Agenda item - Public Health Annual Report

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Agenda item

Public Health Annual Report

Report of the Director of Public Health, Health and Adult Social Care (copy attached)

Decision:

RESOLVED – The Board resolved to note the contents of the report.

Minutes:

7.1      The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health which provided an independent annual report on the state of local public health. It was noted that this year’s annual report entitled “Making Health Your Business” had focussed on the strong relationship between work and health.

 

7.2      The Director of Public Health, Alistair Hill, gave a presentation highlighting the key areas drawn out by the report. The report examined the important relationship between health in Brighton and Hove and why being in “good work“ was a benefit to health. Good paid work included earning a decent living wage and enjoying good working conditions and not all jobs had those characteristics. There was a persuasive economic argument for investing in the health and wellbeing of communities with a healthy workforce forming the bedrock of a productive and thriving economy. It was important that the cities economy was based on inclusive growth in order that local people and organisations benefitted from prosperity in the city. The report adopted the life course approach which dovetailed with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and included starting, living and ageing well.

 

7.3      People who were unable to work were at an increased risk of poor health and this had a disproportionate effect on some of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and residents, including those with mental health conditions and those who had disabilities and referred to some of the innovative local projects supporting people into work and making local workplaces more inclusive. The report had been planned for publication as the first cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in Brighton and Hove and the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic was presenting the greatest global public health and economic challenge of people’s lifetimes. The pandemic had highlighted on a colossal scale, the critical relationship between health and work. Against the changing landscape which was emerging in the wake of the pandemic the nine recommendations set out in the report were particularly prescient.

 

7.4      The Chair, Councillor Moonan, welcomed the report stating that in the light of the challenges which had resulted from the Covid Pandemic the needs which needed to be addressed were of even greater relevence

 

7.5      Councillor Nield concurred referring to the increasing number of people who were working from home and were likely to continue to do so post Covid. It was very important that they were given appropriate support to ensure that they had appropriate spaces. It was important that support and advice was also available to the very small organisations/businesses across the city of which there were a number and to those who had or provided shared workspaces.

 

7.6      Councillor Bagaeen stated that the traditional workplace/space was changing and the there needed to be an adaptability and flexibility to address that going forward. It was important to target and tap into those streams and to embed the necessary structures to make them sustainable. Some elements of planning policy for example were already out of date. Workfulness/worklessness had a huge impact on people’s lives.

 

7.7      Councillor Childs commended the report and the of work which lay behind it which reflected the values of the current administration. It also indicated that this Board had a key role in helping to improve such matters as pay and conditions through its own commissioning role for example. The current zero hours contracts of many, for example presented particular problems. He welcomed the priorities which had been set and the recognition that it was important to work with a whole range of stakeholders.

 

7.8      RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted.

Supporting documents:

 


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