Working together to improve Sheffield’s health and wellbeing

Hello! I’m Zak McMurray; I’m a GP NHS Medical Director for Sheffield, and for the last couple of years I’ve been the co-chair of Sheffield’s Health & Wellbeing Board. I want to tell you about some of the things we talked about at our last meeting. We heard lots about how important it is for different organisations to work together to improve people’s health, and tackle unfair differences in how long people live or how healthy they are.

Better Care Fund

One report we discussed was about the Better Care Fund. This is where the Council and the NHS put money together to support adults who need healthcare or social care. I was pleased to hear about the difference this work is making. For example:

• Helping people leave hospital when they’re ready: We are making progress in making sure people don’t get stuck in hospital longer than needed.
• Caring for people in their communities: More people are getting support at home, so they don’t need to go into hospital at all.

This is good for everyone. Hospitals can focus on people who need urgent care, and more people can get support close to home.

Staying safe at home

We also talked about a team that helps people stay safe at home by preventing falls. This work is going well, and it’s only possible because organisations and teams are working together.

Another report reminded us that good health isn’t just about healthcare. For example, we discussed how homes affect health. Safe, warm, and affordable homes help us stay healthy. But in Sheffield, many people live in homes that are cold or damp, which can make them ill, especially children and older people. The Board agreed to work together to do more to fix this problem.

Sheffield's Growth Plan

We also talked about Sheffield’s new Growth Plan. This plan is about making Sheffield’s economy stronger and linking that to health. Healthy people help Sheffield grow as a city. And a stronger economy helps people stay healthy – but only if everyone benefits.

Health protection

Another important topic was health protection. It's important that we continue to remember and learn the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.  We’ve asked NHS South Yorkshire to review how well Sheffield is set up to protect health in the future - I look forward to seeing what this says.

Dementia strategy

We also talked about the new Dementia strategy. This plan shows how Sheffield organisations will support people with dementia. It focuses on early diagnosis, medical care, and non-medical support. It also aims to make Sheffield a Dementia-friendly city. This is important because we know that when people with dementia stay in meaningful jobs, their condition often worsens more slowly. Businesses have a big role to play in this, and it’s great to see how they’ve been involved. This is another good example of how working together can help us create and deliver a strong plan.

Fair and Healthy Sheffield Plan

Finally, we talked about the Fair and Healthy Sheffield Plan, which we agreed on last September. It was good to hear Board Members share how their organisations are taking action to turn this plan into real changes for people in Sheffield.

That’s all from me for now! I’d love to hear your thoughts on what we should be doing or any questions you think we should discuss at a future meeting.