andy RedfearnYMCA - London South West
Elena AgabulosCHCP - Domiciliary Care
Charmaine PereraCHCP - Domiciliary Care
Peter EvbotaOdyssey Options Team
Esther TaiwoOdyssey Options Team
Gill MuntonPohWER
Malik GulWandsworth Community Engagement Network
Frances Appleby
Christine Bickerstaff
Anita Cota
Elizabeth Dixon
Brian Hennessey
Nazir Malik
Margaret Nanson
Nick Pizey
Catriona Robertson
Duncan White