To inform Cabinet of key population health issues in Herefordshire and of the recommended strategies and actions to address these as set out in the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health – 2009.

To note that the recommended approach and actions highlighted in the report will inform service development and commissioning aimed at improving health and wellbeing of the population of Herefordshire.

The Director of Public Health presented the annual report to Cabinet, which had been made in light of the current economic climate and the needs of Herefordshire.  The main points made were:

• This was a long term appraisal, looking at the priorities that could be achieved now as well as in five years time, with some elements requiring immediate investment.
• The report looked at the work of the partnership and bringing all providers together on issues of health and well being. 
• The report highlights the areas of need and has been circulated to GPs, hospital doctors and health practioners. 
• GPs are working with families and with HALO Leisure to instigate healthy practices to help change people’s lifestyles.
• The report outlines the support provided to patients prior to their going home after a stay in hospital.
• The report looks at the current level of demand in hospital care and at the work being carried out at hospitals across the country in order to examine what Herefordshire might wish to do differently and subject to transition board agreement. 
• It was emphasised how essential it was that the community work in collaboration on health and wellbeing issues and that ways were being investigated as to how to reward and encourage people to practice healthy living.

Cabinet was advised that the report was launched at the recent health and wellbeing board conference and focused on the key achievements over the past year.  It was emphasised that wellbeing was an issue for communities and that communities needed to develop their own leaders for this role. 

Cabinet noted that HALO were key to the joint work proposed and that local authorities across the country had just been advised that the grant funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for free swimming for the under 16s and over 60s had been withdrawn.  Cabinet referred to the financial implications on page 7 of the report and the need for the partnership to consider the recommendations and to agree which recommendations could be taken forward to the budget meetings.

RESOLVED

THAT:

a)      the 2009 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health be received; and

b)     Cabinet noted that the implementation of the report’s recommendations and the proposed approach and actions highlighted in the report would inform service development and commissioning during the next planning cycle and in the medium term.