Memorandum of Understanding

Memorandum of Understanding

This Memorandum of Understanding is made on the day of 2015 Memorandum of Understanding Between Community Housing Cymru Group 2 Ocean Way, Cardiff, CF24 5TG And Public Health Wales NHS Trust, 14 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9LJ 1

Memorandum of Understanding 1 Purpose The purpose of this Memorandum is to: Set out the collaborative working arrangements between Community Housing Cymru and Public Health Wales. Provide a framework for developing an agreed programme of work based on the priorities contained within the Public Health Wales 2015 2018 Strategic Plan and Community Housing Cymru s Corporate Strategy, 2016 19 in order to deliver mutual priorities that will focus on improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities for the population of Wales. The work programme will also support the intentions set out in Housing and Health Working in Partnership to Improve Health, Care and Wellbeing in Wales. 2 Governance The governance arrangements will include: Collaborative Steering Group meetings between representatives of Public Health Wales and Community Housing Cymru twice a year. The group will consist of: Chief Executive, Public Health Wales Director of Policy Research and International Development, Public Health Wales Housing Policy lead, Public Health Wales Chief Executive, Community Housing Cymru Director of Policy, Community Housing Cymru Policy Programme Manager, Community Housing Cymru The Group will approve the content of an agreed work programme and provide overall strategic guidance. A lead sponsor from Public Health Wales (Consultant in Public Health - Policy, Sumina Azam) and Community Housing Cymru (Director of Policy, Sioned Hughes) will be responsible for monitoring the delivery of the joint programme. Where necessary, task and finish sub- groups may be established to deliver specific aspects of the work programme, with terms of reference and resource to be agreed by the Steering Group. 3 Policy Context Our work will be guided by national policy, including: Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 Prudent Healthcare Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 4 How We Work Together Homes are a place where people live, relax and socialise and have an important impact on health and wellbeing. Poor quality housing is linked to a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes, as well as being associated with higher crime and unemployment. By working together, Community Housing Cymru and Public Health Wales can help to contribute to better population health and reduced health inequalities. We recognise that both Community Housing Cymru and Public Health Wales are striving to improve the lives and health of the most deprived and vulnerable communities in Wales. Collaborative working between the two organisations will identify areas where joint projects will have the greatest impact on our population and reduce inequalities. We will therefore identify common problems and develop joint solutions from the wider perspective of both public health and housing, with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention. We will look for ways in which we can work together to solve problems. 4.1 Partnership working We recognise that by working together, we can accomplish more. We will explore opportunities to align priorities, develop a shared language and a common approach in order to achieve common outcomes. We will work together to identify how project work can be sustainable e.g. through becoming business as usual, communicating our findings to partners, other decision-makers and to the public. We will aim to ensure that any improvements can be implemented at scale. 2

Memorandum of Understanding We will seek to work with other agencies to promote a broader partnership approach to improve our effectiveness and develop a holistic approach to tackling issues affecting our communities. 4.2 Prevention and early intervention By focusing our efforts on helping families to give children the best start in life, we can help break the cycle between poverty and poor health outcomes and allow children to realise their full potential. We also recognise the importance of health and housing in supporting older people to maintain their independence at home. 4.3 Empowering communities We recognise that both organisations are working to empower individuals and communities in order to identify their concerns and help them find holistic solutions to their problems. 4.4 Ensuring an evidence based approach We will develop an evidence-based approach to prevention and early intervention, employing the best evidence available to inform our joint actions, drawing on learning locally, nationally and internationally. We will explore opportunities to work with academic partners to ensure that we understand the effectiveness of our activities and how we can improve them, identifying opportunities to commission joint research. 5 Work Themes Public Health Wales and Community Housing Cymru will bring their strategic priorities into one document with the purpose of identifying joint actions that could be used to achieve the priorities of both organisations. Community Housing Cymru and Public Health Wales will work together on specific areas of mutual benefit, including policy development, embedding the use of health impact assessments, using and / or developing asset tools, providing expert advice on health and housing and undertaking evaluation of joint interventions. The joint work programme will include facilitating the delivery of the commitments in Housing and Health Working in Partnership to Improve Health, Care and Wellbeing in Wales. A joint Health and Housing Public Health Task Group will be established that will develop a focused prioritised action plan for the coming two years and comprise cross sector key players in health, housing, community and social care. Key tasks of the Group will include: Establishing public health champions in each housing organisation and care and repair agency and similarly establishing public health housing champions in each Local Authority Identifying areas where guidance / resource tools are required for health and housing and support their development and dissemination Collating, reporting on and disseminating good practice between health and housing organisations (including care and repair) across each health board and local authority Developing appropriate shared outcome measures which will demonstrate the impact on health and wellbeing within communities and tenants Helping shape the core priorities and actions for partnership working between health and housing Providing advice and support to housing associations, Health Boards and other public sector organisations at a local and national level in order to build, maintain and implement effective public health shared actions 6 Resource Resources will need to be agreed by Community Housing Cymru and Public Health Wales. Any joint funded roles will be developed with the specific remit of developing and delivering an agreed work programme. 3

Memorandum of Understanding Agreed by and on behalf of: The Chief Executive, Community Housing Cymru Date The Chief Executive, Public Health Wales NHS Trust Date 4

Memorandum of Understanding 5