Agenda item

Consider report by Director of Public Health – NHS Borders. (Copy attached.)

4.1       The Chairman welcomed the Director of Public Health – NHS Borders, Dr Sohail Bhatti, to provide a presentation on the Real Action for Prevention: a vision of population health in the Scottish Borders.  Dr Bhatti explained that the concept of prevention was one of the fundamental pillars of Public Health and Government policy and outlined the three types of prevention.  Primary prevention was where action was taken to stop a condition, disease or illness ever occurring; secondary was where action was taken to detect the early signs of a specific disease or issue and intervene before symptoms could develop; and tertiary was where action was taken to reduce the impact of disease that had manifested in an individual. Socio-economic factors had the largest impact upon individuals’ health.  Health Services had a smaller impact, accounting for a 20% impact. Prevention was seen as a very cost effective way of allowing people to live healthy lives and for every pound spent there would a multiple order of gains made.  In the Scottish Borders the NHS and the Council worked together in partnership through the Integrated Joint Board and Dr Bhatti explained that through this partnership the organisations generally worked very well and was adept at resolving problems and responding to crisis, but needed to improve the way in which it prevented crises occurring.  Further collaborative work needed to be undertaken to ensure that proactive steps were in place to embed prevention work into the mainstream.  Dr Bhatti highlighted that the Scottish Borders had a demographic profile of what Scotland would experience in 2054 and it was imperative that health services were equipped to deal with minor ailments to allow people to live well as they aged well.  The importance of putting social prescribing at scale in place was highlighted and it was emphasised that the health service would continue to be under considerable pressure until people were directed away from frontline healthcare.  Such social prescribing would involve a considerable range of partners and involvement from communities. 

4.2       Members thanked Dr Bhatti for his comprehensive report and highlighted that SBC were keen to continue to ensure that through effective partnership working, the clear vision which had been outlined was delivered.  In response to a question regarding blood pressure checks at every pharmacy across the Scottish Borders, Dr Bhatti undertook to explore the situation but explained that not every location had an appropriate space for the tests to be undertaken or appropriately trained staff to assess the results, which were imperative to avoid potential misdiagnosis.     Dr Bhatti accepted an invitation to attend the Anti-Poverty Reference Group.  Regarding waiting lists to register at a dentist, Dr Bhatti explained that work was ongoing through the IJB and the situation was improving, however more work was required.  In response to a question regarding a single system to allow all anchor institutions to make referrals for social prescribing, Dr Bhatti explained that a group had been setup to address the issue.  The key drivers of a successful social prescribing model would be the citizens of the Scottish Borders, and it was imperative that successful collaboration by organisations continued to empower people. The use of technology and effective algorithms to undertake more tasks within the health service was highlighted as an area that could potentially provide considerable benefits. 

            DECISION

            NOTED.