Agenda item

A paper on Public Heath priorities is enclosed. Jin Lim, Director of Public Health, will attend to present.

Jin Lim, Acting Public Health Director, and Cllr Maisie Anderson , the Cabinet lead for Public health, Parks and Leisure, presented the report and addressed the questions.

The following issues were raised :

·  The impact of Free Healthy School meal on obesity. The director said the statistical evidence is not significant , however surveys with identified it was helpful for some parents,  and Free School Meal needs to be seen within a whole systems approach. Access to parks and growing food were mentioned in this regard.

·  Targeting and extending health checks.

·  How take-up of Free& Gym and Swim programme is being targeted at those most in need and monitored.

·  The link between socio- economic deprivation with mental health was discussed. Council work on addressing the wider determinates of health e.g physically health,  housing and employment were cited, as well as stop smoke activities , which are particularly targeted at certain groups, including low income.

·  A member raised concerns about the lack of mental health being indicated as a priority and specifically the high rates of  suicide in Southwark and links to the mental health strategy. Jin Lim said Mental Health  is a priority ( but was accidently left off the report)  and although suicide rates have generally been falling there has been a small recent increase  and they are in discussions with Samaritans and National Rail  as there has been a slight rise. The Mental Health Strategy is due to come to both scrutiny and  cabinet in the early next year.

·  There was a query about prostate cancer awareness raising and the Jin Lim said that was a campaign in previous years . Men from ethnic minority communities are more at risk, and of later diagnosis . A member  said that he has spoken to church leaders and they are willing to engage in promoting awareness .

·  The importance of dementia testing was highlighted.

·  Concerns were raised about the availability of hydro-pool sessions.

·  Privacy concerning the sign-up process for the Free Gym & Swim was raised.

·  Monitoring of Latin American community was discussed . Southwark Council have agreed to monitor this category locally however data provided by ONS does not do this , and there are concerns with the high level of ‘other’.

RESOLVED 

More information will be provided by Public Health on :

·  Prostrate cancer awareness

·  Dementia test availability for over 50

The following will be picked up on during the cabinet member interview :

·  hydro- pool availability 

·  privacy issues around health questionnaire used during Free Swim & Gym