Council publishes first annual health report
Devon County Council’s first annual public health report just published, sets out an ambitious programme of work to improve health and promote health equality across the County.
The document takes a reflective look at the past six years of public health, and examines how it well it has done in improving the health of people in Devon.
Overall, it shows the picture of health across Devon is improving, and that people generally enjoy a good quality of health and live longer than the national average. The report also highlights some areas where further improvements could be made to prevent death and ill health, such as falls and skin cancer.
In its report, Devon County Council sets out its intentions for public health, health improvement and health protection; as well as providing support to the two Clinical Commissioning Groups that make up the organisations accountable for GPs across the two areas of the county.
The public health report is based on Joint Strategic Needs Assessments – evidence that looks at individual health needs within particular communities as well as other factors that affect them such as age, gender, ethnicity and health equality. It covers a vast range of topics from alcohol to chlamidia screening, and compares the figures with national data, as well as showing trends and patterns over recent years.
Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and Chairman of Devon’s Health and Wellbeing Board, Cllr Andrea Davis, said: “We’re very lucky here in Devon that we’re more likely to enjoy a longer, healthy life. However, there are always pockets of inequality, and our aim is to bring these areas into line with the rest of the county.”
The public health report lists ten priorities for public health over the next six years, where the greatest impact can be made on health inequality:
• Reducing smoking
• Increasing the number of people at a healthy weight
• Detecting and treating diseases earlier
• Targeting preventative interventions at those with the worst health
• Investing in the health and wellbeing of children and young people
• Improving mental health and emotional wellbeing, and preventing loneliness
• Increasing income levels and employment and reducing poverty
• Improving the quality and warmth of housing
• Reducing substance misuse, including drugs and alcohol
• Helping people in their neighbourhoods to live healthier, happier lives.
Cllr Davis said: “Devon has its unique set of challenges – an older population, a very geographically large rural area where people can become socially isolated or not have access to health services, so we need to make sure we are looking at these issues and addressing them through our public health role.”
Amongst the 40 recommendations contained in the report are reviews and assessments on issues such as seasonal deaths, the impact of school nurses, accident prevention and ante-natal care. The report also recommends action to tackle specific concerns such as Clostridium difficile – an antimicrobial resistant infection linked to the overuse of antibiotics; and a campaign to increase the uptake of immunisation.
The report also makes recommendations to the Health and Wellbeing Board, including setting up a Health Protection Subcommittee, and the continued prioritisation of safeguarding children and families in its health and wellbeing strategy.
Devon’s Director of Public Health, Dr Virginia Pearson, said: “The transition of public health to Devon County Council provides a huge range of opportunities for us to improve health across the County.
“Although much has been done to improve the health of our local population over the past years, we need to continue to address health inequality and reduce the gap between the health of the best off in Devon and the worst-off.”
To view the full and summary reports, please visit the website
