This week’s leadership message comes from Anna Hartley, Director for Public Health at Wakefield Council and Deputy Senior Responsible Officer, The Big Conversation and Jo Fitzpatrick Deputy Senior Responsible Officer, The Big Conversation. There is also a blog from Frank Swinton, the Partnership’s Climate Change Lead.

Posted on: 22 April 2022

Jo Fitzpatrick Anna Hartley Hello, our names are Anna and Jo.

What do you like best about where you live?

What would you like it to look like in 10 years’ time?

These are questions that we don’t often ask ourselves, but Conversationalists are about to do exactly that in Wakefield’s ‘Big Conversation’.

It is well-recognised that the pandemic brought about much complexity and uncertainty into our personal and professional lives; however, it also brought about opportunities for a great deal of understanding of the benefits of working in a different way.

Some of the greatest examples of these are where we harnessed the power of our communities by working together with individuals and third sector organisations to co-design services that had a positive impact. By working with trusted individuals in our local areas, and listening and responding to people’s views and beliefs, meant we had greater uptake of the Covid vaccine in those people who would not normally have gone to a vaccination centre to be vaccinated.

So, in the wake of the pandemic, and in response to a desire to work in a more participatory way, Wakefield Council, together with local partners, is embarking on an ambitious Big Conversation with its communities. This is explicitly a move away from consultation-based approaches and is intended to help create the basis for the council’s long-term strategies and ongoing, open-ended engagement with local communities in the future.

Even the team that has planning and oversight responsibilities for the Big Conversation is working in a different way. It is a multidisciplinary team working to the model of distributed leadership; this is where team members are given the autonomy to make key decisions in their area of skills and responsibility providing empowerment and ownership of their work.

To prepare for the Big Conversation we are training 100 ‘Conversationalists’ in appreciative inquiry, an approach that emphasises identifying strengths and assets and imagining new ways of doing things. The Conversationalists are a mix of council staff from all directorates, elected members, partner organisations such as Wakefield CCG, Healthwatch Wakefield, and Wakefield District Housing; and local people from the communities themselves, including a focus on recruiting children and young people. The recruitment of people from a diverse range of backgrounds means that we are in the best position to bring our different lived experiences to the planning and design of the conversations and allows greater sharing of knowledge and learning.

The Conversationalists will hold over 1200 conversations over the summer with individuals that either live, work, or study in Wakefield and district. They will ask two questions to encourage people to think about the assets in their own defined place, alongside their aspirations and ambitions for the next 10 years.

One of the challenges for this approach will be ensuring that the conversations reach deeply into the diversity of different places and communities within Wakefield District. For this, partnerships will be crucial – not only with statutory organisations but the local third sector too.

the big conversation - what do you most like about living, working, studying around here?

Around half of the recruited Conversationalists do not have their own extensive links or networks within local communities, so the Council is directly partnering with third sector organisations to play a vital connecting role. They will point Conversationalists toward less-heard-from groups and people who might particularly benefit from, or be helpful for, the conversations.

The Conversationalists will capture rich insight from their conversations which will be analysed and evaluated, not only to inform future strategies and policies across Wakefield Place, but also to provide a fast feedback loop to the population which will inform in real time how many conversations have been held, emerging themes, stories from people involved, and most importantly things that have been done because of the conversations. All of this will be relayed back in various forms such as video diaries, blogs, storytelling, and art; and will be communicated via newsletters, social media such as Tik Tok and Instagram, and presenting to local community groups.

In addition to gaining insight from respondents, we will also be capturing information from the Conversationalists themselves about their experiences of working in this way. This will help to inform organisational development and recruitment plans for the Council and potentially also other partners.

We are working in a reflexive way where the Conversationalists co-design how we have conversations in response to their experiences over time; and have set up Conversationalist peer groups where we share learning and ideas as well as providing a place for reflection and wellbeing.

The use of appreciative inquiry can be used in many different settings through health and social care, bringing a different focus to the way in which we have conversations with people. The ambition is that the learning and insight gained from the Big Conversation will lead to a different way in which we work across Wakefield as a place.

Training for Wakefield’s Big Conversation is underway now, with conversations taking place from 9th May until the end of August. A website is due to be launched soon which will be kept up to date with stories and information about the Big Conversation.

The Big Conversation - speech bubble

Lessons learned

Allow partners to play to their strengths

Wakefield’s approach to the Big Conversation sees partners taking on roles that fit their unique capacities and assets. Residents themselves are most likely to have honest, trusting conversations within their communities. Third sector partners have experience of innovative approaches to engagement, as well as broad networks and diverse relationships. The Council is best placed to coordinate activities, supply resources and training, and ensure that community views are acted upon.

