Issue - meetings

Councillors Bright and Butt arrived during this item.

Fiona Wright, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, LBBD, presented the report, which also acted as an introduction to the interactive workshop session that was undertaken during the Board meeting. 

Fiona explained that the Mayor of London’s aim was to reduce unfair health equalities across London and the consultation period was underway on his draft strategy, which sets out five key aims for reducing health inequalities in London by 2027, namely Healthy Children, Healthy Minds, Healthy Places, Healthy Communities and Healthy Habits.  The deadline for responses to the Mayor was 30 November 2017. 

The Board was reminded of the recently published Borough Manifesto, the statutory background, other local plans including, the key ambitions of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), which were due to be refreshed, and sub-regional and demographic changes that were occurring.  There was now an opportunity to look afresh at what could be achieved across London and in the Borough with the help of the Mayor.  Fiona drew specific attention to the areas where the Borough was rating poorly including, child obesity, the proportion of people with mental illness in settled accommodation, deprivation and employment levels, more than 50% of households in 4 out of 17 wards have deficient access to nature, high levels of criminal notifiable offences and their impact on health and wellbeing, and high smoking rates particularly in pregnant women.  However, there would also be an opportunity to promote areas of good practice within the Borough in the response to the Mayor.

In response to a question from Cllr Carpenter, LBBD Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, regarding early years actions, Anne Bristow, LBBD Deputy Chief Executive & Strategic Director for Service Development and Integration, said that she felt that we needed to look at more than just physical health and should investigate putting actions and interventions in place before birth.  For example, we need to look at using antenatal classes for more than physical care skills, such as how to bath a baby, and also use them to teach parents about emotional needs such as how to talk to their baby.  Ian Tompkins, Director of Communications & Engagement, East London Health & Care Partnership, commented that education on good health choices and health risks is important, however, we need to look at why people continue their bad practices when they know the consequences.  Cllr Turner LBBD Cabinet Member for Corporate Performance and Delivery, commented on the lack of reference to what is in the Mayor’s powers, where he could specifically make changes, for example there was no mention of public transport.  Cllr Turner drew the Board’s attention to the aims set out on pages 23 and 24 and also questioned why some diseases were targeted but not others.  The Chair raised several issues including, the potential to use Town Planning as a tool for change, funding and parity of provision. 

The Board:

(i)  Having considered the draft Mayor of London’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35