Agenda item

Report of the Acting Joint Director of Public Health to update the Committee on progress made in addressing the recommendations in the Grant Thornton Tackling Health Inequalities Audit Report.

The Chair asked for a brief introduction of the report.

The Acting Joint Director of Public Health – Haringey Council and NHS Haringey – Ms Otiti gave a brief update on the progress made in addressing the recommendations in the Grant Thornton Tackling Health Inequalities audit report.  Grant Thornton undertook an audit of work to assess how health inequalities in the borough were being tackled in the Borough.  Ms Otiti commented that whilst the audit report of June 2008 was very positive, a number of areas for improvement and challenges were identified.A Health Inequalities Audit Action Plan was developed and an update of this plan was attached at Appendix 1. All recommendations were ‘green’ except for one that had ‘amber’ status. Ms Otiti advised that progress had slipped on this recommendation as the Public Health Team experienced tremendous pressure responding to the Flu Pandemic between May 2009 to January 2010 and members of the workforce were diverted to work on this public health priority.  

Ms Otiti particularly referred to one of the two national health inequality targets as a reduction in the gap in life expectancy by at least 10% between ‘routine and manual groups’ and the population as a whole by 2010. To track progress against this target the Life Expectancy Action Plan for Haringey was drawn up in 2006. The plan focused on 12 key areas of activity (agreed at a consultation event to facilitate development of the action plan). In autumn 2009, a progress report was presented to the Well Being Partnership Board. The report provided a half way progress report on improving life expectancy in Haringey.

Ms Otiti further referred to the Department of Health - Health Inequalities National Support Team (HINST) and that as NHS Haringey was a Spearhead PCT to support spearheads, the HINST visited Haringey in October 2009. The aim of the visit was to review action to reducing adult health inequalities in the borough, with particular emphasis on keeping up the momentum around the national 2010 life expectancy targets against which Haringey was currently on track for both men and women. A range of interviews, workshops and a community engagement focus group were held to understand the local context and assess barriers to and opportunities for continued progress at a population level. The visit benefited from the input of many individuals within the Council including the Cabinet Member – Councillor Dogus, NHS Haringey, the North Middlesex Hospital and the voluntary and community sector. The HINST congratulated all partners on their commitment and passion for this area as well as NHS Haringey's 'visionary' primary care strategy, the adults' wellbeing arrangements, and other aspects of collective work to make progress on health inequalities.

Ms Otiti further advised that the HINST identified a number of high level recommendations to enable Haringey to remain on track to achieve the target and to address the inequalities within the borough. A number of the recommendations had been achieved and the remainder were being addressed by all partners. Ms Otiti concluded that the HINST would be returning to Haringey in the next few weeks to discuss progress.

The Chair thanked Ms Otiti for her introduction and asked if there were any points of clarification form the Committee.

Councillor Santry referred to the indications that Haringey was on target to reduce the gap in age inequalities as predicted and sought further clarification as to the data supporting this.

(Councillor Diakides entered the proceedings at 20.24hrs).

Ms Otiti responded from the data received and analysed it was predicted that Haringey was on target though it should be stressed that in reality the gap was still there. The information pertaining to the narrowing of the gap was based on information supplied by the national support team.

Councillor Dobbie, in commenting that it was good news that people were living longer referred to the statistics in relation to women living longer and the comparisons across London, together with general comparisons of data across London and whether there was differences between the east and west of London against this area.  He also clarified the findings of the 7 spear head PCT’s and whether there would be comparative data showing the differences in gaps across each, and whether other factors played a part in influencing the gaps.  In response, Ms Otiti advised that there were some multi factional targets which would influence the life expectancy figures for women – including giving up smoking and the effective campaign, and that housing, leisure and environment were factors that also contributed to this.

Councillor Dobbie referred to the forthcoming local elections and when a new Council was elected, what message could be given to Councillors which would help them to advise the public of measures to improve life expectancy, noting that the already considerable benefit of the Government’s no-smoking ban and the positive social effects of this. He commented further that it would be of benefit to engage both newly elected Councillors together with co-opted members of Council bodies including the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Alexandra Palace Advisory and Consultative Committees, and the Homes for Haringey bodies in an effort to actively encourage the give up smoking campaign.

Ms Otiti responded that both the Department of Health and National Support Team were targeting key areas of communities and that she noted that there was opportunity for elected Members to assist in the national campaigns to ensure a wider airing of the smoking issue.

The Chair, in drawing the discussion to a close commented that it was good to note that there were initiatives to be effected to combat the gaps in life expectancy.  He referred to the 11 recommendations for improvement as detailed by Grant Thornton and if there was an expectation that these would all be met, noting that at the previous meeting a number of these had been complied with.

Ms Otiti responded that in a sense a number of the Grant Thornton recommendations had been superseded and that since the Grant Thornton recommendations the situation had moved on somewhat by the HINST initiatives.  There were also other matters within the overall plan that had been endorsed which were the same as those highlighted in the Grant Thornton findings and from the public health, initiatives altogether addressed wider health issues as well and had largely superseded those of Grant Thornton.

The Chair in thanking Ms Otiti for her attendance summarised and it was:

RESOLVED

That the Health Inequalities Audit recommendations and updated Action Plan be noted, together with recognition of progress so far in light of the pressures experienced by the Public health team responding to the Flu pandemic from May 2009 to January 2010.