Agenda item

The Committee have been offered a briefing on the Council’s public health responsibilities to inform their findings. The Committee’s discussion will inform design work.

The Corporate Director for Wellbeing presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘A’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Committee had been offered a briefing on the Council’s public health responsibilities to inform their findings. It was hoped that the Committee’s discussion would inform design work.

The Committee considered the questions posed to them as set out at Paragraph 8 of the report and made comments, including:

• In response to a query, the Director of Public Health (DPH), Public Health Dorset advised that his current role as a shared DPH has been as a strategic lead for the system.
• The Committee considered the models of practice set out in Annexe A to the report and a member highlighted the need to engage effectively with hard to reach communities and the positive impact that could have on the whole system.
• The Committee when considering the community advocate role detailed was advised of the importance to ensure there was a clear distinction between the role of DPH as an Officer and elected members of the Council.
• The Vice Chair highlighted the role of the provider detailed and felt that would be the best fit for an internal DPH.
• There was further discussion over the role of the DPH and it was felt that the role should be focussed and provide an intelligence led DPH service which could offer advice and support to services such as libraries and communities.
• The Committees considered the functions of the DPH and how it was important to ensure that objectives were evidence led, scalable and had political support and acceptance.
• In response to a query regarding the positive actions which could be gained from having a DPH serving BCP solely, the DPH advised he would focus on increasing physical activity across the conurbation by promoting it in daily activities.
• In response to a query, it was confirmed that the DPH was a statutory role to deliver the mandatory services required by the Department for Health and Social Care.

The Chair proposed the following to the Committee for consideration:

This committee agrees to indicate to the Director of Wellbeing that the role of Director of Public Health Should be primarily one as a provider to enable budgetary management, whilst at the same time being able to offer independent expert advice to Officers and the Council.

This committee is open to the role, incorporating other services or functions, providing those are not too broad and to ensure that this is led by public health intelligence. The committee agrees that there are a number of areas where influence could be of benefit and that these should continue to be explored.

The Committee discussed the recommendation and the following comments were made:

• A Committee Member expressed a wish for the areas of influence to be detailed in the recommendation and include knife crime, active travel and drug addiction.
• There was some discussion about whether it was appropriate to include the prevention of knife crime within the remit of the DPH and it was advised that this could be done by using the PH intelligence functions carefully and collaboratively working with other interventions and organisations.
• The Vice Chair highlighted how it would be beneficial if Committee reports had a section which detailed the impact on health included.
• A Committee Member expressed the wish for early intervention to be included in the areas of influence as it was felt that this could encompass some of the issues discussed.

It was Proposed, Seconded and RESOLVED that:

1. This committee agrees to indicate to the Corporate Director of Wellbeing that:

a)    the role of Director of Public Health Should be primarily one as a provider to enable budgetary management, whilst at the same time being able to offer independent expert advice to Officers and the Council.

b)    This committee is open to the role, incorporating other services or functions, providing those are not too broad and to ensure that this is led by public health intelligence. The committee agrees that there are a number of areas where influence could be of benefit and that these should continue to be explored. The Committee discussed areas where influence could be used and gave the following examples: active travel, knife crime, drug addiction, early intervention.

2.  Committee members agree that a further report will be provided to the meeting in July.
3.