Agenda item

Andrew Scott-Clark led the discussion on the item with a power-point presentation. He emphasised the need for using more positive data in order to convey a positive message to the public. Mr Scott-Clark requested Board members to agree on the best approach to present statistical data, whether through percentages or the ‘thermometer.’ He said that life expectancy data showed significant inequalities between Thanet and other areas in the county. There was therefore a need to provide support that was proportionate to the significance of the problem in Thanet.

Aspirations for Children

Mr Scott-Clark said that with regards to the Aspirations for Children, officers were still working on coming up with some of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As regards the Universal Child Programme, not all the mandatory performance indicators were currently being delivered in Thanet and other areas of the county.

Women Not Smoking

Evidence based approach was being used to support an early referral approach for pregnant mothers and first time mothers under 18. The aspiration was to have 95% of women not smoking when pregnant in 4 years’ time. CO² monitoring has helped identify early on a number of issues/problems not necessarily related to smoking, like a leaking boiler in one of the households. Midwives were engaging expecting mothers and talking to them about smoking up to the point they gave birth.

The Board agreed to aspire to achieve the following target; that 95% of women not smoking when pregnant in 4 years’ time.

Women Initiating Breastfeeding

Mr Scott-Clark said that there were challenges regarding the information system. Peer support programmes for midwives to work with individual mothers had been started county wide. He was going to find out the age profile of breastfeeding women in Thanet.

The Board agreed to aspire the following, that 75% of new mothers would be breastfeeding in 5 years’ time and maintain at least 50% breastfeeding over six to eight weeks.

Reduce Alcohol Specific Stay in Hospitals

Mr Scott-Clark said that Thanet has the highest admission rates in the county. Madeline Homer said that TDC had previously directly funded pastoral street persons in Thanet. Mr Scott-Clark advised the meeting that work was in progress on some initiatives that would increase children resilience to say no to peer pressure in relation to alcohol use.

The aim to reduce alcohol related stays in hospitals from 58.3% per 100,000 to 40% in 5 years’ time. Board members suggested that more discussions be conducted that would look at approaches that the Licensing function of Council could play to the health and wellbeing of the local residents.

Reduce Teenage Pregnancy

Thanet‘s aspiration was to reduce the rate to below 30% in the next 5 years.

Reduce Prevalence of Adult Smokers/Adults Not Smoking

Members were concerned that currently the advertisements that were being put out by companies selling cigarettes were sending the wrong messages to the public. Mr Scott-Clark said that discussions were on-going about the national policy on e-cigarettes.

The Board agreed to aim for a 20% reduction in smoking in 5 years’ time.

NHS Health Checks

Mr Scott-Clark said that letters were sent out to individuals in the 40-74 age groups who were not on the register for health checks of vascular diseases. However the challenge was to get some of those individuals who would have received the letters to actually attend appointments. Thanet statistics were not yet available.

The Board agreed to aim for 100% population invitation for a health check. And that by the end of the current financial year 50% of eligible cohort would have received an NHS Health Check.

Early Deaths From Heart Disease & Stroke

Mr Scott-Clark said that the current mortality rate due to cardio-vascular disease was 95% in Thanet. The aim was to reduce it to 50% in the next 5 years.

Hip Fractures

The meeting was advised most falls occurred in people’s own homes and that landlords were being encouraged to ensure that their properties had appropriate facilities to ensure that hazards were kept to a minimum.

Esme suggested that safeguarding children information should be added to that monitoring report. A report will be brought to the next Board meeting.

Thanet aspiration was to reverse the current trend hip fracture rate from 523 for the over 65yrs to below 450 in the next 5 years.