Case Studies.
Health & Well being
Minding the Gap
September 30, 2009 - Regional Health Network
Overview
Regularly cited as an example of best practice of a Regional Health Network by respected individuals including Trevor Hopkins, Principal Consultant to the IDeA for Healthy Communities, Minding the Gap has become a trusted and respected network developed specifically for Local Authorities (but including key partners) in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop capacity to impact positively on health inequalities.
Known for getting the ‘right people to the right events’ and not preaching to the converted, Minding the Gap successfully brings different disciplines and organisations together to raise awareness of their role in tackling health inequalities.
Background
Hosted by Bradford Metropolitan District Council and supported jointly by YoHr Space (the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership) and the Department of Health, the programme began in 2007 when it was funded through the Regional Capacity Building Programme (with some match funding through the Regional Public health Team).
Minding the Gap brings together Elected Members, Council officers and partners from all 22 of the local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber and their respective PCT partners. The programme runs thematic events, workshops and meetings aimed at exploring the role of Local Authorities and their various services in solving the social, economic and environmental causes of health and wellbeing inequalities.
When the Department of Health trialled Regional Health Networks to support their Communities 4 Health programme, it was recognised that Yorkshire and Humber already had a regional network in Minding the Gap whose remit could easily be broadened to include support for the Communities 4 Health programme.
With Department for Health support, Minding the Gap continues to deliver its core activity in addition to meeting objectives set by the Department around developing networks in local authorities that can share good practice in tackling causes of health and wellbeing inequalities.
How the Network operates
The success of the Network is due to a number of factors but Geoff Ainsley, Minding the Gap Programme Manager believes a key element is the Steering Group.
Geoff says, “The commitment and engagement of the steering group to the issue of tackling health inequalities across the region has been crucial to Minding the Gap’s ability to influence and raise awareness in local authorities. As a result, our links within the region and importantly with national bodies such as the Strategic Health Authority, LGYH, IDeA and the Audit Commission are excellent.”
The Steering Group comprises of representatives from:
Local Authorities: the Deputy Leader East Riding Council chairs the meeting; the Chief Executive of North Yorkshire is a member as is the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services, Communities and Health in Bradford Council, where the programme is based.
PCTs: through three jointly appointed Directors of Public Health in Kirklees; North East Lincolnshire; and Leeds.
The Public Health Observatory
IDeA
The Audit Commission
Strategic Health Authority
Local Government Yorkshire and Humber
Sheffield Hallam University
The Teaching Public Health Network
Thematic events, workshops and meetings are developed in response to feedback and suggestions of Network members and the steering group. Recent topics have examined how spatial planning and health are closely associated; how health inequalities activity is included in Local Area Agreements; and the role of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments in tackling the causes of Health Inequalities and the role of Senior Elected Members in promoting awareness of the causes of health and wellbeing inequalities in their district.
Whilst much of the programme is delivered at a regional or sub-regional level, specific, focused work for individual Councils has also been well received: facilitating service planning priorities between Social Services and the NHS; planning effective Health Scrutiny Programmes; and facilitating district wide conferences on collaborative work to tackle local priorities.
Key Successes
Examples of the success of Minding the Gap include:
Strong ‘buy-in’ and engagement from local authority members and officers and partner organisations.
Well attending meetings, events and networks, where learning is captured and fed back to develop support programmes.
Activity delivered in partnership with other organisations.
Programme Manager invited to join a regional DH led collaborative to examine how to provide regional support to Local Involvement Networks (LINKs)
Regular positive feedback on the level of support provided by Minding the Gap.
Cited as an example of best practice nationally.
Invitations to speak at key events outside of the region.
Strong relationship with the local and national organisations represented on the steering group.
Innovative
Minding the Gap is always looking for opportunities to be innovative as exemplified in their partnership with Sheffield Hallam University’s Public Health Hub. Both organisations jointly presented, with support from GOYH, a ‘Planning for Healthier Communities’ conference. The event’s focus was on the central role that spatial planning plays in the health and well-being of local communities. Regeneration and Planning Practitioners have a clear remit to promote healthier communities, through developing high quality environments, neighbourhood planning, effective design and environmentally sustainable solutions.
The event aimed to show how planning influences health and healthier lifestyles and well-being through access to affordable housing, employment, schools, open space and local amenities. It considered core planning policies such as the Local Development Framework and how these link to health outcomes. Above all, it aimed to bring together planning and health practitioners to identify more strategic and collaborative approaches to improving health outcomes. As a result of this work Minding the Gap has been commissioned to provide ongoing support to towns in the North East, North West and Yorkshire who are delivering programmes through the Department of Health’s Healthy Towns Scheme.
Future ambitions
Geoff knows that the network has engaged well with officers from different disciplines in local authorities and their PCT partners and now wants to demonstrate the value of the network to Leaders and Chief Executives.
An example of Minding the Gap’s plans to achieve this ambition, with the support of the IDeA, will be to work closely with Tony Elson, former Kirklees Council Chief Executive and now Advisor to the IDeA Healthy Communities Programme and the Department of Health, to identify opportunities to increase awareness and influence at the highest level.
