To receive a presentation from Maggie Moody, CEO, Community Solutions and discuss how the Health and Wellbeing Board can support/change ways of working.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Maggie Moody, Chief Executive Officer at Community Solutions who provided an overview of the work the charity is doing which focuses on improving people's health and wellbeing.
The Board noted that charity is committed to working in effective partnerships to make the most of collective resources, to have the greatest benefit for the communities most in need that Community Solutions serve and support. The Board were informed that referrals have increased each year since the pandemic with one year seeing a 37% increase. An example was provided for May in that 735 people were supported, 50% with social isolation, 46% mental health, 26% other significant health issues, 31% unemployment issues, 17% bereavement as well as others facing issues with substance misuse and other significant and challenging circumstances and the barriers, they face in accessing support. Community Solutions offer a 1:1 model and will support people for as long as they need as well as offering a diverse service and advocating on behalf of the members of the community.
Funding has been secured through the Hyndburn Way to set up a strategic group to enable more collaborative working to develop and secure new opportunities and fits in as part of the Community Action Network.
The request to the Board was that could it look at ensuring that each Borough/District in Lancashire had the equivalent of a Hyndburn Way?
Following the presentation, it was noted that:
· Approximately 75-80% of those people accessing support are from Hyndburn, however the telephone befriending service supports people from across Lancashire.
· Rossendale Connect is the equivalent of Hyndburn Way and it was commented that Burnley have something similar also.
· Hyndburn Way secured lottery funding for three years which will enable investment into how organisations can work together to ensure better commissioning and identify gaps in service provision across the Borough and come together as organisations to bridge the gaps and collectively work together to bring in new resources, contracts to support the work locally.
· Work is ongoing on a collaborative bid into suicide prevention.
· Hoarding is becoming a huge issue and a lot of research is being done around this and is something the County Council can link in with.
· A workshop was taking place on 8 September 2023 where all District Chief Executives would be present, and Louise Taylor, Executive Director for Health and Wellbeing, Lancashire County Council and Director of Health and Care Integration, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria agreed to share with them what is happening in terms of community work and how Districts can help with targeted support.
· The majority of Community Solutions funding comes from the National Lottery however, this is not guaranteed going forwards.
Resolved: i) That the Board noted the presentation and thanked Maggie Moody for her presentation.
ii) Louise Taylor, Executive Director for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing, Lancashire County Council and Director of Health and Care Integration, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria would share information on community work with the District Chief Executives at a workshop on 8 September 2023
iii) Louise Taylor, would liaise with Maggie Moody re the issue of hoarding.