Agenda item

[To receive an update on progress and to note the obesity summit, significant other initiatives and progress made towards developing the city wide action plan]

                                                                                                      [Sue Wardle]

Richard Welch, Head of Service, Healthier Place, presented a report which informed the Board on the significant progress which had been made since the publication of the Public Health Annual Report “Weight – We can’t wait” at the meeting held on 9 July 2014. The report detailed the successful obesity summit, significant other initiatives – e.g the member obesity champions and ‘million’ campaigns and progress made towards developing the city wide action plan.

Ros Jervis, Service Director, Public Health and Wellbeing drew to the attention of the Board the visit to Wolverhampton of Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive, Public Health England (PHE) who had recognised the significant challenges faced by Wolverhampton and the progress made to date. This visit had been followed up by Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director Health and Wellbeing PHE who had been asked by Duncan Selbie to find out more of the approach adopted by Wolverhampton in order that it could be used as an exemplar in his evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee on obesity, diet and physical activity. This had been followed up by a further visit and had been referred to in Duncan Selbie’s ‘Friday message on 6 February 2015:

“I see lots of innovation and lots of problems that some might say are intractable but which local politicians, clinicians and managers are getting on with addressing (…..). they are the natural leaders for making things happen. For example, that is exactly what they are doing in Wolverhampton where their population experiences a number of health problems and none more compelling than obesity. (…..)  the City council is tackling this as a whole city priority. Led by Ros Jervis, their Director of Public Health, everyone across the city is getting involved including the Acute Trust and the CCG. I was met at the station by three councillors, two of whom had between them lost a number of stones and they have all been sharing their experiences with their communities through tweets and blogging. They are not just ‘warning and informing’, they are actually leading from the front and they are determined to turn things around.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/401940/DS_Friday_message_6_February_2015_final.pdf

Richard Welch expanded on the four workstreams, namely:

·         To halt the rising trend in childhood obesity in reception year children

·         To slow down the rapid rise in childhood obesity from reception year to  year six

·         To reduce the number of inactive adults in Wolverhampton so that those who do no physical activity begin to be more active

·         To increase physical activity amongst children and young people

Ros Jervis explained that the workstreams had been identified at the Obesity Summit and other sources. She reminded the Board that this was only the commencement of a long process and that an Action Plan in relation to this issue would be submitted to the next meeting. She commented that the issue was system wide and not wholly the preserve of Public Health, that she would welcome all assistance in unblocking obstructions to a successful outcome and that she looked forward to the support of all partners in achieving a system wide approach to resolving this issue.

Cllr Steve Evans commented that he supported whole heatedly the aims and objectives of the Strategy and looked forward to Wolverhampton schools support on this issue. He raised his concern in relation to the inability of the Planning Committee, owing to the current legislation, to prevent the proliferation of fast food outlets in close vicinity of schools. He suggested that there was an urgent need

to enable local people to have the right choices available to them without the Council and its partners being seen to impose a “nanny state” regime. He referred to the excellent initiatives launched recently under the “WV Active” banner and reiterated the need for a joined up approach to tackle the problem. Ros Jervis confirmed the involvement of the Planning Service in addressing the issue as one of the key stakeholders.

Maxine Bygrave, Chair – Wolverhampton Healthwatch, referred to a recent television series “Junk Food Addicts” which had highlighted the links between poor eating habits and poor dental health. She enquired as to the involvement of the NHS dental Service in addressing the Obesity initiative. Ros Jervis confirmed that the PHE Dental Service were key stakeholders in addressing this matter.

Resolved:

1. That nominations from partners to be part of individual workstreams be welcomed;

2. That the forthcoming nominations from the Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust and Wolverhampton City Clinical Commissioning Group be awaited;

3. That the ‘whole systems’ approach, by agreeing that members act as enablers and ‘unblockers’ should problems arise be endorsed;

4. That the progress made and proposed content of the Action Plan to tackle obesity in Wolverhampton be noted.