More information
For more information about Minding the Gap contact Geoff Ainsley at geoff.ainsley@bradford.gov.uk
Known for getting the ‘right people to the right events’ and not preaching to the converted, Minding the Gap successfully brings different disciplines and organisations together to raise awareness of their role in tackling health inequalities.
Background
Hosted by Bradford Metropolitan District Council and supported jointly by YoHr Space (the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership) and the Department of Health, the programme began in 2007 when it was funded through the Regional Capacity Building Programme (with some match funding through the Regional Public health Team).
Minding the Gap brings together Elected Members, Council officers and partners from all 22 of the local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber and their respective PCT partners. The programme runs thematic events, workshops and meetings aimed at exploring the role of Local Authorities and their various services in solving the social, economic and environmental causes of health and wellbeing inequalities.
When the Department of Health trialled Regional Health Networks to support their Communities 4 Health programme, it was recognised that Yorkshire and Humber already had a regional network in Minding the Gap whose remit could easily be broadened to include support for the Communities 4 Health programme.
With Department for Health support, Minding the Gap continues to deliver its core activity in addition to meeting objectives set by the Department around developing networks in local authorities that can share good practice in tackling causes of health and wellbeing inequalities.
How the Network operates
The success of the Network is due to a number of factors but Geoff Ainsley, Minding the Gap Programme Manager believes a key element is the Steering Group.
Geoff says, “The commitment and engagement of the steering group to the issue of tackling health inequalities across the region has been crucial to Minding the Gap’s ability to influence and raise awareness in local authorities. As a result, our links within the region and importantly with national bodies such as the Strategic Health Authority, LGYH, IDeA and the Audit Commission are excellent.”
The Steering Group comprises of representatives from:
Local Authorities: the Deputy Leader East Riding Council chairs the meeting; the Chief Executive of North Yorkshire is a member as is the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services, Communities and Health in Bradford Council, where the programme is based.
PCTs: through three jointly appointed Directors of Public Health in Kirklees; North East Lincolnshire; and Leeds.
The Public Health Observatory
IDeA
The Audit Commission
Strategic Health Authority
Local Government Yorkshire and Humber
Sheffield Hallam University
The Teaching Public Health Network
Thematic events, workshops and meetings are developed in response to feedback and suggestions of Network members and the steering group. Recent topics have examined how spatial planning and health are closely associated; how health inequalities activity is included in Local Area Agreements; and the role of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments in tackling the causes of Health Inequalities and the role of Senior Elected Members in promoting awareness of the causes of health and wellbeing inequalities in their district.
Whilst much of the programme is delivered at a regional or sub-regional level, specific, focused work for individual Councils has also been well received: facilitating service planning priorities between Social Services and the NHS; planning effective Health Scrutiny Programmes; and facilitating district wide conferences on collaborative work to tackle local priorities.
Key Successes
Examples of the success of Minding the Gap include:
Strong ‘buy-in’ and engagement from local authority members and officers and partner organisations.
Well attending meetings, events and networks, where learning is captured and fed back to develop support programmes.
Activity delivered in partnership with other organisations.
Programme Manager invited to join a regional DH led collaborative to examine how to provide regional support to Local Involvement Networks (LINKs)
Regular positive feedback on the level of support provided by Minding the Gap.
Cited as an example of best practice nationally.
Invitations to speak at key events outside of the region.
Strong relationship with the local and national organisations represented on the steering group.
Innovative
Minding the Gap is always looking for opportunities to be innovative as exemplified in their partnership with Sheffield Hallam University’s Public Health Hub. Both organisations jointly presented, with support from GOYH, a ‘Planning for Healthier Communities’ conference. The event’s focus was on the central role that spatial planning plays in the health and well-being of local communities. Regeneration and Planning Practitioners have a clear remit to promote healthier communities, through developing high quality environments, neighbourhood planning, effective design and environmentally sustainable solutions.
The event aimed to show how planning influences health and healthier lifestyles and well-being through access to affordable housing, employment, schools, open space and local amenities. It considered core planning policies such as the Local Development Framework and how these link to health outcomes. Above all, it aimed to bring together planning and health practitioners to identify more strategic and collaborative approaches to improving health outcomes. As a result of this work Minding the Gap has been commissioned to provide ongoing support to towns in the North East, North West and Yorkshire who are delivering programmes through the Department of Health’s Healthy Towns Scheme.
Future ambitions
Geoff knows that the network has engaged well with officers from different disciplines in local authorities and their PCT partners and now wants to demonstrate the value of the network to Leaders and Chief Executives.
An example of Minding the Gap’s plans to achieve this ambition, with the support of the IDeA, will be to work closely with Tony Elson, former Kirklees Council Chief Executive and now Advisor to the IDeA Healthy Communities Programme and the Department of Health, to identify opportunities to increase awareness and influence at the highest level.
More information
For more information about Minding the Gap contact Geoff Ainsley at geoff.ainsley@bradford.gov.uk
LGYH Chief Executive Carole Hassan delivers the keynote address at Minding the Gap's Homes Communities and Wellbeing Conference
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