Agenda item

Report of Strategy Service, Corporate Affairs, Durham County Council.

The Board received an update presentation from the Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager, Stephen Tracey on Annual Performance in respect of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-23 (JHWS) (for copy see file of minutes).

The Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager updated the Board in respect of healthy life expectancy and noted that the overarching message was that lots of organisations contributed to addressing the issue and that there was not one single programme.  He noted that broadly trends had not changed significantly, though it was noted that the gap of life expectancy of women in County Durham compared to the England average had narrowed, the gap having halved over the last 10 years.  It was noted that there was still an overall lower life expectancy in County Durham compared to the England average.

In respect of smoking prevalence and the number of women smoking during pregnancy, the Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager noted that while the number had come down in County Durham, it was still higher than national levels.  In reference to unemployment, and specifically closing the gap between the general population and those with a long term physical or mental condition, there had been some improvement in closing that gap.  The Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager added that in respect of healthy weight in children and young people, 90 percent of children in County Durham aged 4-5 years old and 79 percent of children aged 10-11 years old were of a healthy weight.  He noted that there had been an increase in suicide rate nationally over the last 10 years and explained that the figures were significantly higher in County Durham compared to national figures.

The Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager noted the Better Heath at Work Award had been rolled out to 76 employers in the county, with an aim to improve health and wellbeing interventions at work and added that Durham County Council (DCC) had maintained their “excellent” award rating.  He concluded by noting that as well as overseeing the health and care contribution to health and wellbeing and the strong links to the wider determinants of health, the new Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS) would focus on the four priorities of the Health and Wellbeing Board for 2023-28, namely:

·        Making smoking history

·        Enabling healthy weight for all

·        Improving mental health, resilience, and wellbeing

·        Reducing alcohol harms

A Healy thanked the Corporate Equality and Strategy Manager and noted that this wrapped up the previous strategy and set out the four area of focus, for the new Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  She added that the links to the wider determinants of health included areas to work alongside partners, with the pandemic and austerity also impacting.  The Chair noted that, in his opinion, it was not acceptable for the United Kingdom, as sixth largest economy in the world, to have the health statistics it did and added that there was a lot of work to do in areas such encouraging people to exercise.

Resolved:

(i)           That the key messages and detailed analysis relating to the JHWS 2021-25 key objectives be noted;

(ii)          That the Board consider where further action may be required to improve specific outcomes, in light of the new outcomes for the recently approved JLHWS 2023-28.