Agenda item

To receive the Annual Public Health Report from the Director: Health and Wellbeing (Statutory Director for Public Health) Telford & Wrekin Council

The Director, Health & Wellbeing informed the Board that the Annual Public Health report was a statutory requirement and was produced on annual basis. Each year the report focused on a particular theme, with this year’s report focusing on the widening of heath inequalities and what the council and its partners had done to address the root cause. It was noted that there had not been a report produced in the last 2 years due to the pandemic.

The Board heard that the inequalities plan that was previously presented to the Board in September 2021, was intelligence led in order to understand the needs of different communities. This approach was both partnership and place based and allowed for services to be provided proportionate to need. The Director for Health & Wellbeing highlighted that the inequalities plan was based upon the Mormont themes and would like to see Telford & Wrekin move towards becoming a Mormont Borough. The inequalities plan was also influenced by the Building Back Fairer Report, which considered the effect of the pandemic on health inequalities.

Members heard that the first theme explored in the report was best start in life, which focused on the first 1001 days in life. Intelligence and case studies had been used to highlight what was understood about inequalities and what is being done to bridge the gap. The Director: Health & Wellbeing informed the Board that childhood poverty was above average across the borough. To combat this a perinatal strategy was being developed by the Council and partners. The second theme explored was economic opportunities. The Board were informed that a healthy income was important for our health. It was noted that whilst Telford & Wrekin had seen a recovery in employment levels, they were still low when compared to the national average. It was also noted that the employment gap between men and women, young and old, and affluent and poor had continued to widen. The Director: Health & Wellbeing advised Members that programmes such as Job Box, Kick Start and the Work Local Programme had been implemented, which supported local employers to find local employees.

The Director: Health & Wellbeing highlighted that in areas of public health and prevention Telford & Wrekin were under preforming across a number of key indicators such as smoking, alcohol and weight. They noted that Princess Royal Hospital had recorded higher rates of alcohol related cases and lower levels of cancer diagnoses than the national average. Members heard that the Healthy Lifestyles Team had done a lot of work to narrow inequalities, with 60% of the support they provided taking place in deprived areas. The Director: Health & Wellbeing advised the Board that further work was underway to improve health literacy across the Borough, particular within the BAME communities. Additionally, the Council had been successful in their bid for additional funding from the NHS to develop screening programmes and to raise awareness of early signs.

The Board heard that the environment and circumstances that we live in makes a difference to our health. Community and place were wider determinants of health and impacted significantly on inequalities. Members were informed that the inequalities plan took a community-centred approach which aimed to make people more connected and keep them living in their communities for longer. The Director: Health & Wellbeing highlighted how effective the Calm Cafes and ongoing work with Telford Mind had been in supporting people with autism, multiple sclerosis and dementia and homeless people looking for paths into the job market. Additionally, a core principle of the Marmont themes is healthcare integration which in Telford & Wrekin is facilitated by the creation of the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Integrated Care System (ICS). Members heard that the ICS was a partnership between the NHS, local government organisations and independent and voluntary sector groups.

The Director: Health & Wellbeing advised the Board that the recommendations outlined in the report and the Public Health Framework would also be presented before Cabinet.

The Board thanked the Director: Health & Wellbeing and welcomed the report. Members noted the detrimental effect that poverty and the cost of living crisis had on health inequalities and praised the intelligence led approach to addressing this. During the debate, Members highlighted that housing inequalities had not been embedded within the report. The Director: Health & Wellbeing recognised the impact that housing inequalities had and advised there would be an opportunity to capture more work around this.