Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Leader and Cabinet Member for Traded Services and Health Reform, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Commissioning and Public Health and the Director of Public Health.

1.            The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Commissioning and Public Health, Mr P J Oakford, gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

The Local Care Implementation Board (LCIB), of which Mr Carter was the Chairman, had met three times thus far and was pursuing the agenda of improving the integration of health and social care.

Suicide Prevention Grant – Mr Oakford thanked Jess Mookherjee and the public health team for the enormous amount of work they had done on suicide prevention and for putting together a bid for government funding to support this work. Kent had been given a one-off grant of £668,000 of government funding for the 2018/19 financial year, and was one of only nine Sustainability and Transformation Programme (STP) areas to have been awarded this funding. 20% of this funding would be used to implement and improve the suicide action plan and the remainder to support campaign work, including workplace training and interventions, and expanding the work to address adolescent suicide.

2.            The Director of Public Health, Mr A Scott-Clark, then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Kent and Medway Measles outbreak – this had affected people of all ages, and the control measures being used were isolation and vaccination. Good communication was vital and guidance was being sent to schools and nurseries. 

Sustainability and Transformation Programme (STP) Prevention workstream – Mr Scott-Clark and the Director of Public Health for Medway Council were jointly responsible for prevention work in Kent and were working together on the prevention plan and deep dive reviews. The establishment of the new workstream had raised the profile and importance of prevention work. 

Stroke Prevention – this work brought together health indicators such as those covered by the NHS health check, plus blood pressure, irregular pulse and encouragement to reduce alcohol intake and increase physical activity, and aimed to improve the identification, diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation, which was a key part of stroke prevention.  This work was being supported by Public Health England.

3.            Mr Scott-Clark and Ms Mookherjee responded to questions from Members, including the following:-

a)       suicide prevention work would include work to address rates of adolescent suicide, and this was well covered in the Children’s Emotional Wellbeing Plan.  This work would make the best use of existing resources and networks across the County Council, using the Community Safety Partnership and the Kent Safeguarding Children Board;

b)    asked about the percentage take-up of the measles vaccination, Mr Scott-Clark explained that the vaccination rate was below the 95% target.  It was recommended that two different vaccines be given, as a double dose. He reassured Members that cases of measles were not frequent, there last having been cases in 2011 and 2016, but emphasised the highly contagious nature of the disease.  Hospital staff were also being advised to be vaccinated. Clusters of cases had shown up in Medway and Swale but had then spread across the county;

c)    asked how Members would be advised of the detail of STP funding received and how this money was being spent, Mr Scott-Clark undertook to refer this question to Glenn Douglas, the accountable officer for the Kent STP. He emphasised that STP funding and the workstreams arising from it would apply to the whole of Kent;

d)    it was suggested that, as part of stroke prevention activity, elected Members should set an example and undergo testing for atrial fibrillation to assess their risk of stroke;

e)    concern was expressed about the number of GP practices around the county which were beyond capacity and unable to accept new patients, as well as the number of practices closing, and experienced GPs retiring, compared to the shortage of new GPs qualifying and taking up practice.  This placed a huge strain on GPs as a first line of contact, at a time when so much was being asked of them as part of health improvement work.  Mr Scott-Clark explained that the Primary Care Code emphasised the importance of good local care. A new medical school at Canterbury Christ Church University would help to address the shortage of GPs.  Mr Oakford added that the workforce workstream in the STP had been set up to address the training, recruitment and retention in Kent of primary healthcare staff.  Kent currently had a shortage of 247 GPs. Further concern was expressed that this shortage coincided with much new house building;

f)     disappointment was expressed at the lack of health care apprenticeships;

g)       asked about the gender profile of adolescents attempting suicide, Ms Mookherjee advised that most were boys aged under 18. However, rates of self-harm were much higher among women and girls than among boys. The additional grant funding made available this year would support more research into patterns of suicide; and

h)      Mr Scott-Clark advised that the new medical school at Canterbury Christ Church University would use the premises of the former HM Prison Canterbury as student accommodation, which was adjacent to the university and had been acquired for that purpose.  Teaching would start in a classroom setting and continue to a more advanced level of training in local hospital placements. The new medical school was required to partner with an established school so would link to Brighton medical school, and the County Council’s public health team would have some involvement in providing training for students. 

4.                   It was RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted, with thanks.