Agenda item - Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy update

The Board will receive a report of the Director of Public Health (copy attached).

Introduction

26.1    The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health which set out progress so far against the action plans for each of the Joint Health & Wellbeing priorities.  These are cancer and access to cancer screening, dementia, emotional health and wellbeing, healthy weight and good nutrition and smoking.  The action plans were attached as appendices 1 to 5 in the report.  Members were asked to consider how these priorities could inform the future choice of strategic priorities.  The report was presented by Dr Peter Wilkinson, Consultant in Public Health Medicine/Deputy Director of Public Health. 

26.2    The Board were informed that ideas for a new JHWS would be discussed at the first Health & Wellbeing Partnership meeting in November 2014.  A draft of the new JHWS would be presented for endorsement by the Health & Wellbeing Board at a meeting early in 2015.  

26.3    Dr Wilkinson provided an update on each of the current priorities.  The key outcomes for cancer for Brighton and Hove showed a higher incidence of cancer and poorer outcomes than other parts of England.  The most recent local information available is from 2012/13. Dr Wilkinson stressed the importance of the early diagnosis of cancer to enable early treatment and potentially improved survival.  The information showed that Brighton and Hove GPs had above average rates of urgent referrals of patients with suspected cancer but below average rates in terms of the referred patients being subsequently diagnosed with cancer.  Local cancer screening programmes have low coverage and uptake rates compared with the rest of the region and nationally.  Dr Wilkinson advised that the Sussex Community Trust’s Cancer Health Promotion Team is commissioned to raise awareness about the early signs and symptoms of cancer and to promote the uptake of the screening programmes.  A local health protection forum has recently been established which will monitor the performance of local screening programmes.  The CCG has established a Cancer Action Group which is developing a detailed work plan. 

          Questions and Discussion

26.4    Councillor Morgan referred to appendix one, and considered the statistics alarming.  He stressed that the City was performing badly on detection and requested full report on cancer screening with a breakdown of statistics across the city including GP Surgeries. 

26.5    Christa Beesley agreed that there could be a more detailed report.  She stressed that there was often a lower uptake rate in more deprived areas. 

26.6    Councillor Jarrett considered that there was an issue about making people think about cancer.  This was a public information issue that the council and its partners needed to consider.  

26.7    Fiona Harris stated that there were more up to date figures which were available and which showed some improvement.  She stressed that the issue was about how people accessed the screening programme.  There needed to be more collaborative working amongst the partners. 

26.8    Penny Thompson supported Councillor Morgan’s request for a breakdown of cancer statistics.  She stressed the importance of talking about people as citizens rather than just patients.  She considered that the Health & Wellbeing Strategies should be re-considered but would be surprised if cancer did not play a part in the next strategy. 

26.9    Graham Bartlett referred to paragraph 3.6 in the report and proposed that the health and wellbeing of children should be included as a priority area in the next strategy.  Dr Wilkinson replied that the intention was to look at broader areas for the new strategy.   

26.10  The Chair noted that a full report on dementia would be submitted to the next meeting of the Board. 

26.11  Resolved –

(1) That the progress made in the five priority areas of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy be approved. 

(2)  That the comments of the Board as set out above, inform the future choice of strategic priorities.         

(3) That a report on cancer screening with a breakdown of statistics across the city including GP’s surgeries be submitted to the next meeting of the Board.