Agenda and minutes

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director for Legal & Democratic Governance.

The report sets out the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules and suggests that the panel adopt them for the purpose of conducting the review.

The Scrutiny Review Panel are requested to formally adopt the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules for the purpose of conducting the review.

Officer contact: Caleb Higgins 0161 474 2955 | caleb.higgins@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Assistant Director for Legal & Democratic Governance submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Panel to formally adopt the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules for this review.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review Procedure Rules be adopted for this review.

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health.

The report outlines the proposed scope for reviewing the inequalities of health outcomes across the Borough.

The panel is requested to:

(1) determine the scope of the review, and outline any areas which the panel may wish to scrutinise further; and

(2) to consider and agree the proposed outline review plan.

Officer contact: Judith Strobl 0161 474 2535 | judith.strobl@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided background information to guide and inform the scope of the review and which highlighted the following areas. that: -

·       the Scrutiny Review take a more narrowed focus, to develop a more in-depth understanding of the health inequalities experienced by particular cohorts.

·       two cohorts be focused on, one being people of Black African, Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage, the other being people with a disability, as both cohorts had both a protected characteristic and a higher risk of living in poverty and were therefore at higher risk of experiencing inequalities of outcomes.

·       it was important for the Scrutiny Review Panel to measure how outcomes could be improved.

·       different angles could be taken when pursuing enquiry, including a research review, intelligence gathering, exploring lived experience and engaging in interviews with officers and providers.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:

·       It was noted that it was important that the Scrutiny Review Panel was intentional in developing cultural appropriateness when assessing health outcomes in ethnic minority groups, with sensitivity to race and cultures and an awareness of the knowledge held by professionals, organisations and communities beyond lived experience.

·       The Scrutiny Review Panel could highlight information held by people and organisations working within the cohorts, to enable greater engagement and partnership working in future.

·       There appeared to be a link between people with severe mental illness and physical illness, with some disabilities being overlooked due to a lack of visibility.

·       Serious Mental Illness as a disability would form part of the Scrutiny Review Panel’s focus as one cohort, alongside people of Black African, Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage as another cohort.

·       Lived experience accounts could be shared with the review panel and be presented at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Review Panel.

·       It was suggested that the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel could draw upon and make reference to existing data in relation the health outcomes of the two cohorts.

·       The Scrutiny Review Panel should focus on lived experiences as a research method, for both cohorts.

·       It was commented that a commitment to taking forward insights and learning into meaningful action following the conclusion of the Scrutiny Review Panel’s work was essential and it was suggested that the review could help refine some of the existing action plans outlined in the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report and assist with embedding them.

·       It was highlighted that the spirit of co-production would be important in the work undertaken by the Scrutiny Review Panel.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Scrutiny Review Panel will focus on the inequalities of health outcomes across the borough for two cohorts – people of Black African, Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage and people living with Serious Mental Illness.

(2) That research be undertaken, with a focus on lived experiences, to be presented at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Review Panel.