- Mr Watkins, Cabinet Member for Adult
Social Care and Public Health, gave a verbal update on the
following:
- The new Kent and Medway Integrated
Work and Health Strategy was led by the Strategic Partnership for
Health and Economy, to integrate and improve support for those with
health issues and disabilities to thrive within the workplace. 27%
of economic inactivity amongst 16 – 64-year-olds in Kent and
Medway was due to long-term ill health, which was higher than the
South-East average. The draft strategy included improved
information for employers through a multi-agency approach to
tackling barriers and maximising impact, helping residents get back
to work.
- Mr Watkins had visited drug and
alcohol treatment service providers (the Forward Trust and Change,
Grow, Live). Public Health was awaiting information on government
funding to increase the outreach of these providers.
- Mr Watkins joined KCC’s Mental
Health Champions on a tour of mental health facilities on World
Mental Health Day.
- Mr Watkins attended a Kent and
Medway Health Symposium at the Guru Nanak Darbar in Gravesend. The
Chair added that he also attended this event and noted the
excellent opportunity for discussions and networking.
- Kent had an aging population,
therefore KCC were seeking views on postural stability services. A
consultation was taking place on proposed changes to the
KCC’s Postural Stability Service, which suggested switching
to a shorter, more intensive, 12 week set of classes and expansion
of the service to more areas and to residents from age 50.
- Mr Watkins visited the ONE YOU Shop
in Ashford, which offered a number of services such as support to
stop smoking, to become more active and NHS health checks.
- Mr Watkins joined a KCC Councillor
in visiting Ebbsfleet Garden City to better understand how
communities can be built to achieve better public health.
- Mr Watkins visited the Fusion
Healthy Living Centre in Maidstone, it had a community lead
approach, to support communities that had experienced disadvantages
and health inequalities.
- Dr Ellen Schwartz, Deputy Director
of Public Health, gave a verbal update on the following:
- KCC’s role in improving health
and wellbeing had been achieved through contributions to the Kent
and Medway Integrated Care Strategy. There had been work done with
Officers across the Council to improve health and wellbeing as well
as developing key priorities for each directorate endorsed by Kent
residents.
- The Kent Marmot Costal Region aims
to improve social determinants and reduce inequalities in health. A
Coastal Region Lead position had been filled with the intention of
helping to coordinate the program. A paper on the program was
expected to come to the Committee in January 2025.
- The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment
was set to be published in October 2025.
- Kent Housing Strategy, there was
work being done to refresh the strategy, this was a shared post
created between Public Health and Housing Groups to prioritise
health.
- There was continued work being done
on the campaign to increase awareness and uptake of MMR vaccines.
Data from previous quarters showed a decrease in the uptake of some
of the primary care networks. Between January and October 2024
there were 11 confirmed cases of measles in Kent.
- The World Health Organisation
declared Clade 1B MPOX as a public health emergency of
international concern. The risk was considered low in the UK and
there were four controlled cases in the UK. The UK Health Security
Agency (UKHSA) had updated their toolkit, the NHS and partner
organisations have tested their capabilities to deal with
infectious diseases.
- COVID-19 cases had lessened, flu
cases had increased and respiratory viruses’ levels remained
the same. Norovirus cases remained high in the weeks prior to the
meeting of this Committee. An early warning surveillance system for
pandemic’s was in planning stages.
- In regard to mental health and
climate change, the UKHSA were inviting submissions of case studies
which demonstrated provision of mental health intervention in
relation to mental health.
- Work had been done to support
managers of refugee and asylum seeker reception centres around
infection prevention and control, additionally, isolation pathways
and suites had been established.
- The Diphtheria Vaccination Program
based at the Manston Reception Centre was stood down and lessons
were learnt from the work that took place.
- Promotion of vaccinations in care
home and wider social care settings had taken place.
- In response to a Sexual Health Needs
Assessment, work was being done to decrease inequalities and
improve women’s sexual health. There was a reignition of the
Sexual Health Collaborative to understand the breadth of the
system, working together to meet the needs of the population. The
planning stages were taking place for a Communications and
Engagement Plan, a Communications Officer had been appointed. The
next steps of the portfolio were to focus on areas of particular
significance, to deepen knowledge and to help tailor
recommendations to improve outcomes.
- In regard to children, young people
and maternity, facilitator roles to support the implementation of
perinatal mental health, parent infant relationships and infant
feeding strategies had been appointed. The provider of the
perinatal mental health work with fathers had won a local mental
health award in October 2024. The public consultation on the
therapeutic services for children and young people finished in
November 2024, the results would help inform the next steps that
were to be taken.
- The BBC South East feature on
supervised toothbrushing had been extended to further nurseries and
receptions. The oral health promotion was to be integrated into
other service specifications as a part of the transformation
program.
- The next steps expected for the
Public Health Service Transformation were for the Commercial
Procurement Oversight Board to provide scrutiny of the proposed
procurement plans to ensure viability and feasibility, before the
financial services model was to come to the Cabinet Committee as a
key decision in 2025.
- In response to comments and
questions, it was said:
- A Member questioned whether there
was data available on the take up of the winter flu vaccines and
whether there were any particular areas of concern for those aged
over 65. Dr Schwartz noted that the roll out of vaccines had only
started a month earlier so there was no official data yet, but he
agreed to provide Members with the figures when they became
available. Furthermore, it was noted that there was specific
concern for older residents, as well as an emphasis on the
importance of hand hygiene in preventing the transmission of
illnesses especially in settings such as schools, as well as,
encouraging the uptake of vaccines.
- A Member questioned the presence of
democratic oversight, within the development of the multiple
strategies presented.
i.
Mr Watkins shared that the results of the Work and Health Strategy
Consultation had been planned to come back to the Committee for
consideration. Additionally, Mr Watkins would confirm which
committee would consider the Housing Strategy.
ii.
Dr Schwartz added that the Public Health Strategy, formally known
as the Integrated Care Strategy, would be overseen by the
Committee.
- RESOLVED that the updates be
noted.