The Board is asked to receive and note the update on the Marmot Place programme of work.
Minutes:
Kate Holburn, Deputy Director of Public Health, and Jessica Allen (Institute of Health Equity, University College London) presented the update and raised the following points:
- That the Marmot method of work did not focus on the ‘what’ but the ‘how’, beginning with the assessment of the extent of inequalities and the social determinants of health in Oxfordshire.
- Highlighting the enablers of Marmot workstreams, such as the Local Policy Lab, engagement workshops on rural inequalities and templates identifying health inequalities in primary care.
- Data outlining the gap between free-school meal children and non-free school meal children, and their deprivation levels. It was commented that all of the districts within Oxfordshire had large gaps between the most deprived and least deprived children.
- The need to engage with District Councils further.
Cllr Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, noted the work on the structures being put in place but asked about the visible outcomes and positive actions coming from the Marmot approach. It was commented that it would make signposting easier for GPs to provide specific advice, on the templates identifying health inequalities in primary care, for example.
Veronica Barry, Chief Executive – Healthwatch Oxfordshire, recognised the need to improve communications to highlight the successes of the Marmot programme to residents.
Ansaf Azhar noted that the Marmot approach would help to deliver long-term benefits in improving health equity but stated that improvements needed to be made in coordination and capturing activities that have long-term benefits.
Dan Leveson noted that further examples needed to be highlighted, such as the You Move programme in partnership with Active Oxfordshire and the Well Together programme investing £1m by the end of November in deprived areas.
The Vice-Chair reiterated that the Marmot approach would take time, but indicated that significant progress had been made in the previous 5 years.
With regards to children receiving free school meals, it was noted that the aim was to close the gap nationally given Oxfordshire was lower than the national average of 50%.
Cllr Georgina Heritage, South Oxfordshire District Council, noted the lack of engagement with District Councils. Jessica Allen commented that this had not happened yet, but UCL felt it would be appropriate and helpful, which would try to be addressed in the coming weeks.
Cllr Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, asked if the data could be drilled down into further to look at which schools needed support. Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, noted that the work with schools would probably be too late and that intervention even earlier, as evidenced by the work to set up Family Hubs.
Jessica Allen commented that the number of children eligible for free school meals was quite low, which was encouraging to some extent.
Cllr Neil Fawcett, Vale of White Horse District Council, noted the impact of Sure Start centres and asked if that early intervention approach was something to pick up on. Lisa Lyons noted the success of Sure Start centres in not targeting demographics but universal provision for all children because it was not a stigma in attending.
The Vice Chair commented on the unique challenges of military families, which were sometimes overlooked, to ensure there were the correct levels of support available.
RESOLVED to:
Note the Marmot Place Update.