Agenda item

To receive an update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (20 minutes)

Mustafa Kamara, Public Health, presented the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) update December 2019.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         The JSNA provided a summary of the health needs of the local population.

·         Mustafa Kamara indicated that in general Wokingham Borough was affluent and healthy, although there was still some health inequalities.  The Borough had one of the highest life expectancy rates in the country.  Compared with the national picture, there were fewer young adults in their 20s and 30s living in Wokingham than there were older adults in their 40s and 50s although this may change following the housing development work.

·         Board members were informed of some of the indicators where the Borough performed less well;

Ø  Respiratory tract infection admissions aged 1 year and Respiratory tract infection admission aged 2, 3 and 4 years;

Ø  MMR – second dose;

Ø  Admissions as a result of self-harm (15-19 year olds);

Ø  Adult drinkers of alcohol.

·         Councillor Hare questioned why the rate of respiratory tract infection admissions in young children was worse than regional and national averages.  Katie Summers commented that asthma diagnoses were increasing.  In addition, Tessa Lindfield stated that the population were generally quite health aware and as such were more likely to present if they had a health issue.

·         The Board were concerned to note the increasing rate of self-harm related hospital admissions (among 15-19 year olds) in Wokingham; which was significantly worse than the national average.

·         In response to a question from Councillor Margetts, Graham Ebers commented that the JSNA informed the Wellbeing Strategy.  The Board needed to be satisfied that the issues identified in the JSNA were reflected in the Strategy.

·         Councillor Hare suggested that self-harm in young people and suicide levels needed to be considered further.  Mustafa Kamara indicated that the Suicide Prevention Group were looking at self-harm and would be undertaking a needs assessment to better understand the causes and how levels could be reduced.

·         Nick Campbell-White emphasised that young people’s mental health remained a concern.  Healthwatch Wokingham Borough continued to receive reports of young people having to wait some time to access CAMHS.  He felt that more prevention work was required.

·         Katie Summers also indicated that GPs were also seeing an increase in the number of parents and young people seeking support with mental health issues for young people.

·         Sal Thirlway informed the Board of a pilot programme that the Council would be undertaking with 12 schools, around mental health.   He would report back to the Board at a future meeting regarding the outcome of the pilot.  Katie Summers expressed disappointment that the schools participating in the pilot were all secondary schools.

·         Nick Campbell-White asked what was currently being done to support young people and their emotional wellbeing.  Katie Summers stated that work was being undertaken across Berkshire West, and it was recognised that there was a gap.  There would be mental health teams as part of the wider Primary Care Networks from the next year.  Workforce continued to be an issue within CAMHS.

·         Tessa Lindfield commented that it was vital that the Board were aware of key priorities in its area so that it could be ready to encourage the bidding for appropriate funding when it became available. 

RESOLVED:  That

1)         the updates on Wokingham’s JSNA Flow Pathways: December 2019 be noted.

2)         the future plans to update the JSNA for Wokingham be noted.