Agenda and draft minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 July 2026 as a true and correct record of the proceedings and to be signed by the Chair.

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2026 were approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

There were no items on the agenda that required the exclusion of the press or members of the public.

This item is to consider an update in relation to the Physical Activity for Health (Sport England) Main Bid and Progress Update, as requested by the Health Select Commission during its 2 October 2025 meeting.

Additional background information which was shared during the June 2026 which included an update briefing, the Moving Rotherham Strategy 2026-2031 and the Moving Rotherham 2025/26 Evaluation.  This can be accessed via the following link:

10 June 2026 Health and Wellbeing Board Meeting Agenda

The Chair welcomed Gilly Brenner, Public Health Consultant and Carole Foster, Moving Rotherham Programme Manager to the meeting and invited them to introduce the presentation.

The Commission received a detailed update regarding the progression of the Physical Activity for Health programme and the development of the main funding bid to Sport England. Members were advised that the programme had previously been presented to the Commission during its developmental phase and had now progressed to the stage of preparing a main award bid. It was emphasised that the preceding year had deliberately been structured as a development and learning period, with the primary purpose being to build understanding, strengthen partnerships, test approaches and gather evidence to inform future delivery rather than to focus solely on implementation.

The Commission heard that the programme had been developed in recognition of the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity, which extended beyond improvements to health and wellbeing. Physical activity was described as contributing to independence, healthy ageing, community cohesion, economic participation and wider sustainability objectives. It was explained that the work had sought to build upon existing strengths within Rotherham, including its extensive network of community spaces, country parks, rivers, lakes, canals, trails and green spaces, as well as its established sporting heritage through facilities such as the New York Stadium and Herringthorpe Stadium. Reference was also made to the borough's strong network of community and voluntary sector organisations, established sports clubs, activity providers and strategic partners, including the Yorkshire Sport Foundation, the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine and Sport England.

Members were reminded that inequalities in physical activity participation remained significant and that opportunities to be active were not distributed equally across the population. Barriers included income, geography, poor health, disability, social circumstances and the design and safety of neighbourhoods, rather than a lack of motivation or personal choice. Consequently, the programme had focused on understanding how everyday movement could be embedded more effectively into daily life and how environmental and systemic barriers could be reduced.

During the development year, work had concentrated on establishing the foundations for a coordinated, place-based approach to physical activity. A range of pilot initiatives and engagement activities had been undertaken to strengthen partnerships, test innovative approaches and improve understanding of the needs of inactive and underserved communities. Training and development opportunities had been provided for partner organisations, particularly to improve understanding of inclusion and the needs of people with disabilities and learning disabilities. Extensive engagement work had been undertaken through Voluntary Action Rotherham and its partners to explore barriers to the use of community and green spaces. Additional engagement had been carried out by the Yorkshire Sport Foundation with local community organisations to gain insight into local circumstances and challenges.

Members noted that substantial consultation activity had also taken place with children and young people. Surveys had been conducted with parents of Key Stage 1 children, alongside direct engagement with Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 pupils. This had been undertaken to better understand levels of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

This item is to receive a joint update from NHS England, the ICB and Public Health in relation to changes to immunisation programme commissioning, and the work undertaken to encourage uptake and reduce health inequalities through vaccination in the borough.

The Chair welcomed Kathy Wakefield, Senior Programme and Commissioning Lead, North East and Yorkshire Office for Pan ICB Commissioning (OPIC), Laura Brown, Public Health Officer for Rotherham, North East and Yorkshire Office for Pan ICB Commissioning and Gilly Brenner, Public Health Consultant deputising in the absence of Denise Cornwall, Health Protection Principal to the meeting and invited them to introduce the presentation.

The Commission heard that to support the transition, a new Office for Pan-ICB Commissioning (OPIC) was being established. The role of OPIC would be to provide specialist commissioning support to Integrated Care Boards in fulfilling their responsibilities for national screening and immunisation programmes.

Members were advised that the North East and Yorkshire OPIC footprint would cover the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. It was explained that these arrangements aligned with the Government’s Ten-Year Health Plan and the wider objective of strengthening the role of Integrated Care Boards as strategic commissioners of health services. Officers reported that significant work was already underway to redesign operating models, strengthen governance arrangements and build closer working relationships with Integrated Care Board partners to ensure a smooth transition.

Members were informed that screening and immunisation represented only one component of OPIC’s responsibilities, but nevertheless constituted a substantial and complex programme of work. The Commission heard that responsibility covered a wide range of vaccination and screening programmes delivered across all age groups, from childhood immunisations through to adult vaccination programmes and cancer screening services. In addition to routine commissioning functions, officers advised that the team also played a key role in responding to outbreaks and public health incidents through multi-agency incident management arrangements involving the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), local authorities, Integrated Care Boards and healthcare providers.

The presentation highlighted the key commissioning priorities underpinning all immunisation and screening programmes. Members heard that improving uptake and coverage across vaccination and screening programmes remained a primary objective, alongside a strong focus on reducing health inequalities and narrowing the gap between areas, services and populations with the highest and lowest levels of uptake. These objectives informed both local and national commissioning plans and were central to the commissioning intentions for 2026/27.

The Commission was advised that a number of significant service developments were currently being implemented. These included the continued expansion of community pharmacy provision, which already delivered influenza (flu), Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and childhood flu vaccinations. Under proposals aligned to the Government’s Ten-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies would also become involved in the delivery of adolescent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, with planning and implementation work currently underway. Members also noted the successful rollout of what was described as the world’s first gonorrhoea vaccination programme, using the Meningococcal Group B (MenB) vaccine and targeting identified high-risk cohorts through sexual health services.

Further developments within screening programmes were outlined. The Commission heard that the threshold for bowel cancer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

To consider the Health Select Commission’s work programme for 2026/27.

Resolved:-

That the Health Select Commission:

1. Approved the proposed work programme.

2. Agreed that the Governance Advisor be authorised to make any required changes to the work programme in consultation with the Chair/Vice Chair and reporting any such changes back at the next meeting for endorsement.

To receive and consider the minutes and recommendations of the South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The minutes of the last JHOSC meeting held 7 January 2026 were shared with members as soon as they became available and via the 14 May Health Select Commission meeting agenda pack.

The next JHOSC meeting remains expected to take place in October 2026, and final arrangements are underway regarding the agenda for that meeting. Health Select Commission members will be updated regarding the agreed agenda items and meeting date once confirmed, at which point Members will be invited to share any questions or comments they would like to be included in JHOSC’s discussions regarding those agreed items for consideration.

The minutes of the last JHOSC meeting held 7 January 2026 were shared with members as soon as they became available and via the 14 May Health Select Commission meeting agenda pack.

The next JHOSC meeting remains expected to take place in October 2026, and final arrangements are underway regarding the agenda for that meeting.

Health Select Commission members will be updated regarding the agreed agenda items and meeting date once confirmed, at which point Members will be invited to share any questions or comments they would like to be included in JHOSC’s discussions regarding those agreed items for consideration.

To consider any item(s) which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business to discuss.