Agenda item

To receive the 2024 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health.

Shade Agboola, Director of Public Health introduced the annual report which focused on The Power of People and Place.  The Board were asked to consider and endorse the report along with the recommendations within it.

This year’s report was presented as a mixed media video, which could be watched in its entirety or by chapter.  A summary report was attached as an appendix to the report and Board members had been sent a link to the video in advance of the meeting.

Shade Agboola explained that the report had been produced in partnership with key stakeholders, with extensive engagement being carried out through a variety of forums from April to December 2024.  The scope for the 2024 report was quite large and aimed to showcase what was good about Warwickshire.

Members received an update on progress made since last year’s 2023 Annual Report was published, which had focused on Working Together to Prevent Domestic Abuse.  They noted that real progress had been made, particularly in relation to Recommendation 1 which had encouraged partnership working.  Detailed progress updates were included alongside each original recommendation on pages 25 and 26 of the report.

The recommendations within the 2024 report celebrated ‘The Power of’ Place, Communities, Relationships, Partnership, Prevention and the Possible.  Each recommendation aligned with the individual power statements as detailed on pages 21 to 23 of the report.  Timescales and next steps highlighted that the report would be published in a digital format on the Council’s website along with the Executive Summary and Appendices.  This would be communicated and promoted widely with key partners, stakeholders and residents throughout Warwickshire.

Councillor Roodhouse thanked Shade Agboola for the report which he thought was very good.  He queried how the recommendations would be turned into reality and whether they would align with other Council strategic documents.  He also referred to the amount of work undertaken by Councillors and Parish Councils which he felt could be reflected within the document.  Councillor Roodhouse also noted the chart on page 24 which indicated a number of health performance indicators as ‘amber’ or ‘red’.

The Chair agreed that as the strategy was developed, it was important to focus on what had been ‘red’ for a long time and ensure those areas were targeted.

Shade Agboola assured there was a clear dissemination and expressed huge thanks to the team who had worked on the report.  She advised there was a long list of people and organisations it would be shared with including District and Parish Councils.  In response to queries relating to the Health Profile grid, she acknowledged that there had been movement on some areas from red to amber but reminded members there was a lag with the data of up to three or four years.  Officers therefore relied on performance metrics instead and focused on real time data when available.

Councillor Maggie O’Rourke thanked officers for the report and was encouraged by the level of engagement plan.  She queried whether the Council carried out any work with major employers or engaged with other businesses.  In response, Shade Agboola referred to the Wellbeing For Life report, which appeared later on the agenda, and included details about work undertaken with local businesses, encouraging them to embed Health and Wellbeing activities in their workplace.  She went on to explain that the recommendations were not just the responsibility of Public Health but were about embedding prevention, particularly following the Darzi review and all parties needed to be taken prevention seriously.

Councillor O’Rourke also noted that there were opportunities for greater focus working with local government at a local level.  Shade Agboola agreed, referencing the Health in All Policies report on the agenda which aimed to embed health and wellbeing thinking with District and Boroughs.

The Chair reiterated the importance of the report being shared with District, Borough and Parish Councils and urged everyone to watch the link to the video, circulated prior to the meeting.

Resolved

That, having considered the report, the Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed the 2024 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health and the recommendations within it.