Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at the meeting.

No questions had been received in advance of the meeting and there were no members of the public or press in attendance at the meeting.

There were no communications to bring to the Board’s attention.

Resolved:-   That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26th March, 2025, be approved as a true record.

Update on the work to implement the Breastfeeding Friendly Borough Declaration

Sam Longley, Public Health Specialist, to present

Jaimee Wylam, Public Health Registrar, on behalf of Sam Longley, Public Health Specialist, presented the submitted report with the aid of the following powerpoint presentation:-

The Declaration

-        “The Health and Wellbeing Board is committed to protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding through advocacy to the whole of its population whether they be a member of the public or member of staff.

To achieve this, we support the implementation of a Breastfeeding Borough, which includes some of the measures from the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) and adapt these to our local authority ethos and services where appropriate”

UNICEF Breastfeeding Friendly Accreditation

-        Children’s Centres have had their Stage 1 assessment for Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) accreditation

-        3 Breastfeeding Friendly Champions were in place across the 3 localities in Rotherham to support sustaining the work beyond the Family Hub Project

-        Breastfeeding Friendly guardians remained active and supportive of The Baby Friendly Initiative

-        Stage 3 accreditation assessments had been completed in midwifery and the Rotherham Children’s Public Health Nursing Service (0-19s)

-        Systems in place for shared learning and support across systems in Rotherham

Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces

-        RMBC Health and Wellbeing page now developed to allow businesses to register

-        Play centres, cafes and community youth provisions were now signed up

-        Business packs with signage available

-        Utilising the Voice event to promote the scheme

-        Libraries and Children’s Centres provided with signage

-        Grimm & Co used as a community venue for the Big Latch On and also a breastfeeding support group

Infant Feeding Support

-        Family Hub Strategic Infant Feeding Co-ordinator plus a band 5 nurse continued in post with continued Family Hub funding

-        Voluntary Action Rotherham co-ordinating 17 active peer supporters and volunteers

-        Peer support training continued.  Recent course completed at REMA

-        3 individuals had since secured paid employment

-        Midwifery had increased their support for tongue tie

-        Additional support groups were being planned

-        Some peer supporters had also become trained in perinatal mental health peer support by Light

Community Events

-        Rotherham Show 2024 and plans to attend again in 2025

-        Bit Latch On event 4^th April 2025 was very successfully hosted by Grimm & Co

-        The Voice event to promote Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces

Next Steps

-        Prepare for level 2 Unicef BFI accreditation assessment in Children’s Centres by May 2027 in line with Unicef new Community Standards

-        To focus on sustaining transformation of infant feeding practice utilising continued Family Hub Funding

-        Whole family hub partnership members to be supported by Public Health to work together to increase initiation and continuation of breastfeeding in Rotherham

-        Increase business sign-up to the Rotherham Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces scheme

Discussion ensued on the presentation with the following issues raised/clarified:-

·        There had been an upward trend in the breastfeeding rate for the first 6-8 weeks since the Declaration.  Given the success, should the target rate be raised?

·        Breastfeeding was a priority for RDaSH and had some physical health services in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To present the refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

Lorna Quinn, Public Health Intelligence Specialist, to present

Lorna Quinn, Public Health Intelligence Principal, presented the submitted report with the aid of the following powerpoint:-

Where are we seeing improvements

-        Breastfeeding

Increased percentage of babies whose first feed was breastmilk from 49% in 2019-20 to 62% in 2023-24

Increased breastfeeding prevalence at 6-8 weeks from 34% in 2020-21 to 39% in 2023-24

-        Other Improvements

Cancer screening coverage for bowel cancer had increased from 62% in 2019 to 73% in 2024

STI testing rate was increasing and both this and the HIV testing rate remained one of the highest across the region

The percentage of eligible 2 year olds in Rotherham taking up an Early Education place had remained stable and above the comparators (88.4% taking up a place in the 2023-24 academic year)