Shared goals help to motivate partnerships

Wakefield’s ambitious plans and collaborations are made possible by shared commitment to a set of objectives and values, including the aim of building upon the experience of collaborations during the pandemic. These goals are not detailed – partly because broader principles maximise the inclusivity of the process, and partly because the purpose of the Big Conversation is to develop the detail through community coproduction.

Learning, iteration, and network development do not have to managed ‘in-house’

There may be an instinctive preference to ‘own’ the reflections and learnings from community engagement efforts. The Wakefield example suggests that this is not always the right approach. A council’s partners may be more experienced in important ways, and a great source of support as the council seeks to improve and iterate on its model.

Take a look at our partner newsletter, Community Newsletter 2 - 1, and for more information or questions, please email thebigconversation@wakefield.gov.uk.

Keep an eye out for the website www.bigconversationwakefield.co.uk which is due to go live soon.

Thank you for reading, have a good weekend.

Anna and Jo

Frank Swinton Hello! My name’s Frank.

I’m the Climate Change Lead at West Yorkshire Health Care Partnership. I’m also a Consultant Anaesthetist at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

It’s been a busy time in the hospital recently.

What this means for climate change, in health and social care, is that staff across the system are still under a lot of pressure so capacity to think about longer term issues such as climate change might be limited. It’s a classic problem that the important stuff gets put aside because there’s so many urgent priorities to think about. Sadly, that doesn’t mean that climate change is going away. As we regroup and rethink what life is going to be like living with COVID in the long term, we have an opportunity to think about how we might design the system so that it isn’t so damaging to our environment. I suggest that it’s important that we create some space to think about this because neglecting to do so will lead to even more disruption in the future.

To start a wider conversation, we are launching our, “All Hands In” campaign on Monday 9 May. This will provide everyone with some important topics to think about, a place to make a pledge, and communication materials.

More importantly, it should make it acceptable and normal to talk about the way in which health and social care contribute to climate change and the impact placed on people’s health if we don’t act now. Having regular conversations and focusing on solutions is a great way to feel like you’re doing something positive for our communities and future generations.

For those of you that want a bit more information about sustainability, we’re also running a second series of our very popular ‘Lunch and Learn’ events. Details to follow soon but you can catch up on the first series here: Climate Change Events including Lunch and Learn :: West Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership (wypartnership.co.uk)

All Hands In - we're takling climate change into our own hands by making changes to everyday actions. Those in the NHS might also be interested to hear about our Green Plan which was approved by the Partnership Board on 1 March. You can find details of how we all need to move the NHS towards zero carbon here: Resources :: West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (wypartnership.co.uk)

If you would like to know more or get involved, we have several networks for people to share ideas, resources, gripes, and solutions. Currently, we have the following networks:

Board level leads
Operational leads (sustainability managers etc.)
Anaesthetics
Emergency departments
Pharmacy
Primary care
Respiratory care

Please do get involved if you’d like to join one of these groups or start one of your own.

Have a good weekend all,

Frank

What else has been happening this week?

Stress Awareness Month

April is National Stress Awareness Month and to help staff with their mental and emotional wellbeing in a high-stress operating environment, the Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub has collated a wide ranging package of resources called “Managing stress” that includes podcasts, video, courses and links. Please share with your networks.

Primary and Community Care Programme

The Programme Board met last week, where there was a discussion on the primary care design work, including a proposed Governance model in preparation for the delegation of Primary Medical Care Services to integrated care boards, subject to parliament approval, from the 1 July 2022.

Dr. Steve Ollerton, Clinical Lead and Kathryn Giles, Programme Director, gave an update on conversations taking place with the Primary Care Network Clinical Directors Reference Group which included, estate planning, access, and health inequalities. This month, the reference group was joined by Rob Webster, our CEO-Designate who received an update on progress.

Ashley Moore, Partnership Ageing Well Director, shared an overview on the emerging hospital discharge plan within the Partnership that is designed to sustain the improvements seen over the recent winter, and to agree longer term improvements for on-going timely discharge and to keep people safe and well at home. Engagement events have taken place in March to build the plan and next steps are being discussed within Partnership executive groups.

The Board also received an update on the emerging national framework for anticipatory care, which is a model for proactively supporting people with complex needs through joined up working across primary care, community services, social care, and the voluntary sector, and based around the principles of personalised care. Anticipatory care will be part of the primary care network national contract from 2023/24. There is a national requirement for integrated care systems like ours to produce a system plan for anticipatory care by December. There will be further discussions over the summer to co-design the approach for this across the Partnership.

