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MEETING ON 16 MARCH 2001 AT HALTON
REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATOR
1. Matter for Consideration:
To report progress in building contacts with the North West Development Agency.
2. Introduction:
One of the key tasks of Social Services North West during this year has been to raise the profile of the organisation not only amongst member authorities and within the social care field, but with other region-wide organisations with related tasks. At the last meeting, information was given about the North West Health Partnership which meets under the NWDA umbrella. An invitation had been received for Social Services North West to nominate a member to the Health Partnership.
3. Information:
3.1 The North West Health Partnership has until recently been chaired by Kath Reade, Chair of East Lancashire Health Authority, a member of the NWDA Board, and a former leader of Burnley Council. Membership is drawn from the NWDA itself, the NHS in the North West, the North West Regional Assembly, Government Office for the North West, the Health and Safety Executive, the North West TUC, the voluntary sector and others. Social Services is already represented by Ken Foote, Director of Social Services for Blackburn on behalf of ADSS North West Branch. It seemed appropriate however that the overall strength of Social Services on such a body should be more than one person, and that Social Services North West could properly contribute a member perspective to the Partnership's deliberations. Accordingly, the December meeting appointed the Deputy Chair, Councillor Brian Strett of Wigan, to represent Social Services North West on the Health Partnership.
3.2 The main task of the group to date has been to work on a Regional Health Investment Plan. This is particularly timely in view of the proposal in the NHS Plan that there will by 2002 be new single, integrated public health groups across NHS regional offices and government offices of the regions. These are intended to enable regeneration of regions to embrace health as well as the environment, transport and inward investment. It had been suggested that the North West Health Partnership could be the embryo of that group.
3.3 Councillor Strett attended his first meeting of the Group on 1 February 2001 and the minutes of that meeting are attached. They confirm the intention that the Partnership should become the embryo for the new single integrated public health group in the region. As a consequence, it was agreed that the Chair of the Group should be Professor John Ashton, Regional Director of Public Health, with Kath Reade as Deputy Chair. Work would however continue on the Regional Health Investment Plan.
3.4 Whilst membership of the new body will be extremely important, the fact that it is moving away from the NWDA prompts the question as to whether other appropriate links need making to the work of the NWDA itself. Workforce issues, such as those being addressed by the TOPSS Regional Training Forum, are an example of areas of common interest. It is suggested that officers of Social Services North West explore the issues further and report back to a future meeting.
4. Recommendations:
4.1 That the report, and the minutes of the meeting of the North West Health Partnership on 1 February 2001, be noted.
4.2 That officers investigate the possibility of further useful links with the NWDA and report back to a future meeting.
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