Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health.

The report draws attention to stark health inequalities in Stockport and outlines how social determinants of health play a role in driving and therefore addressing these inequalities. It presents the principle of addressing health inequalities by improving everyone’s health, but doing so according to people’s different levels of need: proportionately more support and resources are needed for those already disadvantaged or at higher risk / need.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the implications of the report, particularly in connection with its planned scrutiny review on the topic of health inequalities.

Officer contact: Jilla Burgess-Allen, jilla.burgess-allen@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health submitted a report (copies of which had been ciruclated) drawing attention to stark health inequalities in Stockport and outlining how social determinants of health play a role in driving and therefore addressing these inequalities and presented the principle of addressing health inequalities by improving everyone’s health, but doing so according to people’s different levels of need: proportionately more support and resources are needed for those already disadvantaged or at higher risk/need.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·       Members welcomed the detailed and informative report and how much awareness it raised about certain issues.

·       While tobacco use in Stockport was falling, it was still the largest preventable risk factor for disease. Stockport as a borough was close to the national average for smoking rates; but rates varied considerably, 4.4% in an area of Marple compared to 40% in Lancashire Hill and parts of Brinnington. This highlighted that Stockport averages hide considerable inequalities between those living in the most and least deprived areas with smoking estimated to be responsible for between a third and a half of the differences in early mortality between different socioeconomic groups

·       It was commented that the Smoking and Vapes bill was returning to Parliament and would have had a huge impact similar to the smoking ban that would be really welcomed in Stockport.

·       Waiting lists for assessments for autism and ADHD were too long and Stockport has a programme to bring those numbers down.

·       There were priorities in place to mitigate climate change including aims to achieve net zero, but there needed to be an adaptation and mitigation together to address the health impacts on the population.

·       Consideration needed to be given to the design of communities across the borough with the right schools and the right services in the communities to redress the balance and create greater equity and fairness.

·       Clarification was sought regarding how the recommendations would be shared across the Council and the wider borough. In response, it was stated that the information and data would be published on the Council’s website with work being undertaken to produce a ‘digest’ to make it easier to access and read and would also be submitted to the Health Executive Board.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.