Ashley also shared the ambition that had been agreed with the Partnership’s executive leadership to co-produce a ‘statement of intent’ for the new integrated care board that describes a future vision for the development of integrated health and care neighbourhoods. This aims to further advance models of joined up care within local communities. The ‘statement of intent’ would be co-produced with the five places and reflect both the existing work happening at place and how this can gain further impetus under the new statutory arrangements from July.

The next meeting takes place on 14 June.

Supporting weight loss and remission of type 2 diabetes

We held another packed one-hour training session to enable more healthcare professionals to make referrals to the NHS Low Calorie Diet Programme being piloted in West Yorkshire.

The first referrals are now rolling in for the innovative and free programme which combines specialist nutrition, behaviour change strategies and physical activity.

See the Low Calorie Diet pages of our diabetes resources page and our case study on the difference our Partnership is making pages for more information.

lets diabeat this gp signposting - if you want to find out more, ask your GP, or visit these information resources for help and advice During the first wave of the pandemic, the 12-month timeframe for an eligible blood result to access the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) was temporarily extended to 24 months.

The timeframe for blood result eligibility has now reverted back to 12 months. We are updating the screen shots and packs on the NDPP section of our diabetes communication resource page to reflect the change. Patients can continue to refer themselves to the programme via the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk tool.

Calling all parents and carers of children and young people with asthma

affordable warmth - living in a cold and damp home increses the risk of breathing problems in children Parents and carers of children and young people with suspected or diagnosed asthma are invited to complete a short survey. The survey, which takes around five minutes to fill in, will help us to better understand the impacts of poor indoor air quality such as dust, damp, and mould on families and carers of children and young people with asthma.

We will also use the feedback to help support families and find out what information they would like to know to inform work we are doing as part of the National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma developed by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Recruitment to the West Yorkshire NHS Integrated Care Board: Independent Non-Executive Members

Recruitment to the West Yorkshire Intgrated Care System - Indepdent non-executive memebers We are delighted to confirm the appointment of three of the four independent non-executive members (designates) to the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). This is subject to Parliament confirming the statutory responsibilities of ICBs as anticipated from July 2022. The appointments followed an open and transparent recruitment process which started in December last year and concluded in March this year and involved stakeholder panels and interviews with representatives from our Partnership and experts in equality, diversity, and inclusion.

We are delighted to announce the following people as new independent non-executive members (designates) to the NHS West Yorkshire ICB.

Jane Madeley: Non-executive Integrated Care Board - Audit, Finance, and Innovation

Jane comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge for this role, including in her current role as the Chief Financial Officer at The University of Leeds. She has recently completed two terms as a member of the UK Research and Innovation ‘UKRI’ Audit Committee and was 2 recently appointed Chair of the Confederation of British Industry Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Council. Jane was previously a Non-Executive Director for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust Board, where she was Chair of the Audit Committee. Jane also brings her experience of being a steering group member of the Yorkshire 2% Club, which supported midcareer level women to develop and plan how they might move into board level roles. She is currently a Trustee of the Hepworth Wakefield and lives with her family in West Yorkshire.

Becky Malby: Non-executive Integrated Care Board - Citizens and Future Generations

Whilst living in West Yorkshire, Becky currently holds a role at London South Bank University with 17,000 students and 1,700 staff, leading on primary care, the health district and citizen participation strategy. Becky has worked in every part of the NHS and has over 30 years’ experience of setting strategy and leading change with health and local government colleagues, citizens, community and voluntary sectors and academics, primarily from a base in universities, especially working with young people. Becky has an impressive background in volunteering with local organisations and leading on work committed to social justice and community building. This ranges from offering temporary accommodation to homeless young people with Bradford Nightstop; leading the local Jo Cox Foundation’s Great Get together and free school meals provision; leading a national coalition movement to mobilise action for clean rivers; to supporting local people to connect through the isolation of the pandemic.

Bill McCarthy: Non-executive Integrated Care Board - Quality and Workforce

Bill retired at the end of July 2021 as NHS Regional Director in the North West following a long career which included spells as Chief Executive at the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority and City of York Council, Director General in the Department of Health responsible for Health and Care Policy and Strategy, and Deputy Vice Chancellor and Hon Professor of Health Policy at the University of Bradford. His experience includes establishing the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic leadership assembly in the North West, Co-Chairing the People Board in the North West, sitting on the national People Plan Forum, and leading national policy work on Integrated Care Systems. He has extensive non-executive experience, having Chaired a Local Authority Children's Services Improvement Board and serving a period as Chair of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Alongside his new role as a non- executive on the West Yorkshire ICB, Bill is also a non-executive member of the Pennine Care NHSFT Board and the Board of Leeds Trinity University. Bill lives in West Yorkshire.

