To receive a presentation on the Council’s Public Health Service by the Interim Director – Public Health.
Minutes:
The Interim Director of Public Health explained that the Council now had a considerable number of new responsibilities around public health. Public health was defined as the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society.
The Council had taken over responsibility for public health from the former Primary Care Trust on 1 April 2013. The Council was the local leader but was also part of the national public health system organised by NHS England. There were many different elements that impacted on the health and wellbeing of the population from work environment to housing and education. Partnership work with the NHS was also vital and public health was now working across the system with the CCG and the BHRUT Hospitals’ Trust. Virtually all Council services also had an impact on health.
As regards health improvement, the Council was now responsible for health education, health promotion and encouraging a healthier lifestyle. The Director agreed that there were health inequalities in the borough. The Council also had responsibility for health protection issues such as health emergency planning, health screening and immunisation. Under population healthcare, the Council gave support to commissioners and providers with population public health advice. Public health staff also evaluated the effectiveness ness of services and designed clinical pathways.
Havering received a ring-fenced public health grant of £9.7 million, one of the lowest in the UK. It was planned to use this money to shift public health services towards primary prevention.
Other public health services commissioned by the Council included open access sexual health services, healthchecks and the national child measurement programme. Discretionary services commissioned included tobacco control, drug & alcohol services, suicide prevention, healthy eating and oral health promotion.
Public health was now working across the system with the CCG and the BHRUT Hospitals’ Trust. A joint director of public health was being recruited in conjunction with the CCG and BHRUT. This would be a unique arrangement in the UK and the public health service was currently being restructured to support this. Members felt a joint director of public health would be positive as there was now a lot more emphasis nationally on preventing people from getting conditions in the first place.
Oral health in children was usually worse in families from poorer backgrounds and the director would check on the results for Havering in the latest dental survey. It was suggested that this could be an item for the next joint meeting of the children & learning and health sub-committees.
The director advised that the flu jab had protected people but was less effective against some circulating strains. It was however important that people continued to have flu jabs. The Director would also check the take-up in Havering of the vaccine against shingles.
Public Health worked with the Council’s housing teams to advise on how housing impacted on health. Advice could be given on the health implications of housing policies, planning applications etc although the service could not get involved in individual cases.
The Sub-Committee NOTED the presentation.