Agenda item

To consider the report of the Health and Wellbeing Improvement Manager (East North East Area)  outlining how the national agenda is shaping the work of the ENE Health & Wellbeing Partnership and providing an update on progress regarding key health issues

(Report attached) time – 15 minutes

  The Area Committee considered a report providing information on how the national agenda was shaping the work of the East North East Health and Wellbeing partnership and providing a progress report on how key health issues were being addressed within the Inner East area

  Liz Bailey presented the report and Members received further information from Nichola Stephens and Lucy Jackson

  Members were informed of the three priority areas being worked on, these being child poverty; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and raising physical activity levels

  Work on raising the awareness of free school meals had been undertaken, with positive results

  Awareness work on COPD in the Seacroft area was outlined with Members being informed that a screening event had led to increased calls to the Quit Smoking helpline.  A DVD aimed at providing information and best advice on use of inhalers would be rolled out in March

  That several sessions of falls prevention work had been undertaken in the area which had also proved to be a success

  Whilst the first priority would be to address smoking, diabetes, alcohol and families with complex needs would be the subjects of further plans and projects

  Members welcomed the report and commented on the following matters:

·  the need for improved links between agencies and greater co-ordinated work to help address issues quickly

·  the success of the ‘Cough campaign’

·  the role of Councillors in relation to the health and wellbeing agenda

·  data relating to diabetes and how this could be broken down further to target those most susceptible to this condition

·  the need for closer working with Children’s Services and the clusters

·  the need to tailor plans and projects to the specific needs of the area and to ensure the resources were directed to where the need was.  On this point, Nichola Stephens stated that health checks, where people over 40 were invited for screening for a range of conditions were being rolled out initially in the most deprived areas of the city and that in terms of smoking cessation clinics, a larger number of these existed in the Burmantofts and Richmond Hill ward to help address the problem in this area and that the opening hours were tailored to the needs of the community, with longer hours and week-end opening being provided

·  that a longer-term report, ie over a year, setting out the different projects and campaigns running in the Inner East area and their take up rates would be useful and would help the Area Committee to use their resources to the best effect

The Inner East Area Leader agreed to work with Liz Bailey on this and

outlined the important role Environmental Enforcement Officers could have in recognising and identifying different needs and making the necessary links with other agencies

  RESOLVED – To note the report, the comments now made and the suggestions for building on and further developing health improvement work in Inner East Area, particularly in relation to the links between health and wellbeing and housing and that the Area Leader submit a further report on this to a future meeting