Agenda item

The Chair introduced the report and also introduced Professor Kevin Fenton, Health Improvement and Population Healthcare Leader at Public Health England (PHE).

Prof. Fenton provided a presentation for the Fire Commission entitled ‘A System Wide Approach to Improving Health and Wellbeing’. The presentation covered the current challenges in the provision of health and wellbeing in England, opportunities which PHE had identified for improving health outcomes and tackling health inequalities, and opportunities for collaboration with the fire and rescue service.

Prof. Fenton highlighted that the fire and rescue service was an excellent partner in health preventative work, as it was trusted, had access to residents as part of regular home visits, was community focused, had a desire to contribute, and provided strong leadership. PHE had already identified a number of areas where the fire and rescue service could expand prevention work, including seasonal flu immunisations, falls, mental health crises and dementia, end of life care and prevention of excess winter deaths. A number of pilot schemes were taking place in various locations nationally, but there was now an opportunity to create a collective view of how the fire and rescue service could most effectively contribute, whilst recognising the need for local flexibility and building on existing work.

In the discussion which followed Prof. Fenton’s presentation, the following points were raised:

·         The fire and rescue service needed an agreed model of social value to enable it to quantify the cost to the nation of the healthcare and preventative work undertaken. A new model of funding which took this into account would be welcomed. Prof. Fenton highlighted that the prevention role provided by the fire and rescue service was good for communities and also for the government, and clarity on costs would help make the case for a review of funding to the Treasury.

·         There was agreement that more work could be done, but there were issues around release and sharing of data from hospitals and GPs. The fire and rescue service also had good data which could be shared with local partners, such as the locations of vulnerable people in the community.

·         The fire and rescue service were trusted advocates in society and could greatly help with the cost burden to society that arose from mental health issues or in responding to heart attacks. Pilots which had taken place so far focussed mainly on physical health, but the fire service could also stage mental health interventions where necessary.

·         There should be more co-operation between health services and the fire and rescue service. The fire service could continue to do more health work, but there could be a danger of a skill gap in the short term. Prof. Fenton highlighted that further sustained collaboration over the next three to five years would be vital and the development of a package of work for the fire service around falls and fragility, winter pressures on the NHS, isolation and wellbeing could be one way to develop collaboration further and ensure it is funded.

·         There should be a joined up approach nationally between health and wellbeing and the fire and rescue service. Health and Wellbeing Boards locally should have a greater awareness of what the fire service could deliver for health.

The Chair thanked Prof. Fenton for his presentation and for attending the meeting. He commented that fire and rescue services would want to continue to co-operate on this area of work over the coming months and years.

Decision

·         Members noted the report and Prof. Fenton’s presentation.

Action

·         Further updates on the expanding prevention role of the fire and rescue service to be considered at future meetings.

·         Officers to circulate the presentation slides electronically following the meeting.