Children Centre engagement rates for children in the 30% most disadvantaged areas had increased to 82% in 2023-24

Where are we seeing things get worse

-        Healthy Life Expectancy had been decreasing from 59 to 2015-17 to 56 years in 2021-23 for both males and females

-        Prevalence of depression in Rotherham had increased between 2013 and 2022 from 9.9% to 17.3% remaining above the England average of 13.2%

Unpicking Complexity

Smoking

-        Across the country Rotherham had one of the highest proportion of quitters for smokers who set a quit date (higher was better)

-        However, prevalence was still showing a slow decline; currently at 14.5% compared to England at 11.6%

Physical Activity

-        We have seen a decrease in the percentage of adults that were physically active to 58.5% in Rotherham which left Rotherham as the lowest in Yorkshire and the Humber

-        Physical activity in children and young people had also seen a decrease to 44

Summary

-        Refreshed data at https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/data/

-        Some important improvements to note

-        Some significant challenges remained

-        Work to impact on complex issues required whole systems approaches

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

·        The summary of key findings was produced annually, however, it was updated on a quarterly basis on the website

·        It was noted that the data was for 2023/24

·        Work would take place to ascertain how the data on life expectancy/healthy life expectancy was broken down into cohorts and recorded

·        Rotherham was better than the average for England with regard to the uptake on screening programmes and the take-up of vaccinations.  This should be taken advantage of and built upon

·        The life expectancy figure and the depression figures were quite stark.  Should the refresh of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy consider this in its priorities?

·        Rotherham had a high take-up of early education places.  However, it was noticeable that there was a disconnect with children/families when they got to 6-7 and 10-11 years of age.  Work was taking place to improve this with the new Government funding looking at the transition from primary to secondary education

·         It was hoped that the Sport England grant would help increase levels of physical activity in the population of Rotherham

Resolved:-  (1)  That the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To present on progress against the Suicide Prevention Action Plan

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health Specialist, to present

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health Specialist, presented the attached report with the aid of the following powerpoint presentation:

Suicide Rates for Rotherham 2021-23

-        The latest suicide data showed that Rotherham had seen a small increase in suicides from 12.4 in 2020-22 per 100,000 to 12.6 in 2021-23, however, the rate was statistically similar to the average for England at 10.7 per 100,000

-        Rotherham mirrored the national picture with males still accounting for most of the deaths to suicide in Rotherham.  The rate had slightly increased in the period 2021-23 to 17.3 per 100,000 compared to 16.5 in 2020-22.  However, it was still statistically similar to the national average for England at 16.4 per 100,000

-        Female deaths in Rotherham, whilst still lower than males became significantly worse than the national average for England from 2017-19.  The rate in 2021-23 was now 8.1 per 100,000 and statistically similar to England at 5.4 per 100,000

Progress from the previous action plan

-        SPOT and Speak Suicide Prevention courses delivered by Papyrus January-March 2024 – 223 people trained

-        Internal courses run on suicide prevention for teams within partner organisations – SYP, VCS, RMBC (Revenues and Benefits and Adult Care staff)

-        Taxi drivers encouraged to complete the Zero Suicide Alliance Taxi Driver Training (ZSA)

-        Domestic Homicide and Suicide Prevention Learning events held for partner organisations

-        Safeguarding Awareness Week (SAW) – suicide prevention workshops held every year since 2020

-        ZSA promoted to the public in libraries across Rotherham

-        Amparo support for children, young people and adults across South Yorkshire who had been bereaved/affected/exposed to suicide

-        4 Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) Groups operating across South Yorkshire

-        From 2021 there had been 4 memorial events for families and friends in South Yorkshire who had been bereaved by suicide

2025-28 Suicide Prevention Action Plan

-        In December 2024 a Symposium was held with partners of the Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Group, Operational and Strategic Groups with input from Andy Bell, CEO of Centre for Mental Health

-        The action plan was developed based on discussions at the symposium, local data, evidence-based practice

-        The action plan was aligned to the 2023-28 National Suicide Prevention Strategy

