Agenda item

Report of Public Health, Nottingham City Council

Alison Challenger, Public Health Consultant, introduced the item by explaining she hoped this would be a two way conversation and that the Committee would be able to provide her with information about the communities in the area. She provided the following information to the Committee:

a)  Public Health became a responsibility of the Local Authority in 2013 and has the responsibility to integrate with other services across the council and address causes of ill health such as poor housing and transport.

b)  The budget for the services commissioned by Public Health also transferred to the Council and the services delivered within Area 7 are identified in a directory and include services such as Breastfeeding Support, School Nursing and New Leaf stop smoking services. The Services Directory is a moving picture. Services can change or move for example if they are not accessed or are in inappropriate venues.

c)  As well as commissioning services Public Health also has a Health Protection role in matters such as screening, infection control and preparation for epidemics.

d)  In developing the Ward Health Profiles, Public Health colleagues have tried to tell a story about what health is like in a ward. The profiles reflect the rankings on various health indicators and, for the wards in Area 7, they indicate that health is either better or not significantly different from the rest of the city. However, there are pockets of deprivation where health tends to be poorer.

e)  Particular higher needs groups across the two wards have been identified as older people suffering isolation and loneliness, students requiring sexual health services and children requiring nutrition, immunisation and accident prevention services.

In response to questions from those present Ms Challenger provided the following information:

f)  Public Health colleagues are aware of the impact the large number of students living in Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey has on the ward health profile and the differences between their health needs and permanent residents’ health needs. Reports have been produced which exclude the data relating to students giving a health profile of the permanent residents of the ward.

g)  Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Group and not Public Health but are experiencing difficulties. Public Health produce a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) which covers a wide range of health needs and analyses whether those needs are being met. The JSNA requires consultation and whilst it uses Public Health data, this is just a starting point. Forums such as Area Committees can help to inform the JSNA.

h)  Loneliness amongst older people and particularly older men is an emerging issue and more data is becoming available. Depression amongst older people has also historically been hidden and it requires a different response to that with younger people. This is a new and emerging area but Public Health are aware of it.

i)  Public Health England are the leads on Health Protection but Public Health has a local role and liaises with local health organisations. Screening is commissioned by NHS England but the Local Authority has a responsibility to ensure needs are being met. Take up of bowel cancer screening for example is very low at 56%, particularly when compared to cervical and breast cancer screening. Screening can make a real difference to outcomes for people and work is being done to encourage people to use the service.

RESOLVED to

(1)  thank Ms Challenger for her informative presentation

(2)  commit to continue the dialogue between Public Health and Area representatives either through future meetings of this committee or through councillors.