Agenda item

(To receive a report from Tony McGinty, Interim Director of Public Health, which provides the Board with the Annual report on the health of the people of Lincolnshire 2016)

Consideration was given to a report from Tony McGinty, Interim Director of Public Health, which provided the Board with the Director of Public Health's Annual report on the health of the people of Lincolnshire 2016, a copy of which was detailed at Appendix A to the report.

The Board were reminded that it was statutory duty of the Director of Public Health to produce an annual report on the health of the people of the areas he/she serves.  The report was an independent professional view of the state of the health of the people of Lincolnshire, with recommendations on the action needed by a range of organisations and partnerships.

The Interim Director of Public Health in his short presentation advised that this was his first annual description of the state of the health of the people of Lincolnshire.  The Board was advised that the focus of this year's report was on mental health and mental illness profile of local people.

The report highlighted that mental health was fundamental to all, in enabling individuals to achieve their goals and potential in life; and to support their ability to make good choices through life.  It was highlighted that many different things through life could challenge or support the mental health of individuals and communities.  The annual report was therefore presented as a series of points along the average life-span, highlighting the risks and opportunities to mental health at each of the various stages of life, with each chapter describing more fully each of the stages. Then at the end of each chapter were a series of recommendations to ensure improvement.

The presentation highlighted the scale of mental ill-health in Lincolnshire.  The Board noted that it was estimated that there was over 3,000 Lincolnshire women per year having mental health problems during pregnancy and after childbirth.  That over 9% of Lincolnshire's children aged 5 to 16 were estimated to have a diagnosed condition; and that over 100,000 adults in Lincolnshire were estimated to have a diagnosed common mental health disorder; and that since 1999 there had been at least 60 deaths from suicide in Lincolnshire.

In conclusion, the Board was advised that there were seventeen recommendations within the report which were grouped into four key focus areas.  These were:-

·         Risk factors;

·         Perinatal and maternal mental health conditions;

·         Childhood and adolescent mental health conditions; and

·         Adult & older adult mental health conditions.

It was highlighted that there were a number of organisations who had a role to play in delivering the recommendations, including the local authority, district councils, Clinical Commissioning Groups, health and social care providers, community and voluntary sector and the general population.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

·         Some concern was expressed regarding the childhood and adolescent mental health slide, last bullet point which seemed to suggest that Looked After Children had a higher risk of mental ill health.  It was highlighted that most LAC had issues prior to coming into the authority.  Officers agreed to amend the slide accordingly;

·         Some members extended their thanks to the Interim Director of Public Health for an excellent piece of work which would help inform the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.  A request was made for a work plan to be compiled so that an overall picture could be tracked as all organisations had a responsibility for mental health issues;

·         That there needed to be more joined up thinking during the transition from children's to adults.  The Board was advised that work was ongoing with children's services with regard to early intervention.  Reference was also made for the need for better integration with CCGs and Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to provide more community based provision.  Officers agreed to look at the activity and to be more proactive when pulling streams together;

·         The Board was advised that there was not a significant difference between the figures pertaining to Lincolnshire and the East Midlands;

·         The professional categorisation of mental health.  Some members felt that Mental Health was under diagnosed, it was mainly support that was offered, as diagnosis was too sub-specialised; and

·          Reference was made to the fact that mental health issues had not been identified as a separate priority in the current Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, as it was like a golden thread, affecting all ages from birth to death at different stages of an individual's life.

RESOLVED

That the Annual Report on the health of the people of Lincolnshire from the Interim Director of Public Health and the recommendations contained within each chapter be received.