Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health.

The Board received a report from the Director of Public Health in respect of the review of the City & Hackney 'whole system' response to tackling obesity, including findings from the Healthy Weight Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

Officers advised the Board of two healthy weight projects and, locally, their five City and Hackney key areas of priority: working together; targeted help for those who need it most; easy access to affordable healthy food; a healthy environment that makes it easy for people to be active and easy access to information. Collaboration with stakeholders has taken place across the system to identify areas where there is potential to strengthen local approaches to prevent and/or manage obesity. Obesity levels are still high amongst children and adults in City and Hackney. The Board were informed that the JSNA was developed in consultation with City Corporation colleagues and City Residents through focus groups, workshops and interviews, exploring barriers and facilitators to healthy weight, diet and physical activity. Officers recommended the need for strong leadership and good governance to attain this new work plan.- several JSNA recommendations have been developed in relation to leadership and governance of future work. 

Building healthy environments was identified as a strong priority in the City of London workshop, to promote healthy eating and physical activity. There were a number of JSNA recommendations related to the training and capacity building of those working with residents to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence to have conversations with residents about healthy diets, and healthy behaviours and build physical activity into their day. The importance of resident engagement was also mentioned, with a need to ensure that effective communications across City and Hackney are developed so that residents can be advised on how to eat a healthy, affordable diet and the importance of physical activity.

The Deputy Chair appreciated the work done by officers but wondered if more focus could be given to children and believed it would be useful to focus on early years, family and schools, in the hopes of tackling obesity as early as possible. Members agreed with this and were in favour of seeing an action plan which spans all relative departments within the City Corporation and viewed that more should be done on a local level to reduce levels of obesity and that the Board receive regular progress updates so that they may assist where possible. The Deputy Chair made officers aware of local community services, such as residential gardening clubs, which are beneficial and cost-effective options for tackling obesity and promoting health. A Member also highlighted that there should be more support for women who breastfeed and wanted the benefits of breastfeeding to be highlighted, whilst also recognising and supporting those who could not breastfeed.

Officers informed the Board that a service called “Family Action” offered access to food pantries in Aldgate and Saint Luke’s and this service had provided additional funding to Family Action to ensure that fresh fruit and vegetables were available at local food clubs. They had applied to CILNF for further support to ensure food provisions were available during daytime and evening time. In response to a concern raised by a Member about those who were unable to access assistance, officers advised the Board that families in need could be directed to family centre services and household support could be provided also, and they were aware that there was a need to reassure people that healthcare options were available.

Members were willing to endorse the recommendations but instructed officers to also provide an action plan so that areas of prioritisation could be identified to which officers agreed and were pleased that the Board would have oversight of this work.

With respect to food advertisements, officers informed the Board that further action could be taken locally to prevent junk food advertising since local policy can be implemented by councils/corporations which would prevent the advertisement of food high in fat, salt and sugar. The Chair asked for a report listing further information surrounding the advertisement of junk food and what measures City and Hackney have taken in response to this.

RESOLVED, that – Members endorse the recommendations listed in the report and that an action plan be implemented to identify areas of prioritisation.