To agree the executive response to the recommendations from the spotlight review into dental health and childhood obesity for children and families in Herefordshire.

A spotlight review focusing on dental health and childhood obesity was undertaken following concern about the levels of tooth decay and childhood obesity in Herefordshire reported in the Understanding Herefordshire Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2017.

A broad range of local partner organisations attended the spotlight review in September 2018 and presented evidence and detail of work being undertaken to progress the priorities of dental health and childhood obesity. The spotlight task and finish group reviewed the evidence and identified recommendations, which were finalised and agreed with the children and young people’s scrutiny on 12 November 2018.

The spotlight review made 19 recommendations, of which nine directly relate to the executive. The recommendations cover on oral health: recruitment of dentists, dental access centres and rurality, early years dental access, sugary food advice, access to dentists and fluoridation; and on obesity: maternity services, obesity and mental health, planning restrictions on fast food restaurants, active travel measures, survey of parental food choices and cookery teaching in schools and open spaces and green infrastructure.

We recommend accepting seven recommendations, partially accepting one and rejecting one recommendation. Our rationale for rejecting and partially accepting recommendations is to ensure that our approach is based on evidence and uses the most appropriate methodologies. The actions proposed under each recommendation, including the partially accepted and rejected recommendations, are given in Appendix 1.