Agenda item

Select Committee Members are asked to consider the information presented within the report and note the key issues described.

Dr Bruce Laurence addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

This heavily subsidised two day course is for suitable for anyone working with or supporting children and young people aged 8-18. It teaches the skills needed to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person and builds confidence to offer first aid and knowledge to signpost to further support needed. The course won't teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening. 

Introducing Lizzie Henden, Heath Improvement Specialist

A new role has been appointed, funded by NHS England and hosted by Virgin Care, for a Health Improvement Specialist with a specific remit for health inequalities in Screening and Immunisations.

This post is part of 12 month project with NHS England commissioners, local commissioners, communities and primary care. The role will include promoting routine NHS screening and immunisation programmes to increase uptake in the local population through public health community promotion and health prevention activities. The core purpose of this role is to reduce health inequalities.  The programme will be delivered sensitively to meet the needs of the local population, especially those persons who are considered vulnerable and may find services hard to reach.

Measles

5 measles cases in Bath, including one in both universities. A small number of cases but a reminder that vaccination is still essential, and a high rate of over 95% is needed to prevent outbreaks. Measles outbreaks are occurring in many parts of the UK and larger ones in some European countries with at least 35 deaths in children across Europe in 2017. We use cases to promote vaccination and remind people that anyone born after 1970 who finds that they are unvaccinated should go to their GP for two doses of MMR.

Items of national interest

• PHE strategy to reduce calorie intake through guidelines, promoting reformulation of food and reductions in portion size.

• Salisbury nerve toxin event. This demonstrated the difficulty of risk communication and management in an uncertain, fast-moving and pressurised situation.

• Breastfeeding.. The UK has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world: 34% of babies are receiving any breastmilk at six months compared with 62.5% in Sweden. Only 1% of UK babies aged under 6 months are being breastfed exclusively compared with 34% in Portugal.

In 2015/16, the percentage of infants in England who were receiving breastmilk at their 6-8 week check was 43.15%.

Trauma Informed Care Conference – 26^th February 2018

This was a regional conference hosted by B&NES and supported by PHE which brought together a wide range of professionals from health, social care, education etc. to discuss the importance of trauma and adverse child experiences in early life and how to help people who are dealing with the consequences in later life. The overall message is that professionals need to ask explicitly whether people date their problems to early life adverse events and if the question is left unasked then information will probably not be volunteered and this will be a block to progress.

Exam stress:  As young people across B&NES get closer to the GCSE and A’ level exam period, their stress levels and those of their parents and carers may be rising. A short set of tips for families that may provide some help has been created. 

Councillor Dine Romero asked how the information on exam stress was distributed.

The Director for Integrated Health & Care Commissioning replied that distribution was carried out via schools.

Councillor Dine Romero asked if there is to be a key Mental Health Worker in all schools, who will pay for this position.

Dr Laurence replied that he has raised that point many times but could not give a definitive answer at the present time. He added that he felt it would not be fair to expect this role to be an extension of the staff members that provide SEN and Safeguarding.

Councillor Dine Romero asked if training in Mental Health should be included for prospective teachers at Bath Spa University.

Councillor Lizzie Gladwin commented that it is available as an optional model in the current training programme.

The Chair thanked Dr Laurence for the update on behalf of the Select Committee.