DO you have something to say about health and well-being provision in Thurrock? If so a new consultation has been launched to give you that chance.
A health and well-being strategy was devised in 2013, and plans are underway to refresh and renew it next year.
The borough’s Health and Wellbeing Board is a partnership that includes the councillors, the NHS, voluntary and community groups and organisations, and council officers.
One of its responsibilities is to lead on health and well-being issues in Thurrock and the strategy is made up of the priorities board members believe are the most important for improving the health and wellbeing of Thurrock people.
Cllr Barbara Rice, the council’s cabinet member for health and chair of the board, said: “The council now has a department responsible for what’s called ‘Public Health’, but as we all know our health depends on many different things, organisations and individuals.
“Whether it’s a GP or dentist; a hospital, or simply having a warm home and the ability to feed ourselves and our families – our health and well-being is not a simple thing.
“That is why the board is made up of so many different sectors; it’s the one place we all come together and it’s the one place where we can influence at least some – if not all – of the local health services.”
She added: “The health and wellbeing agenda is so important for the people in Thurrock. If you live in Orsett you are likely to live nearly ten years longer than somebody living in some other parts of the borough – I don’t know about you, but that does not sit well with me or members of the board.”
The board has developed five “draft priorities” for consultation: preventing ill health and taking early action; ensuring all agencies work together when delivering services specifically focusing on making sure every child in Thurrock has access to the best services; building strong and resilient communities; strengthening the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Thurrock people; and finally, transforming services and solutions to focus on preventing ill-health.
The easiest way for anybody wanting to make comments on the proposals or who have different or new ideas is to go to Thurrock Council’s website (thurrock.gov.uk) and click on Have my say.
The consultation started on Monday, 23 November and finishes on Friday, 22 January.
Cllr Rice said: “The health and well-being of local people is, literally, a matter of life and death as well as improving the quality of people’s lives so I would urge as many people as possible to ‘have their say’.”
