Health Inequality - Why Bristol must improve services for Physical and Mental Health

Mental Health is a Protected Characteristic so Councils have a Duty of Care to this population.

JSNA (Joint Strategic Needs Assessment) and other guidance requires councils to fund or obtain funding for exercise for mental health, even the current Government policy is 'No Health Without Mental Health'. Equality of access to people with mental health issues and barriers to access to physical exercise is a right.

This applies also to people with other illnesses and disabilities, and for other services also where people have a specialist need.

Relevant policies -

"Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
    To improve and protect health and wellbeing outcomes across the city while reducing health inequalities

Health and Wellbeing Board
    A duty to consult service users and the public.

WAYS OF WORKING (Supplement to the Terms of Reference agreed at Full Council in May 2013)

2. Functions of the Board - in summary    

2.4. Communicate and engage with Bristol communities.  See Section 6 below.  A duty to involve users and the public in the JSNA and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS).

3. Identifying needs and priorities

3.1 Ensure that the JSNA is refreshed, using a variety of tools, evidence and data, including user experience to support this process.

3.3 Reach a shared understanding of the health needs, inequalities and risk factors in local populations, based on the JSNA and other evidence, and demonstrate how this evidence has been applied to decisions and strategic priorities.
4. Strategy
4.1. The Board will develop, publish and refine a Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy which sets out objectives, a rate of improvement for health and wellbeing outcomes, including reduction in health inequalities, and how stakeholders will be jointly held to account for delivery.

6. Patient and Public Involvement

6.1. The Board has a duty placed on it to involve patients and the public in both the JSNA and JHWS.

6.2. The Board will aim to deliver this duty in a meaningful way.  Realistic and practical mechanisms to deliver this duty will be developed in conjunction with the development of HealthWatch."

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) - The health and wellbeing of Bristol - http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/adult-care-and-health/joint-strategic-needs-assessment-jsna

Health and Wellbeing Board - Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy - 

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/council-and-democracy/health-and-wellbeing-board