Issue - meetings

Dr Shade Agboola, Director of Public Health will provide a presentation on her statutory annual report.

It was reported that the Director of Public Health (DPH) had a statutory requirement to write an annual report on the health and wellbeing of the population, and the local authority was required to publish it. The theme of this year’s report was the impact of Covid-19 on health inequalities in Warwickshire.

The covering report provided key headlines with an update on the health and wellbeing of the Warwickshire population, the impact of Covid-19 on health inequalities and progress on the 2019 recommendations. It was supplemented by a presentation from Dr Shade Agboola, Warwickshire DPH. The presentation covered the following areas:

• Overview – it was confirmed that this was a draft report at this stage
• Progress on 2019 recommendations
• Picture of health and wellbeing in Warwickshire
• Healthy life expectancy
• Deprivation
• Warwickshire continued to face several public health challenges
• Covid-19 in Warwickshire
• Covid-19 and impact on health inequalities
• Experience of testing positive with Covid-19 in Warwickshire
• Living through lockdown in Warwickshire
• Amidst all the challenges, there had been some positives
• Challenges of lockdown
• Homelessness
• Loneliness and social isolation in older adults
• Young people with mental health needs
• Family poverty
• Adults with learning disabilities
• The Director of Public Health’s recommendations for 2021
  • ‘Health in all’ policies
  • Health inequalities
  • Community engagement
  • Prevention
  • Communication
• Next steps – the final report would be published in the week commencing 22 March

Further sections set out the proposals for dissemination of the report and an audit process, including a peer review by external public health colleagues.

The Chair thanked Dr Shade Agboola for the excellent report and paid tribute to her for the response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, during her first year as DPH. Questions and comments were invited, with responses provided as indicated:

• It was agreed that the presentation slides and the final DPH report would be circulated.
• The focus on health inequalities was commended.
• In responding to the pandemic, reference had been made to the joined up working of the public sector. There was also recognition of the private sector contribution, an example being the food supply chain services. These comments were noted.
• It was questioned if the impact on peoples’ health could be quantified for other medical conditions such as cancer and heart disease, due to delayed diagnosis resulting from Covid-19. The annual report did reference wider issues such as cancelled elective procedures and reduced access to dentistry services. Other issues were beyond the scope of the annual report but were important and needed to be considered.
• It would be useful to draw out the learning from the pandemic to inform the response to future pandemics. This point would be raised with the project board, to see how it could be incorporated.

Resolved

That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

1. Notes and supports the draft Director of Public Health Annual Report 2020/21.

Agrees to endorse the recommendations stated in the report.