Agenda item

For the Board to note the report and agree the recommendations as outlined within the report.

The Board received a report which provided an update on current issues of interest in health protection. The report provide an update on:

A.    The tuberculosis (TB) screening in Chatteris;

B.    The apparently rise in notifications of gonorrhoea (gc) in Peterborough;

C.   Ebola in West Africa;

D.   Planning for seasonal influenza and business continuity for the winter; and invited the Board to consider the implications and actions recommended in relation to items A and D summarised in points 2 and 3 above.

Julian Base, the Head of Health Strategy introduced the report and key points highlighted included:

·         The majority of those positively tested for TB were from Eastern European communities, there was a degree of challenge around developing appropriate links with these communities;

·         The reason for the rise in gonorrhoea was an issue of partner notification rather than prevalence;

·         Public Health England had advised that the risk from Ebola was very low and they were issuing updates and briefings to local authorities. NHS England had also been issuing advice;

·         The Winter Flu Plan issued in April 2014 had identified those most at risk from seasonal influenza. Peterborough had been identified as a pilot site for immunisation for school children in years 7 and 8;

·         There would be a national media campaign related to flu immunisation and there would need to be consideration given locally as to how to get additional information out to local communities;

·         Front-line staff could potentially be reimbursed for immunisation through the expenses programme; and

·         A letter had been received from the Department of Health and Public Health England reiterating the point about the duty of NHS organisations and local authorities in relation to local frontline health and social care workers, to both encourage and to offer the vaccination. In relation to LA’s it would be worth looking at frontline staff, working with vulnerable populations such as those working in special schools. 

Members debated the report and comments and responses to questions included:

·         There was work underway to recruit a community connector, particularly to work with the Eastern European community, and health champion objectives could be incorporated into this work;

·         There needed to be further work around needs assessment for migrant communities, particularly in relation to qualitative information and this could be progressed through community connectors; 

·         There could be work undertaken in the local mosques and with other faith groups in order to improve outreach;

·         Support was offered to the vaccination of frontline staff and a report would be taken to CMT for consideration by Public Health; and

·         Commissioning responsibilities would be looked at in order to ensure those individuals not directly employed by the local authority, but who dealt with vulnerable people, could be considered for vaccination.

RESOLVED

The Board:

1.     Noted the updates on Tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and Ebola;

2.     Considered how to engage and communicate with members of the new migrant populations about health issues in  the context of wider PCC engagement e.g. housing, benefits advice; and

3.     Considered asking CMT to make arrangements to encourage and enable frontline social care staff and other essential staff (directly employed or commissioned) to access seasonal flu immunisation to support business continuity and winter planning.