Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Director of Public Health.

This three part report presents the latest analysis of Healthy Life Expectancy data and provides a summary of programmes which make an important contribution to the Council’s commitment to narrowing health inequalities.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Donna Sager or Sarah Clarke on 0161-474-3928 / 2456, donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk / sarah.e.clarke@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Director of Public Health submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Scrutiny Committee on the latest analysis of Healthy Life Expectancy data for Stockport, and providing a summary of programmes which make an important contribution to the Council’s commitment to narrowing health inequalities.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Councillors discussed the importance of promoting wellbeing with the Council’s workforce, as well as in other organisations, and it was reported that the Council had established a new Health & Wellbeing Steering Group to promote this agenda within the workforce.

·         In relation to statements within the report about support to various community groups being withdrawn it was clarified that this was part of a broader effort to refocus services and make more effective use of resources. This would involving seeking to make these groups self-sustaining through a ‘lighter touch’ support as currently many had become static and dependent on Council intervention to do simple activities that limited the scope to support newer groups or initiatives.

·         The Chief Executive of NHS England had emphasised the poor healthy life expectancy within Greater Manchester so it was hoped that this would lead to investment as part of the devolution agenda to address this issues.

·         Tackling health inequalities and inequalities in healthy life expectancy would need community-based solutions, rather than population level solutions. It also needed to be recognised that there was often significant variations between specific ethnic and other communities that needed tailored solutions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.