Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
The impact of the pandemic persuaded Waltham Forest to undertake a focussed piece of work on health and equity, leading to a local Marmot report produced by the UCL Institute of Health Equity.
The London borough approached Partners in Care and Health (PCH) to undertake a peer challenge to look at how public health resources were being utilised. The Director of Public Health saw the peer challenge as an opportunity to further develop place-based partnership working. The process has helped the council know what is working and where it needs to do things. differently.
Partners in Care and Health (PCH) worked with 10 councils in the East Midlands Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) Network to improve partnership working and address common public health challenges. The Directors of Public Health and their teams completed the public health strengths and risks self-assessment tool in two stages. A range of new workstreams have now been launched; and the councils also report the support has had the added benefit of helping prepare for CQC inspections and appraisals.
Rotherham requested Partners in Care and Health’s (PCH) support to undertake the public health strengths and risks self-assessment tool. The work identified a series of strengths and challenges from community engagement to supporting members which are now being addressed. The support comes ahead of a three-day regional Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) peer review later this year.
Support from Partners in Care and Health (PCH) focused on re-shaping the work of the health and wellbeing board (HWB) following a period when it lost some focus; changes made to way meetings are organised; council say board is now in “really good place” and praises way PCH peers brought new ideas to the table.
Coventry and Warwickshire’s health and wellbeing boards (HWB) had been meeting jointly for a number of years; Partners in Care and Health (PCH) brought in amid concern this partnership work was duplicating the move towards integrated care systems; focus of the HWBs and integrated care partnerships sharpened thanks to fresh perspective and challenging questions posed by PCH peers.
Partners in Care and Health (PCH) peers provided support to improve integrated working at place; workshops were held leading to two workstreams on admissions avoidance and discharge to assess. The new director of adult social services says the process helped her hit the ground running.
Devon County Council requested Partners in Care and Health’s (PCH) support to deliver Prevention Matters training for its councillors. Twenty-two councillors attended the one-day workshop in May – around a third of the members of the council. A range of actions were identified for councillors including plans to boost active travel, invest in play parks and working more closing with district and parish colleagues.
Partners in Care and Health (PCH) was approached by the Public Health Team at Liverpool City Council to facilitate a ‘health in all policies’ workshop. Colleagues from planning, sustainability and policy all attended. New projects are now underway and the Public Health Team is finding it has greater ability to influence key council strategies.
Shropshire’s focus centred on reframing food insecurity, helping people to maximise their incomes, and bringing communities and organisations together to co-create solutions. These key levers were identified from learning about the issue locally and developing a Theory of Change informed by this understanding.