Issue - meetings

Becky Reynolds (Director of Public Health) to present the Public Health Annual Report 2021-22

(10 minutes)

Becky Reynolds gave a presentation on the contents of the Public Health Annual Report 2021-22 as summarised below:

Chapter 1 – Impact of Covid 19

Summarised the far-reaching impact of the pandemic on the population, giving voice to local people and organisations that responded to the challenge.

Chapter 2: The Health of Children, Young People and Families

An overview of health and wellbeing indicators, summarising challenges including the impact of COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis, and providing examples of action taken to improve the lives of children, young people and families and reduce inequalities.

Chapter 3: The Importance of Our Places

Gives examples of innovative ways in which partners have worked together to further strengthen health and wellbeing through developing the places in which we live.

Chapter 4: Recommendations:

1)  Implement the B&NES Living Safely and Fairly with COVID-19 Plan

2)  Further strengthen the targeted action to support children, young people and families outlined in the Children and Young People’s Plan

3)  Ensure that the new B&NES Local Plan and the B&NES Economic Strategy that are being developed, both maximise their potential to reduce inequalities and make it easier for people to live healthy lives

4)  Update and implement the B&NES Health and Wellbeing Strategy, ensuring it has a strong focus on addressing inequalities

5)  The NHS to increasingly embed prevention and inequalities action into its priorities, and be helped to increasingly support social and economic development in B&NES

6)  All partners of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Integrated Care Alliance, and the Future Ambitions Board, commit to and deliver on action to improve health and reduce the inequalities that previously existed and have been highlighted as a result of the pandemic

Indicators

·  The report contained a list of indicators taken from Public Health Outcomes Framework and other key sources

·  Indicators were particularly chosen to show the areas of greatest challenge

·  These would inform identification of priorities in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The following comments were raised by Board Members:

1.  Val Scrase referred to the indicators in relation to hospital admissions for children and young people and stated that Health providers had identified this as an area of concern.

2.  Paul Harris commented that the report did not refer to long covid and asked how this would be addressed.  It was noted that there were long covid clinics in B&NES, but in terms of looking forward, the Local Authority would need to consider how to support people suffering from long covid.

3.  There was only 1 positive indicator listed.  There were other positive indicators, but the report focused on areas for improvement.

4.  The report would need to feed into the ICA to consider the implementation of the recommendations and Laura Ambler undertook to speak to Becky Reynolds about how the priorities would flow into the wider system.

The Board RESOLVED to;

1.  Receive the report.

2.  Support dissemination and implementation of the recommendations in the report.