Agenda item

This report sets out the current position on the membership of the Kent and Medway Joint Health and Wellbeing Board (Joint Board). The report asks the Joint Board to consider appointing additional voting and non-voting Members as recommended by each respective Health and Wellbeing Board on 18 February 2020 and 26 February 2020.

The report also asks the Joint Board to consider appointing non-voting Members as recommended by the Kent and Medway STP Non-Executive Oversight Group in response to changes in the health landscape across Kent and Medway; by Members at the pre-agenda meeting held on 3 June 2020 to ensure continuity as changes in the health system embed and by Members at the Development Session in September 2019 in recognition of the importance in strengthening relationships and engagement between Councils at all levels.

Discussion:

The Policy and Relationship Advisor (Health), Kent County Council introduced the report which set out the current position on the membership of the Joint Board and asked the Joint Board to consider appointing additional voting and non-voting Members as recommended by each respective Health and Wellbeing Boards and by the Kent and Medway STP Non-Executive Oversight Group.  The proposed changes, which were set out at Appendix 2, reflected changes to the NHS landscape.

The President of the Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) and Chairman of KALC’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee, provided a short presentation to the Joint Board on the work of KALC, both generally and in relation to health and wellbeing, one of KALC’s priority areas.

Members then raised a number of questions and comments, which included:

·       Six month rule – in response to a question about the impact of Covid-19 and Councillor attendance at meetings (which required Councillors to attend at least one meeting within a six month period), the KALC Chief Executive confirmed that they had sent advice and reminders to all member authorities about the six month rule and how to manage the issue in the context of the pandemic.

·       Liaison between local town and district councils and Kent County Council (KCC) – The KALC Chief Executive confirmed that KALC held regular meetings with KCC, particularly around highways, transport, community safety and the environment.  Area Committees were the focal point to engage with Medway and parish and town councils and 2 representatives from each of the 13 area committees sat on the KALC Executive Board.

·       Purpose of KALC’s inclusion on the Joint Board membership – it was confirmed that KALC wanted to work together in partnership with KCC and Medway Council on health and wellbeing issues.

Decision:

The Kent and Medway Joint Health and Wellbeing Board:

a)    noted the current position on membership of the Joint Board as set out in paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report.

b)    confirmed its agreement to:

·       the appointment of the Clinical Chair of single Kent and Medway CCG, as a voting member of the Joint Board, and

·       the appointment of the Senior Responsible Officer of the four Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) as non-voting members of the Joint Board noting that this will be reviewed when the ICPs are fully mobilised

as set out in paragraph 3.1 of the report.

c)    agreed to re-appoint Dr Robert Stewart in his capacity as the Clinical Design Director of the Design and Learning Centre for Clinical and Social Innovation as a non-voting member of the Joint Board.

d)    agreed to appoint the following non-voting members to the Joint Board:

·       the Kent and Medway CCG Governing Body Member, Dr Bob Bowes for a further year to support the Clinical Chair of the Kent and Medway CCG;

·       the Director of Strategy and Population Health, Kent and Medway CCG, Rachel Jones;

·       the Director of Health Improvement, Kent and Medway CCG, Caroline Selkirk;

·       the Chairman of the Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) Health and Wellbeing Advisory Committee, Councillor John Rivers, as the KALC (parish councillor) representative on the Joint Board.