Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Director of Public Health submitted a report (previously circulated) presenting the Annual Public Health Report (also previously circulated), an independent report on the health and wellbeing of Darlington and providing an update on the recommendations made in the 2023-2024 Annual Public Health Report.

The report provided a snapshot of key data across the life course and thematic recommendations and it was the intention for future reports to focus on the different stages of the life course in greater detail.

Reference was made to the chapters within the report and associated recommendations; and details of the progress made to date on the recommendations of the 2023-2024 Annual Public Health Report were outlined.

Discussion ensued regarding work being undertaken to address sunbed usage and passive smoking with reference being made to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which was giving consideration to the extension of smoke-free outdoor places to outside schools, children’s playgrounds and hospitals and the Seven Steps Out campaign; and following concerns raised regarding air pollution, Members were informed that this was a growing area of interest within public health with increasing evidence highlighting the positive impact of low emission zones.

Questions were raised regarding the work undertaken around falls and the prevalence of breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks. Members were informed of the work being undertaken with the 0-19 services to undertake the mandated 10-14 day visits at day 8, which had seen an increase in breastfeeding of 11 per cent; and following concerns raised regarding the prevalence of tooth decay for 5-year-olds in Darlington Members noted the work being undertaken to improve outcomes including the development of the oral health strategy and expansion of the supervised toothbrushing scheme.

Members also discussed the children in care immunisations, monitoring of the uptake of and use of vapes by children and young people in Darlington, and the role of public health in supporting the use of weightloss injections.

Members sought an update regarding the outbreaks of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales (CPE) at Darlington Memorial Hospital and were informed that the number of cases had reduced and noted the additional work that had been introduced to manage and reduce the outbreaks.

RESOLVED – (a) That the recommendations of the Annual Director of Public Health repot be accepted.

(b) That the Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee makes use of the Annual Director of Public Health report to support understanding of the population health and wellbeing needs across the life course.