Agenda item

Terri Roche, Director of Public Health, to present

Terri Roche, Director of Public Health, introduced the 2017 independent annual report with the aid of a powerpoint presentation together with Gill Harrison, Public Health Specialist.

 

The 2015 and 2016 annual reports had been the first 2 in a series of 3 planned annual reports that worked through the life course, focussing on key health issues at different stages of life. 

 

Living well was important for individuals and the population as a whole to ensure a good quality of life throughout the life course.  Living a healthy life could increase life expectancy and making the right life choices could reduce the likelihood of premature death and suffering certain long term conditions.

 

The 2017 annual report focussed on living and working well and was broken down into chapters on:-

 

-          Mental Health, Wellbeing and Loneliness

-          Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Misuse

-          Tackling the Issue of Domestic Abuse

-          Looking after Sexual Health

-          Towards a Smoke-free Generation

-          Addressing Obesity

-          Physical Activity

-          Long Term Conditions

-          Environments and Health

-          Cancer Screening

-          Flu Vaccination

-          Making Every Contact Count

-          Work and Health

 

The key recommendations in the report were:-

 

-          Work and health in partnership – to help more people back into work with stronger health and employment connectivity with links to emotional wellbeing.  Continue to deliver the Workplace Wellbeing Charter for those in work

 

-          Making Every Contact Count (MECC) – working with partners to deliver MECC (Healthy Chats) which was a key component of the Rotherham Integrated Health and Social Care Strategy

 

-          Mental Health – Public Health to lead on the implementation of the Better Mental Health For All Strategy with a specific focus in year one on Suicide Prevention and Five Ways to Wellbeing

 

-          Physical Activity – Public Health will work with the Team Rotherham Partnership to increase physical activity across Rotherham using opportunities such as the Authority’s award winning parks (green spaces), promoting active travel and working the Planning Department to develop obesogenic environments

 

-          Continue to deliver on South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw wider partnership to deliver on the Health and Social Care Plan

 

Discussion ensued on the report and presentation with the following issues raised/clarified:-

 

·           Possible correlation between the loss of heavy industry and the increase in men’s life expectancy

 

·           Decline in women’s healthy life expectancy

 

·           Lack of control over online gambling

 

·           Clarification required as to whether the 27.2% not in work referred to those who had illnesses or those who were long term unemployed

 

·           Other reasons for numbers of domestic abuse incidents increasing besides more reporting and changes to recording

 

·           Intention to work with Children’s Services and partners to look at Adverse Childhood Events – it was known that events such as domestic abuse and neglect in children’s early years had a massive impact on them not just physically but also psychologically

 

·           The measure for healthy life expectancy was based on a national annual survey where a number of the population were asked whether they were in good or bad health.  It was the same questions across the whole country

 

·           Although not perfect the BMI (Body Mass Index) measure was the most accurate and acceptable one to the population

 

·           There was still research to take place as to the effects of e-cigarettes and there was no legislative control over them as there was for passive smoking

 

·           Work was being carried out on perinatal mental health.  There was emerging research about the stress effecting the development of the unborn baby

 

·           Addressing long-term methadone use as in the past the Drug Strategy had focussed on maintenance but work was now taking place on persuading users the best thing for them was to be drug free

 

·           The Specialist Misuse Service had been commissioned to deal with any drugs and not just opiate based drugs

 

·           Children’s Services did a lot of work identifying domestic abuse and work was taking place with Housing Officers

 

·           Although an excellent service, early access to the Abortion Service was low by all age groups.  Work was to take place to ascertain the reasons why and speak to Service users.  There were 2 Abortion Services commissioned in Rotherham one of which also provided the service in Doncaster.  There was a marked difference between the access in Doncaster to that of Rotherham

 

·           Speakup worked with a number of women with learning difficulties who did not fully understand sexual health and contraception.  The Sexual health Strategy Group did acknowledge this point and agreed that more work needed to be done with this particular cohort of the population

 

·           Access through GPs to help stop smoking in pregnancy needs more work but the midwife should offer smoking cessation products or support

 

·           Although it was felt that vaping had been responsible for a significant dip in the number of people smoking, reducing tobacco dependency would be the priority due to the other carcinogenic substances in cigarettes not just the nicotine.  Currently it was not recorded how many people vaped.

 

·           There was no regulation on take-away foods to include sugar, salt and fat content although work had been done elsewhere with restaurants to produce healthier dishes

 

·           More work was needed with regard to parent education but it came down to funding and prioritisation.  Training was carried out with Health Visitors about weaning and there was a Childhood Weight Management Programme for the whole family

 

·           There was no powers under Planning Legislation with regard to fast food take-aways.  The professional body of Directors of Public Health had lobbied the Government on this issue

 

·           The Plan dealt with the symptoms but there was insufficient focus on prevention including Adverse Childhood Events

 

·           Statistics to be provided with regard to treatment and recovery from cancers compared to the national average as well as at what point in the disease cycle people accessed care

 

·           Until recently GPs had delivered the NHS Health Check Service.  The Service had now been moved into Get Healthy Rotherham in an attempt to target the population groups most at risk

 

·           Clarification sought as to whether adults with learning disabilities were still offered the flu vaccination

 

·           MECC was being evaluated up and down the country.  Every time training was carried out trainee contact details were taken and they were told they would be contacted on a regular basis and asked to submit an anonymised case study in terms of how MECC had been used and received.  All the information submitted would be captured

 

·           During the training it was made very clear that they were not expected to approach a member of the public and start asking them questions; if they brought up a health issue during conversation that was an opportunity to be taken advantage of

 

·           MECC website included simple signposting with a location view of where services were located (national or local) in addition to self-care information.

 

·           MECC training could be offered to Members

 

·           The recommissioned Lifestyle Service focussed on the most deprived 5 areas – Rotherham East, Rotherham West, Boston Castle, Rawmarsh, Maltby and Wingfield Valley.  It was acknowledged that there were significant areas of deprivation in other Wards but it was hoped that they would be picked up through the work of Thriving Communities and work with Members

 

The Chair thanked Terri and Gill for their presentation.

 

Resolved:-  (1)  That the annual report of the Director of Public Health be noted.

 

(2)  That the recommendations within the report be supported with further feedback on the progress made on the detailed action plan submitted in due course.

 

(3)  That illegal highs, in particular spice, be included within the Substance Abuse section of the Plan as a specific element.

 

(4)  That the Select Commission ensures that Services take account of the Director of Public Health Annual Report in Service Planning and Delivery

 

(5)  That the Sexual Health Strategy be submitted to the Select Commission in due course.

 

(6)  That the Sexual Health Strategy include a specific element regarding education and communication to people with learning disabilities and those with barriers to communication.

 

(7)  That the Director of Public Health discuss with colleagues in Children’s Services the issue and impact of Adverse Childhood Events and health interventions as part of the Public Health agenda.