We are delighted to appoint Jane, Becky, and Bill from a high number of applicants who applied for the roles of independent non-executive members. We are currently recruiting for a fourth independent non-executive member.

Non-executive development placement with the integrated care board

Alongside the independent non-executive members, we are pleased to share that we will be supporting another candidate, Haris Sultan, in his development through the NHS national NExT director programme, with a placement focusing on young people and future generations, working closely with Cathy Elliott as ICB Chair (designate) and non-executive member (designate) Becky Malby.

Haris’ work in health and social care started within West Yorkshire as Co-Founder of the Youth Board at Leeds Community Healthcare Trust. Locally he has worked as youth representative on Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body leading on the Leeds Youth Health and Social Care Charter. He also sits on the Board of Trustees of Leeds Hospitals Charity and is a member of the Partnership’s People’s Board. Nationally Haris is Founder and Chair of the National Network of Youth Forums, working with over 60 NHS Trusts across England. He is also board member of the Children and Young People Transformation Programme at NHS England. He has led national initiatives looking into the teaching of health inequalities resulting in changes to the undergraduate curriculum. He has also worked with the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England on young people’s vaccines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leeds Children’s Hospital designated Centre of Excellence in Supportive Cancer Care

Leeds Children’s Hospital is the first children’s hospital in the world to be designated as a ‘centre of excellence in supportive care’ by the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC).

It now joins other leading adult hospitals around the globe to receive this designation including the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris, the Institute Jules Bordet in Brussels and the Levine Cancer Institute, USA.

MASCC is an international multidisciplinary organisation dedicated to research and education in all aspects of supportive care for people with cancer. The certification program aims to promote and recognise oncology centres around the world that demonstrate best practices in supportive cancer care, by successfully integrating oncology and supportive care, upholding high standards, and maintaining comprehensive supportive care services.

‘Supportive care’ refers to all the elements of cancer care which are not directly combating the cancer itself, such as the management of infections, prevention of nausea and vomiting, nutrition, physiotherapy, physiological, emotional and social support - all important elements of a patient's cancer care.

Full story: Leeds Children’s Hospital designated ‘Centre of Excellence in Supportive Cancer Care'.

Leeds at the forefront of global research with new Cancer Research Centre

David Sebag Montefiore screenshot from BBC interview. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has launched an ambitious vision placing Leeds at the global forefront of cancer research. Launched online in partnership with the University of Leeds, the Leeds Cancer Research Centre is a new venture bringing together experts from across a range of disciplines. These include:

biological, physical, engineering and clinical sciences
clinical practice
innovative health interventions, to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing cancer
research today.

The Centre’s goals are to transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, tackle cancer-related health inequalities, and improve patient outcomes in Leeds, Yorkshire and across the globe.

Full story: Leeds Cancer Research Centre officially launches on World Cancer Day

Join the West Yorkshire movement to prevent and combat the impact of trauma and adversity

It’s not too late to join the hundreds of colleagues who have already registered for the second Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Annual Knowledge Exchange which runs from Tuesday 26 April to Thursday 28 April 2022. With a focus on prevention, early intervention, and mitigating harm from preconceptions throughout life, the event will showcase the amazing work that is taking place across our system. Throughout the three days you can find out more about how you can support the West Yorkshire Movement to prevent and combat the impact of trauma and adversity for all. We are hosting the event in partnership with the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit.

Adversity Trauma and Resilience Annual Knowledge Exchange 26 April 2022

GP online consultation re-procurement workshop

We are looking for clinical and non-clinical colleagues from GP practices and primary care networks to join a GP online consultation re-procurement workshop on Thursday 28 April 2022 from 1pm to 3pm.

At the event, there’ll be opportunities to share experiences of using current online consultation providers and other digital solutions, as well as expectations for the future.

If you, or anyone from your member practices or primary care networks, would like to be involved, please email wyhcp.digital@nhs.net and we’ll make sure you receive an invitation.

Improving Population Health Programme second annual report

Improving population health annual report 2021-2022 Don’t forget to have a look at the Improving Population Health Programme’s second Annual Report documenting our progress over the last 12 months.

We have also published text only and easy read versions as well as an audio version.

We will publish a BSL version soon.

Our first shadow board of the integrated care board (ICB)

Our first shadow board meeting took place on Wednesday. These shadow ICB sessions will allow leaders to spend some focused time working on our core purpose as a board before we expect to become a new statutory body on 1 July this year (subject to parliament approval). They will include how we will ensure we are as effective as possible, how the governance and decision-making infrastructure will work, and our individual responsibilities and remits within this -and importantly how we work together to improve the health and wellbeing of all living across our area.