-        Action plan drafted and shared with partners from end of January to April 2025

2025-28 Suicide Prevention Action Plan Aims

-        Aim 1 – Making suicide prevention everyone’s responsibility

-        Aim 2 – To support those bereaved, affected and exposed to suicide

-        Aim 3 – Reducing suicides amongst high risk groups by reaching people where they live and work

-        Aim 4 – Using data to inform delivery of suicide prevention in Rotherham

-        The Rotherham Suicide Prevention Action Plan should be read in context with other supporting plans which would address the wider determinants

Suicide Prevention Actions

Actions identified in the 2025-28 were already progressing:-

-        Launch of the Vista Project, a pilot project to support people who had attempted suicide due to a life event (April 2025)

-  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To present the Health and Wellbeing Board’s annual report

The Chair and Oscar Holden, Corporate Improvement Officer, to present

Oscar Holden, Corporate Improvement Officer, presented the Health and Wellbeing Board annual report 2024-25 with the aid of the following powerpoint presentation:-

The Context

-        Life expectancy at birth for both men and women in Rotherham continued to be significantly lower than the England average (77.8 years v 79.1 years for men and 80.9 years v 83.1 years for women)

-        The difference in healthy life expectancy at birth was particularly stark with a 7.4 year gap for Rotherham women compared with the national average (2021-2023) (55.6 years v 61.9 years) and a 4.4 year gap for men (56 years v 61.5 years)

-        Rotherham ranked as being in the top 20% of most deprived areas in England with 11,904 children living in “absolute poverty” in 2022/23 according to Department for Work and Pensions figures

-        The population aged 65 and over was projected to increase to 60,939 people by 2029 with over 10% of the population aged 75 or over (Office for National Statistics)

Timeline of Achievements

To review the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Terms of Reference

Oscar Holden, Corporate Improvement Officer, to present

Oscar Holden, Corporate Improvement Officer, presented the Board’s terms of reference for its annual report.

The report detailed:

·        The role of the Health and Wellbeing Board

·        Responsibilities

·        Expectations of the Health and Wellbeing Board Member

·        Membership

·        Governance

·        Quorum

·        Meeting arrangements

·        Engaging with the public and providers

Further details were provided of the governance arrangements and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Rotherham Health and Wellbeing Board and Board Sponsors for Health and Wellbeing Strategy Aims.

It was noted that the next formal review was due in May 2026.  However, the restructure of the ICB would impact the Terms of Reference but there were no confirmed changes at the present time.  It was expected that the new organisation would be formed on 1^st January, 2026.

Resolved: (1)  That the refreshed Terms of Reference be approved.

(2)  That upon confirmation of the Integrated Care Board organisational changes, the Terms of Reference be amended accordingly and submitted to the Board for approval.

(3)  That the next formal review take place in May 2026.

There were no issues to report.

The Board received for information the BCF Year End Template report that had been submitted to NHS England with regard to the performance, expenditure, capacity and demand and actual activity of Rotherham’s Better Care Fund Plan for 2024/25. 

The overall delivery of the Better Care Fund continued to have a positive impact and improved joint working between health and social care in Rotherham.

The information contained within the BCF submission included:-

-        Section 75 Agreement

-        Confirmation of National Conditions

-        BCF Metrics

-        Income and Expenditure

-        Year End Feedback

It was noted that the documentation had been approved by the Better Care Fund Executive Group on 30^th May, 2025 (approved on behalf of the Health and Wellbeing Board) and had been submitted to NHS England on 6th June, 2025.

Minutes of meeting held on 19^th February,19^th March and 16^th April, 2025

The minutes of the Rotherham Place Board Partnership Business meetings held on 19^th February, 19^th March and 16^th April, 2025, were noted.

Minutes of meeting held on 19^th February, 19^th March and 16^th April, 2025

The minutes of the Rotherham Place Board ICB Business meetings held on 19^th February, 19^th March and 16^th April, 2025, were noted.