Issue - meetings

       Report of the Chief Executive.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Libraries, FM, and Operational Assets, presented a report seeking approval of expenditure of Public Health grant monies over £1m over the five year duration of the Public Health Services in Primary Care contract.

It was explained the contract covered sexual health contraception services and NHS Health Checks, which were statutory requirements, and smoking cessation services. Payment under the contract would be on delivery, meaning if the service did not delivery there would be a financial saving, and a greater cost if over delivering. However, these were considered to be low risk looking at past data and performance.

Cllr Gordon King, as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, welcomed the focus on preventative services. As Vice-Chairman of the Health Select Committee, he stated he had received a briefing from officers and the Cabinet Member, and had indicated further information should be sought for their November meeting regarding NHS Health Checks and safe accommodation funding.

Cllr Clare Cape supported the proposals in the report, and noted there are many other screening programmes to catch diseases at an early stage, and if promoting Health Checks they may be an opportunity to encourage people to undertake other checks.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was then,

Resolved:

That Cabinet approved:

1)    The commencement of a procurement process to commission these Public Health Services in Primary Care;

2)    Budget spend of up to £4,645,000 over the 5-year duration of the contract;

3)    To delegate authority to the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management, and Operational Assets to take all necessary steps to commission Public Health Services in Primary Care.

Reason

The current contract of these Public Health Services is due to expire 31 March 2024, therefore there is the need to recommission these services from 1 April 2024 to avoid any gap in service provision. This is of particular importance as these services have been paused at times during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There is a statutory responsibility for Public Health to provide NHS Health Checks and Sexual health contraception services through the Public Health Grant.

Approval of the spend of Public Health grant monies allows for these statutory Public Health services, as well as additional Public Health recommended services to be commissioned and delivered for Wiltshire residents.