Agenda item

To consider the report

Following consideration of the officer report, PowerPoint presentation and discussion, the Executive agreed to note the 2022/23 Annual Public Health Report and support the recommendations to have a greater focus on preventing and addressing cardiovascular disease and reducing its impact on the Somerset population

The Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Governance and Communications, Cllr Bill Revans, invited the Lead Member for Public Health, Equalities and Diversity, Cllr Adam Dance, to introduce the report.

The Lead Member for Public Health, Equalities and Diversity, Cllr Adam Dance, introduced the report highlighting; that the 2022/23 annual report of the Executive Director of Public and Population Health covered the impact of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD); the call for a renewed focus on preventing CVD overall, and the inequalities that people experience relating to the disease; and the significant shortfall in public health funding for Somerset.

The Executive Director for Public and Population Health, Professor Trudi Grant, proceeded to present the report highlighting; the statutory duty and opportunity for the Executive Director of Public and Population Health to give an independent and personal view of health and well-being priorities in the County; acknowledgment of  the input from colleagues across the health system, Somerset County Cricket Club and the Somerset Cricket Foundation; and the need to develop an environment that is conducive to people leading an active and healthy lifestyle, and make the choices easier to build healthier lifestyle behaviours.

Dr Orla Dunn, Public Health Consultant, presented the report, highlighting; the inspiration of the report presentation and the relevance to a ‘good innings in life’; the significant impact of CVD on the health of Somerset population and the significant public health concern of this group of diseases; the challenges in Somerset, including an ageing population, with the above average life expectancy and the inequalities of the population; the factors that influence cardiovascular health; smoking as a risk factor for CVD; the Q risk metric and the ten year risk of heart attack or stroke; the recommendations within the report including, and the need to develop our environment with the purpose of improving health and environmental sustainability, to work with communities to reinvigorate efforts to promote encourage and support people in Somerset to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and all the benefits that it brings, renewed action to meet national challenge to reduce smoking rates to 5% or less by 2030, a system wide focus on finding and supporting those with high blood pressure, finding and sticking to the right treatments, improve data collection and use it to help predict risk of disease and diagnose and intervene early.

The Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Governance and Communications, Cllr Bill Revans, invited comments from other Members present, questions and points raised included; the powerful message and presentation; the impact and importance of the report for the population of Somerset; the engagement and communication plan to residents of Somerset; the challenge of the smoking targets; blood pressure monitor availability; the significant funding challenges faced both nationally and locally; the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in the prevention and the availability and benefits of the active travel scheme; a whole system joined up response and the alternatives to medication.

The Chair, Scrutiny Committee, Adults and Health, Cllr Gill Slocombe, commented that the report had a positive reception by the Committee, with supportive comments, and put froward a suggestion that the presentation should be shared with schools and other areas, to provide a greater understanding of the prevention of CVD.

The Executive preceded to vote on the recommendations, which were agreed unanimously.

The Executive agreed to note the 2022/23 Annual Public Health Report and support the recommendations to have a greater focus on preventing and addressing cardiovascular disease and reducing its impact on the Somerset population.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED: As set out in the officer report.? 

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REASON FOR DECISION: As set out in the officer report.?