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, an independent report on the health and wellbeing

of Darlington.

The submitted report stated that this year’s report focused on the health of children and young people, describing the current position of some key public health outcomes and the range of services and interventions in place locally to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people across key areas of focus.

It was reported that during the development of the report the Director of Public Health visited three primary schools and one secondary school, to talk to some children and young people; and Members were informed that the format of the report is web based with short videos for each section.

The report provided details of the progress made to date on the recommendations of the 2024/25 Annual Public Health Report; and the recommendations made in the report for 2025/26 were outlined.

Discussion ensued regarding admissions for unintentional and deliberate injuries in children; and following a question regarding the stop smoking service Members acknowledged the work being undertaken to target key demographic groups. Members were pleased to note that the further improvement in the percentage of mothers smoking at the time of delivery, which had reduced further to 4.4 per cent.

Members sought clarification regarding the definition of ‘poor health’; requested figures for those accessing perinatal mental health services; and discussed the uptake by schools for the Healthy Lifestyles Survey. Members noted that all schools in Darlington are invited to participate in the survey, that roughly 6000 children and young people in Years 5 to Year 11 complete the survey and that this would be rolled out to colleges in the future.

Discussion ensued regarding child poverty and how this was being addressed by the Council, with Members noting that the priority is to ensure every child has the best start in life; and reference was made to the Holiday Activity Fund and Public Health funding being used to target areas of deprivation.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations of the Annual Director of Public Health Report be accepted.