Councillor Oppenheimer takes up the position of Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing including responsibility for Public Health and the County Council’s relationship with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE), to provide even greater dedicated focus to the Council’s statutory duties around Public Health and provide additional support to the Executive Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Councillor Liz Fairhurst, with this extensive area of the County Council’s work.
Hampshire County Council has a legal duty to look after public health. This means making sure everyone in Hampshire has the chance to be healthy, understanding why some people across the county may not be, and how to enable people to choose a healthy lifestyle. It includes advising on a range of health issues from outbreaks of disease and ensuring the county is prepared for health emergencies and pandemics, through to how to address the factors that lead to poor health - working closely with NHS as well as County Council colleagues.
The County Council also commissions services to support people to make positive changes and healthy choices. These include: domestic abuse support; help with weight management; NHS Health Checks; alcohol and drug services; and help to stop smoking, as well as support for children, young people and their families via health visitors, school nurses and health checks for children in Year R and Year 6 in schools.
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Nick Adams-King said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Councillor Oppenheimer as our new Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing. This is particularly significant in our ‘Year of Health and Wellbeing’, launched just a few weeks ago, marking the start of a 12-month focus by the County Council and our partners on the development of activity, both within our own organisations and collectively, to help make Hampshire healthier by 2050. Hampshire is home to over 1.4 million residents, and our population is becoming more diverse, getting older, and living longer, which is good news but there are greater inequalities and more people experiencing lifestyle-related illnesses.
“Through this new portfolio within our Cabinet, dedicated to Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Oppenheimer will bring an even sharper focus to our strong commitment to improving the health and quality of life for everyone in Hampshire, and effective working with our partners in the NHS to achieve the best outcomes for residents. The breadth of the County Council’s statutory responsibilities for Public Health are considerable, and by continuing to work effectively with our partners and providing people with the tools they need to make positive changes and healthy choices, we can help even more Hampshire residents to live in better health for longer and rely less on health and social care services later in life.”
Councillor Oppenheimer will also chair the Health and Wellbeing Board and have a lead role in the development of the relationship with the Integrated Care Partnership and Hampshire Place Assembly.
The County Council’s Cabinet now comprises the following Executive Members:
- Councillor Nick Adams-King: Leader and Executive Member for Hampshire 2050 and Corporate Services
- Councillor Jan Warwick: Deputy Leader and Deputy Executive Member for Hampshire 2050 and Corporate Services
- Councillor Roz Chadd: Executive Lead Member for Children's Services
- Councillor Steve Forster: Executive Member for Education
- Councillor Liz Fairhurst: Executive Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
- Councillor Russell Oppenheimer: Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing
- Councillor Kirsty North: Executive Lead Member for Universal Services
- Councillor Lulu Bowerman: Executive Member for Highways and Waste
- Councillor Zoe Huggins: Executive Member for Hampshire 2050 (Climate Change, Culture and Partnerships) and Human Resources, Communications and Performance
