Agenda item

To receive a briefing on the Wiltshire Health Improvement Hub developments including the highlights of the service and its 10 year celebration, the key metrics from the last financial year and service developments working towards a smokefree generation.

The Chairman noted that the Health Select Committee had closely followed the development of different initiatives to support residents to improve their health outcomes and to mark 10 years of the service, Gemma Brinn (Public Health Consultant – Health Improvement) and Sally Maynard-Smith (Public Health Practitioner – Health Improvement SVC Lead) joined the meeting to share the progress of the service and the current work around smoking cessation.

Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling (Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities, Leisure and Libraries) highlighted that the Committee had requested this update and was happy to welcome Officers to give details of the work that had been carried out of the last 10 years.

Summarising the more detailed presentation included in the agenda pack, the following was highlighted:

·            The service had gone through several name and iterations over the last 10 years culminating in the Wiltshire Health Improvement Hub and specialises in behaviour change and helping Wiltshire residents make positive lifestyle changes;

·            The service was managed by 3 Public Health Practitioners and includes a team of Health Coaches and a Wellbeing admin team, and they provided 1-1 and group support on smoking cessation, emotional wellbeing and weight management;

·            There had been various milestones over the 10 years and changes made to adapt to current needs.  Since Covid there had been a shift in the way that the population has viewed health and emotional mental health and wellbeing and there was a refocus of the service to emotional wellbeing and personal resilience;

·            In 2021 there were funding streams available to Public Health teams including an obesity grant, so the team was expanded to support those with a high BMI to reduce their weight and work towards a better lifestyle;

·            There was then a restructure of the service and in 2022 there was a Healthy Mind pilot group programme launched, and E-cigarette pilot launched to help people attempt to stop smoking;

·            In 2023 a Group Stop smoking programme was launched with Apprentice Health Coaches being recruited.  In 2024 a Smokefree generation grant was received which led to a 4^th team being created dedicated to smoking cessation and this was a really successful piece of work;

·            Details of a client’s journey through the service were shared and the large proportion of those that wished to receive support would receive this either through 1-1 support or with a group programme;

·            Those with alcohol addiction are referred to the Connect or Turning Point services, but if it was not an addiction but the client wishing to manage their alcohol intake better, they would be supported through this service;

·            30% of clients were received through self-referral, 60% through primary care referrals and 10% with other referrals;

·            The number of clients supported in 1-1 sessions since the inception in 2018 had jumped significantly and there was an additional group of coaches recruited in one go.  During Covid there was a dip in those supported and the Health Coaches were allocated to activities.  Different ways of working were rolled out and see people virtually through Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp calls etc and that was a positive that the service became more flexible on how they could meet and work with clients;

·            The service was finding that there was now a greater need with an increase in the number of men using the service.  The ethnicity rates in the service data showed that there were manging to reach the other ethnic groups and work with them;

·            The Wiltshire Health Improvement Hub was now a well established service and there was continued use of the service by Wiltshire residents.  The SWAP Audit team had recently carried out an independent audit on the service which achieved the highest level of assurance stating that there was a sound system of governance, risk management and control with internal controls operating effectively and being consistently applied to support the objectives; and

·            A new Public Health Practitioner had been recruited to work with a team of Health Coaches with a smoke free focus.  The Health Needs Assessment would provide valuable data to inform on their smoking cessation offer and had included gathering feedback from Wiltshire residents to continue to further reduce smoking in Wiltshire.

The Committee asked questions about the smoking rates over time to help understand the impact of the service, the possible linking in with other groups e.g. One Chippenham pilot with Wessex Water, how well the service links up with social prescribing across Wiltshire and the impact of the Smoke Free generation initiative not going through legislation.

The Chairman thanked Officers for their presentation.

Resolved:

That the Select Committee  

1.          Note the progress of the service over the past 10 years.

2.          Receive information on the impact of the service going forward including an update on the Smokefree Generation programme in June/July 2025.