Agenda item

(To receive a report by Andy Fox, Consultant in Public Health, which invites the Committee to consider the proposals for an extension for the Integrated Lifestyle Support Service, prior to consideration by the Executive on 5 March 2024. The views of the Committee will be passed on to the Executive as part of its consideration of the report)

Consideration was given to a report from Andy Fox, Consultant in Public Health, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on proposals for an extension to the Integrated Lifestyle Support Service as detailed in the Executive report at Appendix A, prior to consideration by the Executive at its meeting on 5 March 2024.

The Consultant in Public Health highlighted that Integrated Lifestyle Support was a key component of Lincolnshire’s developing Integrated Care System, to prevent ill-health, address inequalities, and reduce demand on health and care services.

It was highlighted that the Executive report sought authorization for an exception to the Council’s Contract Regulations for a 12-month extension to the Integrated Lifestyle Service contract plus three elements of additional delivery with the current provider until 30 June 2025.   It was noted that extending the contract would enable a robust commissioning process to take place, which would consider whether additional elements (Child & Family Weight Management, Falls Prevention, Employee Wellbeing) should be included in any future model.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised the following comments, which were not directly relevant to the proposal before the Executive on 5 March 2024, but were in relation to the development of the future contract that would be effective from 1 July 2025:

·       The Committee welcomed the inclusion of a pilot Child and Family Weight Management Service into the contract which started in July 2022, and would strongly support the development of this element continuing in the future contract, as supporting children to be healthy benefited the parents and the wider family also;

·       The Committee extended support to the retention of the self-referral route in the future contract, along with GP referrals.  It was felt that this should be linked to promotion on the website, and potentially be referring to the Wellbeing Service brand; and the importance of harnessing and developing the motivation of individuals accessing the services.  The Committee also saw the benefit of the contract review considering the treatment pathways in detail, and in future recognises the importance of rationalisation and flexibility.  This might be pilot services being included by contract variations, for example, NHS weight loss treatments; 

·       Existing service provision was offered in 19 locations, which the Committee supported.  A similar geographical distribution would be the Committee’s preference for the new contract.  Allied to this, was the importance of all activities offered by individuals and local organisations being held in local venues, for example village and community halls, as a means of supporting increased exercise and activity throughout the county.  It was noted that these recreational activities in turn provided social benefits and employment opportunities, and the Committee suggested that start-up funding should be explored;  

·       The Committee was mindful that extra funding could be very useful in supporting the development of services, justified by an evidence base which demonstrated that public health interventions were almost always cost saving.  It was noted that it was possible that there could be requirement for extra funding to be directed to public health activity, as part of the shift away from funding the treatment of historic NHS services to the funding of services supporting prevention;  

·       The Committee acknowledged the importance of the Employee Challenge, aimed at Lincolnshire County Council and associated NHS staff, as this modest investment was believed to be cost effective and value for money.  The Committee requested that consideration should be given to developing an offer for other employers in Lincolnshire, so that their staff could also benefit, say, through the Greater Lincolnshire Enterprise Partnership;

·       The Committee welcomed the deep-dive overview of the service, so that any gaps or overlaps with other providers could be examined;

·       The Committee requested additional information on the number of clients completing each pathway; number of self-referrals as a proportion of all referrals; and the number of unique clients.  This would be included in the Committee’s Statement to the Executive; and

·       The Committee supported the five recommendations to the Executive.

RESOLVED

1.      That unanimous support be given to the five recommendations as detailed in the Executive report on page 47 of the report pack.

2.      That the Committee’s comments as detailed above be passed to the Executive.