Issue - meetings

Matthew Cole, Director of Public Health presented the end of year and Quarter 1 performance report and explained the outcomes against the local, regional and national performance comparisons. 

Helen Jenner commented that Red-Amber-Green (RAG) rating was very useful in flagging risk and to enable consideration of those risks and what action should be risk taken to reduce risk.

Councillor Carpenter raised concern about the quite high incidence of tuberculoses (TB).  Matthew Cole advised the Board that there was a London TB strategy and that action being taken included neo natal vaccination and the prevention and treatment process for at risk people / families.

Councillor Carpenter asked why screening for Chlamydia was not a high as other areas.  Matthew Cole explained that there had been improvements in uptake but there was still a need to consider, as part of future commissioning, how this can be improved further.  There could be no assumptions that actions taken elsewhere, which had increased testing rates, would have a similar effect in the Borough and further research was required to identify what we could do better in order to spread the testing message and improve screening rates. 

The Board received the report and following discussion:

(i)  Noted the action that was being taken, especially in regards to Tuberculoses;

(ii)  Noted the Director of Public Health would undertake some research to try to ascertain why take up rates for screening for Chlamydia were below local and national average and what potential action that could be taken as part of future commissioning to improve screening rates; and,

(iii)   Welcomed Dr John’s request to allow the CCG to share the report and information amongst GPs in the Borough.