Maidstone Borough Council
Community, Environment and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 13 January 2015
Review of the Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan 2014-2020
Report of: Sarah Shearsmith, Community Development Team Leader
Sarah Robson, Community Partnerships Manager
1. Introduction
1.1 In 2012, Kent County Council launched Mind the Gap. Mind the Gap is Kent’s Health Inequalities Action Plan which aims to improve health and wellbeing for everyone in Kent by narrowing the gap in health status between our richest and poorest communities. It provides a framework and tools to identify, analyse and evaluate actions that contribute to reducing health inequalities.
1.2 The Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan was developed following the transfer of public health responsibility to local authorities from the NHS. The action plan sets outs how partners will work together so that people will live longer in better health, and the variances in life expectancy in Maidstone will reduce.
1.3 There are 6 policy objectives embedded into the action plan based on the principles of the ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives’ written by Professor Sir Michael Marmot.
· Give every child the best start in life
· Enable all children, young people and adult to maximise their capabilities and have control over heir lives
· Create fair employment and good work for all
· Ensure a healthy standard of living for all
· Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities
· Strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention
1.4 Maidstone Health Inequalities Action plan was formally adopted by Maidstone Borough Council on 23 July 2014 and is monitored by Maidstone Health and Wellbeing Board.
2. Recommendations
2.1 The Committee and Chair note the progress to date of Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan as set out in Appendix A.
2.2 That there are no proposed revisions or additions to the Maidstone Health Inequalities Action as set out in Appendix B.
2.3 The Committee and Chair consider future revisions to the plan with the emerging Strategic Plan 2015-2020 priority ‘Encouraging Good Health and Wellbeing’.
2.4 The differences in the Maidstone Health Profiles are noted from 2013 to 2014 data, Appendix C.
3. Impact on Corporate Objectives
3.1 The remit of Health relates to all departments across Maidstone Borough Council and contributes to the delivery of all Strategic priorities: for Maidstone to have a growing economy; for Maidstone to be a decent place to live; and Corporate and Customer Excellence.
3.2 In addition, the Health Inequalities Action Plan supports the delivery of all three cross cutting objectives within the Borough Council’s Community Development Strategy: tackling disadvantage; reducing worklessness; and building stronger communities.
3.3 Following an internal review on the issue of disadvantage and having regard to the findings of the Marmot Review, Fair Society Healthy Lives, the Cabinet has determined to tackle disadvantage in the long-term through improving early years’ development. This will be achieved through giving every child the best possible start in life; maximising their capabilities; and creating fair employment and good work for all, the result of which will be to break the cycle of deprivation and disadvantage. This cannot be achieved overnight but the positive gains will have generational benefits.
3.4 There are no risks involved in considering a review of the Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan.
4. Appendices
4.1 Appendix A: Progress Report
An overview of the work completed since the implementation of the Health Inequalities Action Plan in July 2014 and identifying appropriate actions to continuing reducing the gap in health status within and between our communities.
4.2 Appendix B: Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan
The Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan is based on robust evidence and places Maidstone in a stronger position to reduce health inequalities within the Borough.
Much of the work the Council undertakes as a local authority directly or indirectly affects the health and wellbeing of our communities. The Maidstone Health Inequalities Action Plan is primarily delivered by the Community Partnerships and Development Team, however, other teams and services have a key role to play including:
· Community Safety
· Economic Development
· Environmental Enforcement
· Environmental Health
· Housing
· Parks and Leisure
· Planning and Development
· Revenues and Benefits
· Street Scene and Street Cleansing
4.3 Appendix C: Maidstone Health Profiles
The Health Profiles (produced by Public Health England) give a picture of people’s health in a local area. It is designed to help local government and health services understand their communities and need so that they can undertake work to improve people’s health and reduce health inequalities.
Priorities within Maidstone include improving sexual health, reducing obesity, improving mental health and wellbeing and reducing smoking prevalence.