Stoke-on-Trent City Council is fulfilling its public health responsibilities well and has a strong foundation to continue improving the health and wellbeing of residents, according to a new report.
The Local Government Association (LGA) visited the city council for three days in September, when their Peer Review team undertook interviews with both council officers and external partners.
The peer review was voluntary, and the city council is only the second authority to take part in the process.
Overall, over 140 people were spoken to, and more than 150 documents were read as part of the process.
The review found that the city council’s public health agenda is influencing decision making well, partnership working is a significant strength and that there is a steadfast commitment to reducing health inequalities in the city.
This includes the joint working across Early Years, Children’s Services and Public Health, alongside the council’s work to support and strengthen communities.
The report also identified some key recommendations designed to build on the strong foundations that have been established to improve health and wellbeing in local communities.
These include focusing on a smaller number of key priorities for maximum impact, making best use of available resources and ensuring public health priorities maintain a high profile across the wider system.
Councillor Majid Khan, cabinet member for health integration and wellbeing, said: “I would like to thank every person that took part in this review. It is pleasing to hear that we have established a strong foundation and are making great progress in improving wellbeing and reducing health inequalities in Stoke-on-Trent.
“We have great ambition at the council in our public health approach and the culture of collaboration we have built both internally and with external partners will ensure that we continue to work towards creating a healthier city and improving health for all.”
Public Health Peer Reviews form part of the LGA’s Public Health Improvement Programme (PHIP) and are funded by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Following the review, the city council will develop an improvement plan in the next three months to implement the recommendations.
The full report can be viewed here: https://www.stoke.gov.uk/phpeerreview
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