Agenda item

(To receive a report from Derek Ward, Director of Public Health, which presents to the Committee the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report 2021, which focuses on the health of children and young people in Lincolnshire, and the impact of Covid-19 on this population)

The Chairman invited Derek Ward, Director of Public Health, to remotely present the item, which presented to the Committee the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report 2021, which focussed on the health of children and young people in Lincolnshire and the impact of Covid-19 on this population.

A copy of the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report 2021 was attached at Appendix A to the report; and Appendix B provided the Committee with an update on the progress made on previous Director of Public Health Report Recommendations.

The Committee was advised of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people in the county; how services supporting children had tailored their support during the pandemic; and the areas that needed to be focussed on as the county moved into a protracted period of recovery from the pandemic.

It was highlighted that the three areas that had been identified to address the issues highlighted in the report were:

·       By delivering services designed for children and young people, not adapted adult services;

·       By focussing on physical activity, diet and nutrition, emotional and mental well-being; and

·       By prioritising education, increasing opportunity, and tackling health and social disparities.

Reference was also made to the proportion of the Lincolnshire population aged 0 - 19 at district and county level; child health in Lincolnshire and the leading causes of morbidity (years with a disability) and mortality (years of life lost) in 0 - 5 and 15 - 19-year-olds; the differences in water fluoridation and child deprivation within Lincolnshire; and the impact of Covid-19 on education, early years, mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Councillor Mrs L Hagues left the meeting 12:25pm.

In conclusion, the Committee was advised that children and young people in Lincolnshire were a priority and to ensure them a better future, focus would be made on the three key areas highlighted, which would be delivered by the ten priorities and recommendations as set out in figure 13, on page 70 of the report pack.

During consideration of the report, the Committee raised some of the following issues:

·       Some concern was raised that adult mental health service provision was still an area that needed further consideration.  It was agreed that this would be discussed further to see what could be brought forward for the Committee to consider, as it was highlighted this was a cross cutting issue, which was/had recently been considered by the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, and the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee often considered children and young people’s  mental health;

·       That the report could have included further information about the importance of communities and voluntary organisations.  There was recognition that more could have been covered;

·       That the Schools and Education percentages on page 60 did not reflect the achievements made by schools and that more information was available on the website with regard to school achievements;

·       Healthy weight.  The Committee was advised that a Child’s Weight Programme was currently being developed by the County Council and that this would help provide information on healthy eating for children and their families.  There was recognition that more needed to be done educationally to highlight healthy foods and that a whole range of work was being done in this area;

·       Deprivation and fluoridation. The Committee was advised that more needed to be done to recruit dentists into Lincolnshire.  The Committee noted that the commissioning of dentistry was to be moved over to local Integrated Care Systems, which would mean there would be more of a direct role locally.  It was noted further that to improve fluoridation across Lincolnshire, representation would have to be made to the Secretary of State, and that this would be considered once everyone involved had been fully informed.  That a further report could be brought to the Committee in this regard; and

·       How the ten priorities/recommendations would be taken forward and whether the NHS was required to make a response.  Clarification was given that there was no statutory responsibility from the NHS in this regard, however, the information would be shared with NHS colleagues.  The Committee was advised that a further report could be presented to the Committee to update them on the progress made on the ten priorities/recommendations.

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee extended his thanks to the Director of Public Health for his presentation.

RESOLVED

1.      That the 2021 Annual Report from the Director of Public Health be received and noted.

2.      That the actions being taken to address the issues and recommendations presented in previous Director of Public Health Annual reports be noted.