The Committee received a report from the Director of Public Health, by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny, that provided an update on the actions and progress made against each of the recommendations from last year’s Annual Report.

The Committee discussed the report in some detail and asked questions that were responded to by the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Healthier Communities and the Director of Public Health, these included:

·         The low uptake on vaccinations for those with learning disabilities, the reasons behind this and strategies employed to increase uptake which included the “Passport for Health”.

·         The vaccination programme for adults deemed as vulnerable.

·         The work of the Dent Aid bus, it was reported this was still in the pilot phase but was being extended so that 2 full years of data would be obtained. The Dent Aid bus had been deployed to 2 local schools.

·         The plans to shorten waiting times for long-lasting reversible contraceptives.

·         Opportunities to strengthen co-production between parents and carers.

·         Workplace health.

·         Women’s health and screening, closing the gap in cardiology rates.

·         The Southend smoking cessation and action plan, the progress made against this, in terms of adult smoking moving to vaping and reducing the use of vapes among children and young people.

·         Lower cancer screening rates in areas of deprivation and the work that was being undertaken to tackle this.

·         The impact and legacy of the ‘A Better Start Southend’ (ABSS) programme and timescales for reporting.

·         Oral health for children and the number of dentists accepting new patients.

·         The number of practises that had completed LGBT accredited training and to tighten the narrative and typographical areas in future reporting.

The Director of Public Health advised that a written response would be provided outside of the meeting to a question regarding the number of transgender parents in Southeast Essex.

Resolved:

That, subject to the comments of the Scrutiny Committee outlined above, the report to Cabinet be noted.

Note: This is an Executive function

Cabinet Member: Councillor M Sadza, (Cabinet Member for Social Care and Healthier Communities)

Report of Director of Public Health to follow

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Children and Public Health) presenting the 2022/23 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health.

Resolved:

That the 2022/23 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health, be noted.

Reasons for decision:

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 requires Directors of Public Health to prepare an annual report on the health of the local population.

Other options:

None.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Not eligible for call-in as the matter has been subject to pre-Cabinet scrutiny by the People Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllr Moyies

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Children and Public Health) presenting the 2022/23 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health.

Resolved:

That the 2022/23 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health, be noted.

Reasons for decision:

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 requires Directors of Public Health to prepare an annual report on the health of the local population.

Other options:

None.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Not eligible for call-in as the matter has been subject to pre-Cabinet scrutiny by the People Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllr Moyies

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health, which reviewed the work for 2022-23 and identified priorities for 2023-24, with a focus on prevention. 

In response to concerns raised by the Committee with regard to vaping and the impact on young people, the Director of Public Health reported that they would continue to lobby government to call for more stringent measures to be introduced to reduce young people’s access to vaping.

Resolved:

1.     That the content of the 2022-2023 Annual Public Health Report be noted.

Note: This is an Executive function

Cabinet Member: Councillor J Moyies