Agenda item

A report for discussion and approval, setting out recommendations for different organisations and the Care Collaborative.

Michael Maddocks and Rosie Fforde introduced a report outlining the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) relating to Healthy Ageing.  The assessment sought to analyse the current and future wellbeing needs of the older adult population to inform the commissioning of health, wellbeing and care services.

The presentation included a lot of information and data related to healthy ageing and gave an overview of the following:

·       What is a JSNA – purpose, responsibilities and approach;

·       Why healthy ageing – local rationale and national context;

·       Approach to JSNA – Definitions, scope and engagement;

·       Key points – Strategic implications from JSNA;

·       Recommendations – for Health and Wellbeing Board and from JSNA; and

·       Next steps – Publication and dissemination.

Officers explained how older adults made up a growing part of the population and tended to have more health and care needs.  An overview of the national context was given with the Healthy Ageing Consensus Statement from 2019 alongside the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2023.

Rosie Fforde outlined the engagement tools utilised to gather the views of residents including story circles, focus group style sessions and a County wide survey.  Key points from the JSNA concluded the presentation, with prevention highlighted as an important thread, to improve quality of life, reduce inequalities and ensure the sustainability of services.

A number of queries were raised by Members of the Board and responded to by officers as summarised below.

Councillor Humphreys enquired about the incontinence service which she had been fighting for years for and supported the comments made about changing attitudes towards ageing as many older residents were working in the community volunteering.

Russell Hardy highlighted that by 2035 there would be more people over 65 than in the working population.  He proposed that by working together, organisations could make Warwickshire the easiest place to volunteer, providing benefits to the individuals and as part of the economy.

Councillor Roodhouse welcomed the vision of friendly ageing communities and referred to some good examples in other parts of the country.  He encouraged coalition of strategies to ensure they delivered strong outputs and fed into one another.

Councillor Bell acknowledged that this issue had been discussed for a number of years and was now being lived in real time.  She asked the ICB if there was any news on the incontinence information being brought forwards.  In response, Danielle Oum agreed to take this away and report back as she was not sure how far along the work was.

Rosie Fforde agreed that volunteering should be recognised and this had been included in the 25 recommendations being put forward, along with encouraging age friendly employers.  In response to Councillor Roodhouse, she referred the meeting to the next steps to move the work forwards and assured that many conversations would be taking place.

Chris Bain of Healthwatch welcomed the JSNA and referred to his previous work with Age Concern England.  He reiterated that the response to ageing was not just about access to services but access to society.  He advised that studies had shown that people were at their most productive age between 60 and 70 years.  He encouraged everyone to work with older people to develop services and was keen to see how this would influence policies and practice moving forwards.

The Chair referred everyone to the recommendations for the Board, one of which was to explore becoming a signatory to the healthy ageing consensus.  She proposed that officers explore this and report back with further details.

The Health and Wellbeing Board Resolved that

1)    the findings and recommendations arising from the Healthy Ageing Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) are endorsed;

2)    the publication of the Healthy Ageing JSNA is approved and supports its dissemination within member organisations; and

Encourages all member organisations to make use of and have regard to the Healthy Ageing JSNA in the exercise of their functions, including in the planning and commissioning of relevant services.