Agenda item

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

Dr Bruce Laurence, Director of Public Health 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.

He began by stating his support of the current integration work as both parties share a common goal of ensuring health and prosperity for all residents. In response to earlier comments relating to cure / prevention he said that this remains a source for discussion, but he felt that there is an increased understanding for the need for prevention whilst at the same time recognising that more resources are currently situated with cure.

Air quality

Air pollution damages lives with harmful effects on human health, the economy and the environment. It is the largest environmental risk to the public’s health, contributing to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases. It increases the chances of hospital admissions, visits to Emergency Departments and respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms which interfere with everyday life. In the most severe cases it increases the risk of death, especially for people who are already vulnerable.

There is now an extensive body of evidence that long-term exposure to everyday air pollutants over several years contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), lung cancer, and respiratory disease. Particulate matter (PM) is inhaled into the lungs and ultrafine PM0.1 is thought to pass into the blood causing many adverse outcomes including systemic inflammation.

A Clean Air Charging Zone for Bath - to improve air quality, the Government has told 28 Councils in England, including B&NES Council, to achieve compliance with NO2 limits ‘in the shortest possible time’ and by 2021 at the latest. This is part of their National Air Quality Action Plan. There are a number of hotspots in our area where concentrations of NO2 (caused by vehicle emissions) exceed the acceptable national and European limit of 40 µg/m3.

Amesbury neurotoxin incident

Public Health England considers that the risk to the public after the latest poisoning which has now caused one death, remains low. There is a major effort underway to find the source of this latest event. Although the persistence of different such agents in the environment varies, it is thought most likely that this contamination occurred via some sort of container where it was more protected from the elements. Therefore advice is being given to the public to avoid contact with any syringes or other containers that are found lying around in the relevant areas. Other advice given on a “very precautionary” basis that people who have visited certain sites should wash clothes or bag them securely if they need dry cleaning.

The B&NES public health team have offered support to their colleagues in Wiltshire should the need arise. 

The Public Health Newsletter

•  Free mental health training – Connect 5: Places on autumn and spring level 1-3 courses now available

Connect 5 is an accessible, evidenced based training programme that is relevant to any public facing workforce. It provides participants with skills and competencies that build confidence in having conversations about mental health and wellbeing. It presents tools to empower others to take proactive steps to build resilience and look after themselves. Connect 5 takes the position that we don’t need to be mental health specialists to support those who are experiencing emotional and mental health problems. The course is accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health and courses are delivered by a range of locally accredited trainers.

•  Free Making Every Contact Count (MECC) training - August and September courses.

This course is about supporting people to make the most of every opportunity they have to start up a conversation about health with the people they meet through their work and broader lives. Telling people to change unhealthy behaviour is unlikely to be successful; instead MECC provides the skills to work in a different way, encouraging brief interventions that can lead to longer term change.  MECC training is delivered over two half day sessions

•  1st and 8th August 9.30 – 13.00 Guildhall Bath

•  27th September and 4th October 9.30 – 13.00 Southdown Methodist Church, Bath

Councillor Lin Patterson commented regarding air quality that the recent anti-idling campaign is not able to continue and that funding for it to resume would be welcome.

Dr Laurence replied that he would speak to colleagues about this matter.

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