Agenda item

The Director of Public Health submits a report, which provides an update and information on the 0–19 Healthy Child Programme.

The Director of Public Health submitted a report, which gave details of the 0-19 Healthy Child Programme, the key aspects of which were as follows:

• Commissioned by Public Health, on behalf of Leicester City Council.
• Based on a national specification, shaped by local need.
• Is an early intervention and prevention programme that is offered to every family with children and young people aged between 0-19 years living in Leicester city.
• Offers evidence-based developmental reviews, information and interventions to support the healthy development of children and young people.
• Provides support to children and young people in a confidential, visible, engaging and accessible way.
• Identifies levels of need and those who need more help will be provided with additional, evidence-based support, appropriate to their needs.

It was reported that the 0-19 Healthy Child Programme (0-19HCP) was known locally as Healthy Together and was delivered by the Families, Young People’s and Children’s (FYPC) Division of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), who also deliver across Leicestershire and Rutland.  It was also reported that Healthy Together is a high performing service with national performance data

showing that the service delivered above the England average for Health Visiting metrics with the recent CQC inspection had rated the service as Good – Outstanding.

Clare Mills (Childrens Commissioner, Public Health) and Janet Houseman (LPT) gave a presentation outlining the details of the current provision, data and inspection statistics.  The presentation also outlined key aspects of future proposals.

The Chair invited Commission members to comment on the report and presentation.

Members questioned the information concerning health visits and referred to individual experiences where visits had led to distress and anxiety.  In response it was explained that the service was developing systems and processes that would improve the outcomes.  Councillor March requested that information concerning the continuity of the service and health visits be forwarded to her, which was accepted by the LPT.

Further comments were made in regard to oral health and dentistry, obesity, and the perception of parents that they were being ‘judged’ by schools and health visitors.  It was accepted that further information on obesity with any data mapping would be useful for members.  In respect of area mapping of data, the success of the recent Eyres Monsell breast feeding initiative was highlighted and it was suggested that information on this, and any other similar community-based approaches to programmes could also be circulated to the Commission members by the LPT, together with any ethnicity breakdown.

In response to a further question it was agreed that any local data on the oral hygiene of children be circulated.

The demands on resources of all services was recognised and the issues of ‘health literacy’ were raised, with the work of the school nurses being cited as an example of good practice.  It was noted that there were limits on the service and pressures were always evident on capacity to meet demands.

In conclusion, the Assistant City Mayor (Health) advised that as part of current legislation (Section 75 of the Act), a discussion would be held with the current provider of school nursing services and advised that the involvement of scrutiny would be key to that process.

AGREED: 

1)     That the report and update be noted and that a further update be submitted in due course, particularly concerning the provision of school nurses.

2)     That in the interim the information concerning data mapping of dental health, obesity, ethnicity breakdowns and any information concerning community-based approaches be circulated to Commission members separately, with a view to specific reports on issues being submitted in due course.

3)     That information concerning the continuity of health visitors work be circulated.

Councillor Sangster left the meeting at 7.10pm.