Agenda item

1.            Mrs C Bell, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, gave a verbal update on the following public health isues:-

Forthcoming visits – she was shortly to visit Barnardo’s, which delivered Sex Education Services for Children, Young People and Education, and Addaction, to which Cabinet Committee Members had also been invited.  She recommended that Members visit service providers whenever possible as such visits were very helpful in showing front-line service delivery. 

Kent and Medway Joint Health and Wellbeing Board – update – the joint Health and Wellbeing Board was set up initially to run for 2 years.  Members supported the continuation of the Board beyond 2020. The Chairmanship of the Board alternated between Kent and Medway and this year was Kent’s turn.  The next meeting would take place in March 2020, with the agenda focussing on the draft Kent & Medway Strategy Delivery Plan. She hoped the Board would also discuss its future role and priorities, looking at other HWBs around the UK and seeking views from the LGA.

Public Health Campaigns – as people embarked on New Year’s resolutions, to get fit or improve their diet, it was a good time to remind people of the range of public health campaigns which were around to support healthier lifestyles, healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding and good sexual health.

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

Appointment of new Clinical Commissioning Group Accountable Officer – it was not yet possible to announce publicly who this officer would be as due diligence around the appointment had yet to be completed. The Chairman of the new clinical commissioning group (CCG) was Dr Navin Kumta, who had previously chaired the Ashford CCG. 

Update on Public Health Budget for 2020/2021 – he had hoped to be able to announce the public health budget for 2020/21 but this was not yet possible as Department of Health and Public Health England had not yet announced the public health grant.  He expected £1.8m to be added to the budget this year, but this would not be a net increase; it was the same amount as was taken out of the public health grant at the start of the 2019/20 financial year. Pressures accumulating since had already exceeded this additional funding.

3.            Mr Scott-Clark responded to comments and questions from the committee, including the following:-

a)    asked what the expected £1.8m grant would include, he explained that it would cover the same as had been covered in previous years, and would be ring-fenced;

b)    asked about continuity between the previous clinical commissioning groups and the new single CCG, he explained that there would be no gap in governance and that ongoing work would continue as before; and

c)    concern was expressed that the expected increase in the public health grant might not be sufficient to cover the increasing needs of the Kent population.  Mr Scott-Clark advised that the size of the grant was an issue to be determined by central government; it was for local government to make the best use of the available funds in serving the local population.

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