Smoking Chapter 5

LEARNING FROM THE PAST PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Director of Public Health Annual Report 2013 PUBLIC HEALTH WARWICKSHIRE An ageing population of course, is something that should be celebrated: it represents the success of contents increasing life expectancy in the population, and Introduction .............................................................................3 longer lives for individuals. Recommendations ........................................................4 Chapter 1 .......................................................................................6 The reorganisation of Public Health and related services Chapter 2 ...................................................................................10 Looking back: Long term changes in population health Chapter 3 ...................................................................................24 Looking forward: The challenges ahead Chapter 4 ...................................................................................28 A lifestyle challenge: Smoking Chapter 5 ...................................................................................36 The Wider Determinants of Health: Everyone’s business Chapter 6 ...................................................................................43 Conclusions Appendix 1 ....................................................45 Health Profiles 2012 Public Health Warwickshire, Appendix 2 ....................................................48 Communities Group, Warwickshire County Council Public Health Outcomes Framework PO Box 43, Shire Hall, Barrack Street, Warwick, CV34 4SX. 01926 413751 Appendix 3 ....................................................50 Tobacco Declaration www.warwickshire.gov.uk/publichealth 2 The nature of public health is largely about in which partner organisations can help to create a healthier achieving long term change and taking action now to prevent What is the Director of Public environment and make healthy choices easier. All of these poor health outcomes for our population in the future. For Health Annual Report? threads are therefore picked up again in this report, and example, it has long been recognised that improving health at reflected in the recommendations. the very beginning of life – promoting the health of pregnant “A vehicle for informing local people women and infants – can have a long-term impact on With the responsibility for public health people’s health throughout their lives. about the health of their community, moving back into local government, as well as providing necessary this presents us with a real The theme of this year’s report is a reflection on some of the information for decision makers opportunity to tackle these issues longer term trends in health over time and the types of action through a more collaborative we can take now to promote and protect the health of people in local health services and and structured approach. We in Warwickshire in the future. This action includes addressing authorities on health gaps can build on the key functions the wider determinants of health – influences on health from of local government to shape the environment in which people live – as well as improving and priorities that need to be the place and environment in people’s health through more direct interventions such as addressed.” which we live. reducing rates of smoking. Faculty of Public Health I hope that this report is of This report links with my previous series of annual reports interest to you and serves its which were based around other specific themes: purpose of raising awareness of the work we do and the challenges 2010 ‘Best Health for Older People in Although all these themes are different, they may be seen as we face. Warwickshire’ looking at the same set of challenges from different angles. This looked at the challenge in Warwickshire of As a consequence, there are some consistent threads and I am keen to audit the impact of my annual reports and I how, in partnership, we can ensure that our messages which run through the whole series of reports. One would be grateful if you could let me know your comments, rapidly ageing population live in the best of these is the challenge of an increasingly ageing population. either by using the online form (see page 51 of this report for possible health. This, of course, is something that should be celebrated: the web link), or by email to: 2011 ‘Reaching Higher: Healthy Lives, Healthy it represents the success of increasing life expectancy in [email protected] People, Healthy Warwickshire’ the population, and longer lives for individuals. Another This considered in detail what I considered consistent thread is that of the challenge of addressing to be five key public health priorities within inequalities in health, recognising the differences in life Warwickshire: obesity, alcohol, cancer and expectancy seen between different areas and population screening, mental health and wellbeing, and groups within Warwickshire. Other threads relate to specific Dr John Linnane health protection including sexual health. actions that people can take to improve their health, and ways Director of Public Health 2012 ‘1 in 3: The Picture of Ill Health in Warwickshire’ This highlighted that every third person in Warwickshire has a chronic health condition, and emphasised the need to take every opportunity to promote healthy living to prevent or postpone the onset of these conditions. introduction 33 The reorganisation of Public Looking back: Long term Looking forward: Health and related services changes in population health The challenges ahead • The Health and Wellbeing Board is well • The continuing inequality in health • All partners on the Health and Wellbeing placed, and must continue, to articulate a outcomes is a cause for concern and should Board need to promote the potential to clear vision for health and social care services be a priority for partners on the Health and improve health and wellbeing through in Warwickshire. Wellbeing Board. lifestyle risk factor reduction both for their staff and their customers. This should be • All partners across health and local • NHS England and Public Health England achieved through a commitment to, and government should demonstrate their must learn from past experience and implementation of, the Making commitment to the Joint Strategic good practice in Warwickshire to Every Contact Count (MECC) Needs Assessment (JSNA) and ensure we continue to deliver approach. the priorities of the Health excellent immunisation and Wellbeing Strategy. rates, especially • The Health and for the new Wellbeing Board and • The Health and programmes. all partners should Wellbeing Board needs address the Wanless to ensure that the new ‘fully engaged’ arrangements are used scenario and articulate to their full extent to more ambitious health maximise opportunities outcome targets for for health gain. Warwickshire. recommendations 4 A lifestyle challenge: Smoking The Wider Determinants of Conclusions Health: Everyone’s business • We need to continue to focus on • This chapter illustrates the significant • A pledge from Public Health Warwickshire reducing smoking rates in Warwickshire. impact on our health from ‘place’ and and Dr John Linnane, Director of Public All NHS and local government contracts environment. All local authorities in Health, to work with all public sector bodies should include a commitment to Warwickshire should ensure good to ensure improving health and wellbeing is smoking cessation and tobacco control health is a core aspiration for all they seen as core to all we do. as standard. A robust smoking cessation do and is reflected in all policies and policy should be a standard component strategies such as planning, licensing for all public sector contractors. and housing. • The Health and Wellbeing Board • All partners on the Health should ensure all partners and Wellbeing Board commit to playing their part should commit in delivering significant to the use of reductions in smoking Health Impact in pregnancy to below Assessments national and regional for all major averages. developments and policy changes to their services. recommendations 5 Some of the most significant improvements to contact that local authorities have with many of life expectancy have been achieved through their residents, through provision or commissioning public health interventions, rather than through of services, provides many opportunities to ‘make advances in medicine. In addition to improvements every contact count’ in promoting health and in sanitation and housing, which were crucial wellbeing. This makes local authorities well placed The reorganisation of Public to reducing infectious diseases, these include to take on their new wider role in health and Health and related services improvements in nutrition and food safety, wellbeing. legislation to improve air quality, other health Local public health services have undergone a and safety legislation, and the development of The Health and Social Care Act 2012 also brought major change this year, with the formal transfer immunisation programmes. about other major changes, which came into full of public health responsibilities from the National effect on 1st April 2013. At a national level, the Act Health Service (NHS) to local Local government is responsible for commissioning formalised the abolition of Primary Care Trusts and government on 1st April and delivering many services that have an Strategic Health Authorities and created

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