Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

The OSC received the six-month update of performance and delivery for the period 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 in relation to the Council’s Thrive agenda for the indicators and activity linked to care, health and wellbeing delivered and overseen by Adult Social Care and Public Health services within the Care, Wellbeing and Learning Group.

The Committee were advised that the Thrive approach aims to narrow the gap of inequality across Gateshead resulting in more people living healthier and happier lives.

As part of the Council’s performance management framework, five-year targets were replaced  with a single 2020 target  with strategic indicators identified as either target ot tracker indicators. These targets were appfoved by Cabinet on 12 July 2016.

The 20 strategic indicators for Adult Social Care and Public Health currently fall under three pledges of “Tackle inequality so peoples have a fair chance”, “Work together and fight for a better future for Gateshead” and “Supporting Communities”

The OSC were advised of two areas where further information may be sought:-

Alcohol Misuse

The Committee were advised that the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol related harm has increased. Gateshead has a significantly higher rate that national and regional averages, is at its second highest recorded rate and has the third highest rate in England.

The OSC felt that this is an area of particular concern as Gateshead is significantly higher than both the NE (862 per 100,000) and the England average (632 per 100,000). It is also considered unlikely at this stage that, unless there are some significant reductions, Gateshead will reach its 5-year target.

The Committee were advised that Gateshead has the 2^nd highest rare for this indicator in the North East, the highest of its 16 comparable CIPFA LA’s, and is the 3^rd highest of the 152 English UTLA’s.

Excess Weight

The OSC has already requested a progress update on this issue – focusing particularly on work in GP practices and schools – and this has been slotted into the work programme for March 2020.

Target SC1

Gateshead is now significantly higher than the England rate of 22.6% for the first time since 2013/14 and we are higher but not significantly higher than the North East rate (24.3%) for the first time since 2013/14.

This is Gateshead’s highest prevalence of excess weight at 4-5 year olds since 2009/10 and our joint 2^nd highest in the published 12 years of data.

The increase for 2018/19 is the highest % point and the highest overall percentage increase since 2013/14. When compared to the national picture Gateshead has the 23^rd highest level of excess weight amongst reception age children out of the 150 English LA’s with a recorded level.

Target SC2

Gateshead is higher but not significantly higher than the North Easy rate of 37.5% and is still considered significantly higher than the England rate of 34.4%

As a result of this latest increase Gateshead has now seen its Excess weight levels decrease by only 1.3% since 2007/08 (38.3%) this is despite an almost continual  decrease in the levels up to 2014/15

When looking at the national picture Gateshead has the 42^nd highest level of excess weight amongst year 6 children out of the 150 English LA’s with a recorded level

Lindsay Murray provided an update to OSC on her new role in reshaping the Council’s performance monitoring arrangements and how performance is reported – in particular, ensuring that what it monitors is more loosely aligned to its priorities arising from the Thrive agenda.