Agenda item

Lincolnshire NHS Healthy Conversation 2019 - General Progress Update

(To receive a report from John Turner, Accountable Officer, Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Groups, which provides the Committee with a general update on Healthy Conversation 2019.  Charley Blyth, Director of Communications and Engagement, Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership will be in attendance for this item)

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting John Turner, Senior Responsible Officer, Lincolnshire Sustainability & Transformation Partnership (LSTP) and Charley Blyth, Director of Communications and Engagement LSTP.

 

The Senior Responsible Officer LSTP reminded the Committee that the Healthy Conversation 2019 campaign had gone live on 5 March 2019.  The Committee was advised that during March 2019 four engagement events had been held at Boston, Louth, Skegness and Grantham and that these events had been attended by 233 people.  Details of the main themes and issues raised at these events were shown on pages 20 and 21 of the report.  It was highlighted that a further five events were planned and that these would be held at Sleaford, Gainsborough, Lincoln, Stamford and Spalding (a schedule of dates for these meeting was shown on page 21 of the report).  It was highlighted that further waves of county-wide engagement activities were being planned, and that  details of these were still being finalised.

 

The Committee noted that in addition to the public events work was also on-going on with The People Partnership to help obtain the views of hard to reach groups.

 

Page 19 of the report provided the Committee with an info graphic which captured the volume of activity up to the end of April 2019.  It was highlighted that a monthly version of the information had been published on the website for the public to view.

 

Appendix A to the report provided details relating to the media coverage in the days following the 'Press Call'.

 

It was reported that a communication and engagement plan was in place as Healthy Conversation 2019 progressed into the autumn, which incorporated key learning from the first stage of activity.  This feedback included:  having more partners present at the engagement events, such as EMAS; promoting positive healthy lifestyle activities;  and the need to develop and promote good news stories which focussed more on the patient point of view.

 

In conclusion, the Committee noted that the Healthy Conversation 2019 so far had been successful and had been an effective platform, at which key stakeholders had been able to share feedback with Lincolnshire's NHS.

 

The Committee was advised that the priorities moving forward were:-

 

·         To ensure that the importance of prevention and self-care, community care, and mental health remained highlighted throughout the campaign;

·         To engage with a broader and deeper section of Lincolnshire's public to ensure delivery of a fully representative engagement piece; and

·         To provide evidence regarding the impact of public feedback upon continued transformation planning.

 

The Committee was advised that a further update would be provided later in the year.

 

During discussion, the Committee raised the following points:-

 

·         One member enquired how many people were in the engagement team and what their budget for the exercise was. The Committee was advised that there was no additional team, as skilled professionals within the organisation were giving their time to make the events happen; and that this was in addition to their day job.  It was noted further that staff with varied skill sets had also helped in delivery of the events;

·         The need to ensure that more was being done concerning prevention.  Reassurance was given that work was on-going;

·         How to persuade members of the public to turn up at the engagement events and have their say.  The Committee was advised that work was on-going with The People Partnership to help make contact with hard to reach groups.  There was also acceptance that some of the general public did not realise how important their feedback was as they were not currently users of the service.  Reassurance was given that the Communication team were looking at using different ways of getting the messages out to the wider public.  It was noted that some of the feedback from earlier events had been that people had really appreciated the opportunity to engage with staff and to feel that their views were being listen to; and it was hoped that this would continue.  There was an acknowledgment that there was more to do to improve participation and that all would be done that could be done to make sure that people were made more aware;

·         One member felt that the publishing of feedback should be left until the end of the engagement events.  The Committee was advised that publishing information on a weekly basis provided the public with a free flow of information, which was the intention of Healthy Conversation;

·         One member expressed disappointment to the lack of attendance by different nationalities at the recent event held in Grantham.  Confirmation was given that there had not been a big turnout, but reassurance was given that work was on-going to improve participation across all groups;

·         The need to take into consideration the impact of loneliness as part of wellbeing.  Reassurance was given that the issue of loneliness was being looked at as part of prevention and self-care; and that NHS partners and communities all had a role to play;

·         The need to ensure that the public realised the difference between engagement and pre-consultation; and to ensure that the public were aware that at this stage no final decisions had been made; and that there was an opportunity for the public to have influence locally.  Clarification was given that currently the engagement sessions were two way and that members of the public continued to experience it in that way; the engagement process provided the opportunity to build a relationship with the public by being open and listening to what they had to say.  It was noted that when the consultation process commenced, it would be made clear that this was different from the engagement process;

·         Some concern was expressed that there needed to be better information flow, as some messages that had been sent out had been out of context and had been contradictory.  It was highlighted that if issues were raised these would be included in the Question and Answer section of the website; so that communities received continuous feedback on items as they arose;

·         The need to ensure all partners would be included in the development of the preventative activities.  Reassurance was given that all partners had been involved and that there was a range of actions allocated to partners; and that these activities would be promoted to the general public; and that this work was continuing alongside the Healthy Conversation 2019;

·         One member suggested that the 'You Said, We Did' section of the Healthy Conversation website should be easier to find and that it should include responses to the issues and questions raised from the engagement exercise.  The Committee was reassured that the information had been uploaded and that officers had checked before attending the meeting.  The Committee was advised that in some instances a response had been required from a clinical expert, but reassurance was given that everyone had now received a response; and

·         A question was raised as to whether areas of concern raised by residents on pages 20 and 21 of the report had been responded to, as there was nowhere in the report which indicated that this had happened, or whether the responses were being tracked.  A request was made for the feedback information to be shared with the Committee.  The Committee was advised that this information was available and would be shared.

 

The Committee welcomed the update.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the progress made on delivering of the Healthy Conversation 2019 campaign be noted and that a further general update be received at the 18 September 2019 meeting.

 

2.    That a copy of the responses made to members of the public as part of the Healthy Conversation 2019 exercise, including how the comments made by the public are helping to shape future plans, be received by the Committee.

 

3.    That the Healthy Conversation 2019 website be improved so the 'You Said, We Did' section provides more information, as well as being made more accessible.

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