Agenda item

Public Health Update

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

Minutes:

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.

 

Weight

 

Public Health England have done a tracking study from the NCMP (National Child Measurement Programme) of about 34.000 children in 4 Local Authorities showed what happened in Year 6 of children of different weights in reception.

 

·  For the 28,092 children who were a healthy weight in Reception the vast majority remained a healthy weight by Year 6 (77% girls, 73% boys). However, around a tenth of children who were a healthy weight in Reception became obese.

 

·  For the 3,128 children who were overweight in Reception 31% remained overweight, 30% became obese and 13% severely obese by Year 6. However, just under a third (27%) returned to a healthy weight.

 

·  For the 722 children who were underweight in Reception the vast majority (77% boys, 68% girls) gained a healthy weight by Year 6. Just 31% girls and 21% boys remained underweight

 

Tobacco Control

 

B&NES Public Health and 8 other local authorities in the South West are jointly funding work with the South West Trading Standards Regional Enforcement Team (SWRET) which aims to reduce illicit supply and demand of tobacco, increase compliance with regulations on marketing and prevent underage sales.

 

Local area trading standards and public health teams will work with the regional intelligence team to raise awareness of illegal tobacco in local communities, increase local intelligence and take enforcement action where necessary.

 

Health Champions

 

The Councils’ Organisational Development Action Plan for 17/18 includes the key objective to develop a network of champions for health and wellbeing and to use management information and data to promote initiatives that encourage healthy life styles and productivity.

 

We are currently recruiting up to 12 Health Champions from across all departments of the Council. These champions will be given accredited training, support and a small budget to work with their team to promote staff health and wellbeing

 

ASIST – Suicide Prevention

 

In 2016 B&NES alongside the six other local authorities in the AGW Public Health area received funding to deliver ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skill Training).  This money from Public Health England covered the cost of additional training for two BANES trainers both of whom already have considerable mental health experience as employees from AWP and DHI, as well as the delivery of a two year programme of delivery for frontline staff working in the BANES area. 

 

ASIST training provides an evidenced based approach to supporting a person who is experiencing suicidal thoughts with an emphasis on getting them to a place of safety.  At the end of year one 88 members of staff have completed the 2 day ASIST training with the majority working in adult services and from a range of organisations.  These include Council workers, Avon Wiltshire Partnership, educational settings, police , Sirona and a range of third sector organisations . The training for 2017/18 is now fully booked reflecting high demand for support and training around this sensitive issue.  A full evaluation of the training programme and a plan for sustaining training based support will be available towards the end of the programme.

 

Domestic Abuse - Funding

 

£100k has been secured from DCLG for an enhanced domestic abuse resettlement service over two years. This will provide support for survivors moving on from local temporary or supported accommodation to their own place either locally or in neighbouring areas. It will offer resettlement support for up to 6 months. The funding will also provide training for supported housing staff in B&NES.

 

Councillor Lin Patterson asked if the Public Health department worked in co-ordination with the Transport department.

 

Dr Bruce Laurence replied that there was a level of co-ordination between the two departments and that they share good practice and have worked together on Air Quality Management Plans. He added that discussions also take place when transport schemes are proposed.

 

Councillor Geoff Ward said that he thought that the right initiatives were in place and that the decision to bring Public Health back under the umbrella of the Council was proving its worth. He stated that he felt that Public Health should be at the centre of the majority of decisions that are made.

 

Councillor Lin Patterson asked if any statistics were available relating to patients with respitory disease living in areas of high level air pollution.

 

Dr Bruce Laurence replied that some postcode level data was available, but said that it was not always able to be proven. He said that he would bring some information back to a subsequent meeting of the Select Committee.

 

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