Health and care proposals need public feedback

Health and care partners across the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Partnership ("BOB ICP") are asking for the public's views on a set of proposed priorities to support improved health and wellbeing.

The BOB ICP vision for nearly two million people living within the area is: to have the best possible start in life; to live happier, healthier lives for longer; and to get the right support when needed. To achieve this, the ICP has developed a draft Strategy which proposes a common set of priorities that partners will work on together.

Representatives from across the health and care systems have collaborated with partner organisations, the voluntary sector, and other stakeholders, to understand their ambitions as a foundation for the Strategy.

The next step is to work with local people and communities to refine the proposals and agree a common set of priorities for the health and care system, through a public engagement exercise.

Cllr Jason Brock, Leader of Reading Borough Council and Chair of the ICP, said:

"We have to work together to best achieve those things which are most important to the people who live and work across our area. As such, public feedback and input will be hugely important as the strategy develops.

"The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West area is geographically vast, and it also has a very diverse population in all sorts of ways. This engagement is about finding common ground on broad strategies which can help give people the best possible start in life, to be happier and healthier and to ensure they have access to support when they need it.

"This draft document is intended to promote thought and discussion. The detail comes later on, in particular how all partners can direct limited resources to have the biggest positive impact on people's lives. 

"Please take some time to read the priorities our partners have identified and tell us what you think via the survey." 

Cllr Graham Bridgman, Deputy Leader of West Berkshire Council, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, and a Member of the ICP, said:

"The long-term Strategy for the BOB Integrated Care System is a fundamental building block for healthcare across West Berkshire and the rest of the BOB area.  It will link to our own Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy to establish the response to local needs, and to reduce the inequalities in health experienced by people across our populations.

"I encourage residents in the district to take part and have their say - we all deserve to live happier longer lives."

The draft strategy proposes these sets of priorities:

• Start Well - to help children achieve the best start in life
• Live Well - to support people and communities to stay healthy for as long as possible
• Age Well - to support older people to live healthier, independent lives for longer
• Promoting and Protecting Health - to support people to stay healthy, protect people from health hazards and prevent ill-health
• Improving Quality and Access to Services - to help people access services at the right place and right time.

The survey is open until 29 January 2023. You can find it online at: https://yourvoicebob-icb.uk.engagementhq.com/icp-strategy-engagement  or you can request a printed copy by calling: 0300 123 4465 or by emailing: bobics.engagement@nhs.net. 

The feedback will be published early next year and the ICP will continue to engage with stakeholders and the public as the strategy progresses to ensure it considers public views and patient experience as it develops ideas for new ways of providing care.