Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2023, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2023 be signed as a correct record.

Items which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

There were no items requiring urgent attention.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity (CX/PH23/02), which reviews progress against the overarching priorities identified in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Devon 2020-2025.

The Board received the Report from the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity on the performance for the Board, which monitored the priorities identified in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Devon 2020-25.

The Report monitored the four Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020-25 priorities, and included breakdowns by local authority, district and trends over time. These priorities areas included:

·          Create opportunities for all

·          Healthy safe, strong and sustainable communities

·          Focus on mental health

·          Maintain good health for all

The latest Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Report was available on the Devon Health and Wellbeing website.

Three indicators had been up been updated with new data, namely:

·         Adult Smoking Prevalence, 2022

·         Estimated Dementia Diagnosis Rate (65+), 2023

·         Fuel Poverty (low income, low energy efficiency methodology), 2021

The Board discussed the district variations in Dementia Diagnosis rates (65+) and Dr Wollaston agreed to take back to NHS colleagues to explore further.

The Board were happy to note the Report.

Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities & Prosperity (CX/PH23/01), attached.

The Committee received the Report of the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity (PH/23/01) on the new Smokefree Devon Alliance Strategy 2023-28, which set out the Aim, Priorities and Objectives of the Alliance for the next five years.

The Smokefree Devon Alliance had been providing a co-ordinated, multi-agency approach to tobacco control since 2010 and currently had a varied and active membership. The aim of the Strategy was to improve the health of Devon’s population by reducing the prevalence of smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, in doing so to reduce health inequalities and smoking-related illnesses and deaths.

The Report asked the Board to note the new Strategy and to support its delivery, by including it in the next Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and connecting it into other relevant strategies, policies and actions; and to also take an active role in the monitoring of the objectives outlined, including reviewing an annual update report, alongside the Torbay Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Director of Public Health also shared the Government presentation paper, ‘A Smokefree Generation – Action to address smoking and vaping’ (attached), and stressed the importance of responding to the consultation Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping on the Government’s proposed legislation to tackle smoking and youth vaping. 

Questions and discussion points included:

·         Public Health had communicated with all schools in Devon regarding vaping and the associated risks, with information also available on the PHSE website for schools to access directly.

·         Vaping was a new area and currently there was no national guidance in how to support a non-smoking young person to stop vaping, but it was something that was being explored locally by Public Health’s new service provider.

·         The environmental impact and fire risk caused by disposable vapes not being disposed of correctly.

·         The difficult balance of warning young people not to vape against encouraging smokers to try vaping instead.

·         It was proposed that each of the Health and Wellbeing Boards submit a formal response to the Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation, with this Board’s response being circulated to NHS colleagues before final submission.

The Board agreed:

·         to endorse the Strategy; and

·         that a response to the Consultation be submitted on behalf of the Board.

Update report from NHS Devon, attached.

The Board noted the update from NHS Devon which provided Devon-wide and national developments within the NHS. It was intended to provide the Board with summary information to ensure Members were kept abreast of important developments.

The following points were highlighted:

·         Operational challenges continued, but the long elective backlogs in Exeter and Torbay had been eliminated, with Plymouth hopefully by the end of the month.

·         Urgent and emergency care remained extremely challenging and Covid and Flu vaccinations were encouraged. Nationally, Devon was the highest performing county in England for care home vaccinations.

·         Although the latest period of industrial action had been suspended following talks with consultants, this did not apply to junior doctors and so remained a major challenge.

·         NHS Devon had received £595,000 of funding to set up a Women’s Health Hub provision in Devon.

As to Covid it was reported that:

·         Current data, showed there had been a 2% decrease in cases, but a 20% increase in hospitalisations, mostly affecting the elderly and those people with immunosuppression.

·         Eligible people were being encouraged to come forward for their vaccinations, which were key in reducing hospitalisation and harm.

·         With Covid rates the highest since March, combined with flu, a challenging winter ahead was predicted

Future meeting dates are included in the Council’s Meetings Calendar.

Next meeting:  11 January 2024

Future meeting dates of the Board could be found on the Council’s website -

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Next meeting:  11 January 2024