Drive to reach hard to reach groups after just 34 responses to Solihull health consultation

Neeraj Malhotra, Solihull Councils deputy director of public health.
-Credit: (Image: Solihull Council)


A senior public health officer has said it is a shame such low numbers of Solihull residents took part in an important health strategy consultation.

And Solihull Council's leader has said he wants to see more engagement with more difficult to reach groups typically not involved in responding to public consultations.

The comments were made at the latest meeting of the Solihull health and wellbeing board. The board is made up of democratically elected leaders and local clinical leadership working together to ensure the best healthcare for the borough's residents.

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By law the board has to produce a joint local health and wellbeing strategy, a document highlighting areas where Solihull is doing well and areas where improvements need to be made. The latest version, which would run until 2032, went out to consultation over the summer. Among residents’ comments on improvements they wanted to see were:

  • Increasing physical activity

  • Increasing use of public transport

  • Encourage cycling in open space not on roads to reduce breathing in pollution fumes.

  • Reduce levels of adult obesity

  • Reduce substance misuse

  • Improve mental health across all ages

  • Improve levels of school attendance and reduce long term absence

  • Better support for special educational needs children and families

  • Make local healthcare services work and improve access to them

  • Support for people with physical conditions.

But at the meeting Neeraj Malhotra, the deputy director of public health, reported 211 people had visited the online survey, with only 34 responses. “34 is a small number,” the officer said.

“I would love to be able to say we had 340 or 3,400. What we want to do is make sure we are stronger on engagement and consultation when it's appropriate.

“It is a shame the numbers are low. It is a high level strategy, it is not going to bring about the same levels of response as something more tangible - but there is still enough from the feedback (to use).” Ian Courts, the leader of the council, raised his concern with engaging with “hard to reach groups”, an issue he said had become an issue generally.

“What things have been successful elsewhere and how (do we) replicate them?" Coun Courts said. “Particularly (reaching) disadvantaged groups because if we can improve health in certain sectors we can improve overall statistics."

The leader said he wanted to see a specific piece of work so he could be satisfied they were all doing the most they can to engage with these communities. On the feedback Coun Courts added: “These are quite generalised.

“I wonder whether we need to be focusing on things we can improve rather than say we all need to be healthier.” Neeraj Malhotra, the deputy director of public health, replied: “We want to become much more forensic and start to say where are our people dying under the age of 75 the most.

“What are the causes. How are we going to be much more focused on those particular neighbourhoods and areas in our approach to addressing premature mortality.”

The board's meeting was held at the Civic Suite on September 24.

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