Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: Room C1, First Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: Alan Ingram, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 0842, E-mail: alan.ingram@towerhamlets.gov.uk
No. | Item |
---|---|
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were submitted from Councillor Dr Emma Jones and Dr Amjad Rahi (Co-opted Member).
|
|
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PDF 49 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from the Chief Executive.
Minutes: No declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interest were made.
|
|
UNRESTRICTED MINUTES PDF 84 KB To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the ordinary meeting of Health Scrutiny Panel held on 11 September 2012.
Minutes: RESOLVED that the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 11 September 2012 be agreed as a correct record of the proceedings.
MATTERS ARISING
Councillor Pavitt sought clarification regarding information that had been requested for Members regarding the numbers of Health Visitors in the Borough (Item 4.1) and diabetes patients (item 4.3). The Chair indicated that the requests for information would be followed up accordingly.
|
|
REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
|
Health Priorities for Children Living in Tower Hamlets PDF 70 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair welcomed those present and indicated that it was her intention that the meeting should focus on Children and Public Health issues.
At the request of the Chair, Wesley Hedger (Strategy, Policy & Performance Officer) gave a detailed presentation in support of the Council’s Children and Families Plan (CFP) 2012-15, as circulated with the meeting agenda pack. He commented that the Plan was targeted at meeting the most vulnerable children and families. A life-course approach had been taken, at stages of five year blocks with appropriate interventions proposed for each stage from birth to 24 year olds.
He indicated that, given the level of health inequalities within the Borough, a focus on maternity and early years within the Health and Wellbeing Strategy was vital to ensure that health and wellbeing outcomes were improved in future. The governance structure of the Children and Families Partnership would support the Maternity and Early Years principle of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The Maternity, Early Years and Childhood Commissioning and Delivery sub-group of the CFP would report back on delivery activity to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
Esther Trenchard-Mabeere (Public Health Tower Hamlets), commented further on the presentation, indicating that: · 9% of babies were of low birth rate but infant mortality was not high, possibly due to low rates of smoking and alcohol use. · There were high levels of obesity and dental decay in under 5s but there had been some reductions in both. Obesity levels seemed to have plateaued and it was hoped there would be further decreases. · There had been a significant reduction in under 18 conceptions. · The Borough had the highest child vaccination rate in London. · Emergency hospital admissions due to unintentional or deliberate injuries were very high and more information on causes of injury was required. Asthma, epilepsy and diabetes also resulted in hospital admissions of children.
Officers then responded to questions put by Members of the Panel, including the following information: · Consideration of nutritional problems was broadening beyond obesity issues towards vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition. A wider, holistic view was being taken as obesity comprised only one indicator of risk. · The part played by schools in children’s health required a whole systems approach including food and physical activity/play as 13% of children entered primary school obese, which had risen to over 25% on leaving aged 10. · The incidence of female genital mutilation was under investigation with other partner organisations and would be one of the issues taken up by the recently-appointed Violence Against Women and Girls Co-ordinator. · Healthy Families ambassadors were helping address lack of parental knowledge throughout communities in the Borough. · It was acknowledged that some reductions in the Public Health budget were likely and it would be necessary to work creatively and closely with partnerships and other agencies in the Borough. · Access to the maternity service at the target stage of 12 weeks and 6 days had improved from under 60% 6 years ago to about 92% currently. There was a very low take-up ... view the full minutes text for item 4.1 |
|
Update on Healthy Community Project PDF 54 KB Minutes: Ms Dianne Barham (THINk Director) presented an update on the development of community led health projects in the wards of Whitechapel, Stepney Green and St Katharine’s and Wapping, which aimed to set up a Healthy Community Group of at least 200 people who would be provided with information, training, support and resources in return for their providing information on their experience of services, ideas on improving services and taking part in healthy lifestyle activities.
She tabled a report in that respect concerning: · A summary of key issues raised by patients and the community. · How THINk had or proposed to engage with patients and the community to tackle those issues. · What impact THINk hoped to achieve as an outcome.
Ms Barham added that the aim was to have at least 3,000 members involved in HealthWatch and there would be a report to the Clinical Commissioning Group in December 2012 on the possibility of rolling out the scheme to the rest of the Borough. She confirmed that community mapping information would be included in the report and asked that Panel Members contact her direct with any comments they wished to put forward.
The report was noted.
|
|
ANY OTHER BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT Minutes: Visit to Royal London Hospital
The Chair expressed the view that a date should be arranged for Panel Members to visit the Hospital new-build and have clarification of any associated teething problems.
Action by: Robert Driver
Healthy Borough
The Chair indicated that evidence sessions were to be held on 19th and 21st November 2012.
To note
|