Decision details

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health, Lancashire County Council presented the 2019/20 report entitled 'Investing in our Health and Wellbeing to the Board, which followed on from the last report in 2016.  The report refocuses on three main issues:

Health outcomes for Lancashire's residents living in many areas of the county were not improving in line with national trends.  Health inequalities are widening and if we fail to focus on prevention and wellbeing, expectancy and healthy life expectancy would get worse.  Crucially this would have an impact on the productivity of the local economy, employers and workforce.

To address those challenges, the report recommended addressing four key public health priority areas:

(i)  Investing in our own health and wellbeing.

(ii)  Investing in giving children the best start in life.

(iii)  Investing in our communities.

(iv)  Investing in our working age population.

The Board were shown a short video clip, which can be accessed via the link: https://youtu.be/HdxSTDSA28o .

There were 14 specific recommendations/future challenges for key decision makers and policy makers to act on.

Ruksana Sardar-Akram, Consultant in Public Health (Interim), Lancashire County Council presented the Board with a summary on a strategic approach and action to tackle infant mortality in Lancashire.

Following on from the report that was circulated with the agenda, Ruksana updated the Board on the aims and background to the report.

It was noted that:

•  Infant mortality was an indicator of the overall health of a population. 

•  The overall child mortality rate (age 0-17) in Lancashire remained significantly worse than the England rate.

•  Infant mortality also remained worse than the England rate.

•  Reducing infant mortality was an important part of the Population Health Plan and a key priority area for the Children, Young People and Families Partnership Board (broader approach to Early Years Strategy).

•  Infant mortality had been highlighted as a key issue in the Director of Public Health report and was also a major part of the Integrated Care System work.

•  It is a key priority issue for Lancashire.

The Board were informed of the plans to address infant mortality and how progress would be measured.

Collectively the focus should be on children and the Board needed to ensure that they are considered when making financial plans in the future.  It was incumbent on the Board to improve the lives of the children.

Resolved:  That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

(i)  Supported the key messages and dissemination of the Director of Public Health annual report within partner organisations.

(ii)  Agreed to ensure that our collaborative prevention and population health investments were optimised for improving the health and wellbeing of communities across Lancashire.

(iii)  Endorsed the action plan to reduce infant mortality across Lancashire.