Meeting documents

To receive and consider the report.

The presentation was made by Dr Tom MacConnell (CCG), Kate Anderson (Public Health), and Jane Knowles (SASP), who stated that the aim of this strategy is to improve public health via physical activity.  They set the scene for the strategy by noting that society has become less active and therefore more susceptible to cardiovascular disease; it is known that the more active anyone is, the better their quality of life.   There needs to be an integrated system, shaped through engagement with people and through evidence, that produces a comprehensive message to increase physical activity.

The Somerset Moves strategy is overseen by steering groups involving the CCG, Foundation Trust, SCC (Public Health and Education), SASP, and independent expert consultants; SASP will drive collaboration with other organisations and partners.  There are six focus areas of work and the "Five Asks" to help mobilise the strategy; the Five Asks and the strategy as a whole were endorsed by the CCG Clinical Executive Committee for Somerset in February 2022.  The six areas of focus are:

·         Positive experiences for children and young people

·         Increasing community activity

·         Connecting with health and wellbeing

·         Developing more active environments

·         Supporting and motivating people to move

·         Developing leadership, the workforce, and partnerships

It was pointed out that currently 36% of adults across Somerset to not meet physical activity guidelines, with 45% of people with a disability and 30% of people with a long-term condition being inactive.  Lower affluence also means lower activity levels.  As for children, over 50% of Somerset children do not meet physical activity guidelines, with 1 in 5 arriving at school overweight, and 1 in 3 leaving primary school either overweight or very overweight.  Covid has had a negative effect as well on everyone’s activity levels.  Gender makes less of a difference than age, as levels of activity decreased with age.  Those in higher socio-economic groups were more active, while those living alone were less active.  There was shown to be a positive association between sports participation/physical activity and levels of mental wellbeing, although wellbeing has shown a long-term downward trend. 

The Physical Activity Strategy is linked to the Improving Live strategy through Priorities 2-4, while the Five Asks entail leading by example, empowering people in your care, promoting physical activity within your workforce, communications that support the promotion of physical activity, and system-level funding.  The recommendations are that the HWBB discusses the draft Somerset Moves strategy, provides feedback and endorses it; that the HWB supports the implementation of the strategy through the Five Asks; and that all system partners commit to reducing inequality and inactivity for the prevention of ill health, while supporting funding opportunities to achieve this.

Questions and comments were then made by the Board; Superintendent Richard Turner observed that a more sustained way of ensuring health and wellbeing is through a good diet and reduced food intake, so will these be part of the strategy?  It was responded that a food resilience cell has been established, and this topic will be expressed as a joint message along with physical activity.  It was noted that there are basic issues and common themes, such as the fact that activity helps you to maintain weight loss and also makes people feel better, which enables them to better address their weight; it is a holistic approach.  The Chair stated that she would be happy to hear about food preparation and related matters, and she thanked the presenters for their work.

The Advisory Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board is minded to endorse the Physical Activity Strategy, endorse the Five Asks and discuss them within their host organisation, and discuss progress by taking forward the Five Asks at the September meeting of the Board.