LETTER FROM JUDITH WRIGHT, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING, NHS WEST SUSSEX AND WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
Dear colleague,
I am writing to you with regards to the draft countywide partnership health inequalities strategy, “Promoting Health Equalities – Working together to improve quality of life in West Sussex”, which we have been developing with our partners over the last few months. The strategy describes the context of health inequalities, nationally and locally. It sets out the current and future action and approaches that will be taken to ensure that health inequalities are addressed in the long term. Engagement on this draft strategy is now taking place with a wide range of stakeholders and I would like to encourage you to respond with your comments and suggestions.
Development of the strategy has been led by the ‘Better Health for All’ group (of the West Sussex Sustainable Community Strategy), one of the thematic partnerships under the West Sussex Public Service Board. The group includes a wide range of partners and the draft document has been produced by NHS West Sussex.
The strategy is intended to provide individual organisations in West Sussex with information to enable them to better understand their contribution to promoting health equalities. It is also intended that the strategy clearly links to other relevant plans, groups and initiatives/priorities, and uses robust data and knowledge, including the joint strategic needs assessment and information gained from partnership working. It is the first overarching strategic document of its kind for West Sussex and follows the recent publication of the Marmot Review, which has proposed national and local action on health inequalities post-2010. It is hoped that the health inequalities strategy will help all partners to meet their local priorities and provide a framework for the joint approach we intend to take in West Sussex.
We want to hear as many views as possible in relation to this draft document. Therefore I would like to encourage you, your colleagues and partners to become involved and provide feedback.
Engagement materials in relation to the draft strategy, plus a copy of the document itself, are available at the NHS West Sussex website:
www.westsussex.nhs.uk/professionals-health-inequalities
The deadline for feedback is 5.00pm on Friday 30 July 2010.
The key questions we would like partners to respond to are:
Is this the right strategic direction?
Are these the right actions and proposals?
What else could partners do to support local actions?
How do you think we should judge our success?
A ‘frequently asked questions’ article and an online feedback form ( www.westsussex.nhs.uk/professionals-health-inequalities-feedback ) are available on the website. Alternatively, your comments can be emailed to: healthinequalities@westsussexpct.nhs.uk
For further information contact the Health Inequalities and Partnerships team at the Public Health department, NHS West Sussex on: 01903 708558
Or write to us at this address:
Health Inequalities Team
Public Health
NHS West Sussex
1 The Causeway
Goring-by-Sea
West Sussex
BN12 6BT
The strategy is one of a suite of important documents, produced recently, which will be used to inform the commissioning of services to improve the health and wellbeing of our local population. The other publications include the Director of Public Health Report - A Fair Old Age and the West Sussex Lifestyle Survey of 14-15 year olds. All documents are available on our website: www.westsussex.nhs.uk/publications
We look forward to receiving your feedback and I hope you and your colleagues will feel confident in being able to contribute to the agreed actions that will be included when the final strategy is launched this autumn.
|
