A new strategy which will shape improvements to local health and wellbeing has been agreed at a recent meeting of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet.
This strategy sets out some of the big health challenges facing our area and is framed around three key areas for action over the coming years:
- Helping people to stay healthy
- Improving people’s quality of life
- Creating fairer life chances.
It follows a recent consultation period which saw local groups, organisations and residents give their views on the proposed priorities and their thoughts on local health and wellbeing. These responses have fed into the development of the strategy which is also being presented for agreement at full Council later in the year.
The Bath and North East Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board have had responsibility for developing the strategy, and will now be working to deliver the actions it sets out such as helping children to be a healthy weight and encouraging an enhanced quality of life for people with dementia.
Cllr Simon Allen (Lib-Dem, Radstock), Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “This is an exciting milestone for the Board and sets out our strategic intentions for the Bath & North East Somerset Council area. We’re now really keen to work together with local providers, groups and communities to translate this into action across the entire Council.”
The Health and Wellbeing Board brings together the Council (including Public Health), GPs, Healthwatch B&NES and NHS England. Board meetings and engagement sessions are held in public and anyone with an interest in local health and wellbeing issues is welcome to attend.
Further information on the Health and Wellbeing Board, including the strategy and meeting dates, can be found online at www.bathnes.gov.uk/health-wellbeing-board.
Details of the Council’s Cabinet meeting are available at http://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=122&MId=3649&Ver=4. You can also watch a recording of the webcast via the link www.bathnes.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/108314.
The Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy is expected to be considered at a meeting of the full Council in November.
