Agenda item

(To receive a report from the Professor Derek Ward, Director of Public Health, which requests the Committee to receive and consider the 2017 Annual Report on the Health of the People of Lincolnshire. Tony McGinty, Consultant in Public Health – Health Protection will be in attendance for this item)

Consideration was given to a report from Derek Ward, Director of Public Health, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on the Annual Report of the People of Lincolnshire 2017, which had been produced by Tony McGinty, in his capacity of Interim Director of Public Health.  

Attached at Appendix A to the report was a copy of the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health on the people of Lincolnshire 2017.

The Committee received a short presentation from Tony McGinty, Consultant in Health Protection, which advised that the Annual Report focussed on the two topics that were high on the agenda for local organisations locally.  The two chapters were:

·         A chapter on the case for investing in prevention in support of the Lincolnshire Health and Care System's need to shift investment into proven prevention interventions; and

·         A chapter renewing the focus on the biological and environmental threats to people's health and the systems in place to track these hazards and protect Lincolnshire people from harm.

The Committee was advised that the report would be published electronically, and was connected to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment evidence, as well as being presented to a range of NHS and local government bodies for consideration.

Also, page 124 of the report presented highlighted the five recommendations to the system of health and care organisations.

The Committee was advised that in the last 40 years there had been continuous growth in life expectancy in Lincolnshire; and not all the extra years were always spent in good health.  It was highlighted that in Lincolnshire in recent years, the gap between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy had widened.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following issues:-

·         The effect in key conditions Stroke, Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Dementia and Arthritis in the over 65s; if nothing was done; and following prevention e.g. people remaining active.  Examples were given by some members of the Committee who had commenced exercise regimes and the positives effects they had received as a result, weight loss, sense of wellbeing and better physical fitness;

·         The need for more preventative measures at the primary care stage.  The Committee noted that there were a number of cancer screening programmes for example that were very important, which could ultimately prevent illness and death;

·         A question was asked as to how CCGs and NHS providers respond to the report and its recommendations.  The Committee noted that the NHS was motivated to give out messages to patients concerning their health and wellbeing; and that a significiant programme was planned for front line staff to help them encourage patients to improve their wellbeing.  One member also suggested that  the NHS and Public Health could do more awareness raising to patients of the organisations, clubs and activities going on within their locality.  The Committee was also advised that public health had some programmes it was running, one example given was 'Vitality', which was an armchair activity; and

·         The need for healthy wellbeing to be promoted more especially for young children.  It was also felt that professionals needed to set a healthy image.

In conclusion, the Committee extended thanks to the Consultant in Health Protection, for the report and agreed that prevention remained a challenge to the NHS and its partners in Lincolnshire.  In response to a question on which aspects of the report the Committee could focus on, it was suggested that the role of CCGs in prevention might be added to the Committee's work programme.

RESOLVED

That the 2017 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health Lincolnshire be received and consideration be given to including the Role of Clinical Commissioning Groups in Prevention being added to the work programme.