Agenda item

The report will be presented by Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health, Leicestershire County Council.

The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health which provided an update on work ongoing to strengthen links between the Leicestershire Safer Communities Strategy Board and the Health and Wellbeing Board. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 5’, is filed with these minutes.

The Board welcomed the Director of Public Health to the meeting for this item.

Arising from discussions the following points were noted:

(i)        Members raised concerns that the substance misuse service Turning Point did not liaise with partners enough and could contribute more to wider community safety work. In particular District Councils needed more information from Turning Point about the specific individuals accessing the substance misuse service so they could assess whether the housing provided to them was appropriate for their needs. In response the Director of Public Health explained that the remit of the Turning Point contract was to provide a treatment service for individuals with drug and/or alcohol misuse problems; not to carry out wider community safety work. However, reassurance was given that data was collected from Turning Point regarding whether the person receiving treatment for substance misuse had a housing need and that liaising with housing providers was part of Turning Point’s role. Members felt it would be beneficial for examination of the contract with Turning Point to take place to ensure that Turning Point were being asked to contribute to community safety as fully as possible.  The Director of Public Health reminded members that the Public Health Department offered broader support for people with substance misuse problems and other related issues.

(ii)       Members congratulated officers for the success in receiving funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which was intended to expand support for survivors of domestic abuse in Leicestershire. In response to a question from a member it was clarified that all the proposed units of refuge accommodation in Leicestershire were for females. There was not the need in Leicestershire for refuge accommodation for males as men did not typically use refuge accommodation. However, there was refuge accommodation available nationally which males from Leicestershire could be referred into. Due to the increasing number of males coming forward to report Domestic Abuse the need for refuge accommodation for men in Leicestershire would be kept under review.

(iii)      In response to a suggestion from the Chairman that knife crime should also be a joint priority for the Public Health Department and the Leicestershire Safer Communities Strategy Board, the Director of Public Health acknowledged that knife crime was a key issue and better partnership working could take place between the police and Health partners on the issue, for example providing data on patients that attended Emergency Departments with knife related injuries. It was noted that Public Health England (PHE) were on the Knife Crime Board but PHE were a national body and there needed to be more local link up. Superintendent O’Neill suggested that a meeting could take place between the police and Public Health Department and the Director of Public Health was in agreement.

(iv)      A member emphasised that in addition to tackling suicide it was important to focus on wider mental health issues. The Director of Public Health provided reassurance that there were many services in place for tackling mental health some of which could be accessed via First Contact Plus and Local Area Co-ordinators. Mental Health was a central part of the People Zones project where the aim was that public bodies would work collaboratively to address the social problems for a particular area.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the contents of the report be noted;

(b)       That the priorities jointly held with the Health and Wellbeing Board be supported.