City of York Council (Logo)

Meeting:

Council

Meeting date:

27/03/2025

Report of:

Director of Public Health

Portfolio of:

Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care


Decision Report: Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024/25


Subject of Report

 

1.           Under section 31 of the Health and Care Act 2012, each Director of Public Health must produce (and their local authority must publish) an annual report on the health of the local population.

 

2.           This report presents the 2024/25 Director of Public Health Annual report to Council.

 

Benefits and Challenges

 

3.           An assessment of the health needs of the population is a prerequisite for the council fulfilling its duties to improve the health of the public. This assessment, in turn, highlights strengths within our population’s health as well as challenges relating to the increasing levels of ill health, the effect of poverty and inequality on health, and the wider determinants within society which create the conditions for health.

 

Policy Basis for Decision

 

4.           The publication of an Annual Report enables a focus on one or more areas of health in the city, highlighting areas for action from the council and from partners.

 

5.           This year’s report focusses on the health of adolescents in the city and covers issues relating to all four core commitments within the Council Plan 2023-2027, including affordability and cost of living issues faced by young people, equalities and their relation to health, the climate crisis which affects the younger generation disproportionately more than other generations, and, of course, health.

 

Financial Strategy Implications

 

6.           There are no direct financial implications involved in publishing this report. The recommendations made by the report are all funded through existing and approved programmes within public health and other partner resources. Any assessment of health need inevitably highlights the severe financial strain the health and care system in York faces, in line with national pressures.

 

Recommendation and Reasons

 

7.           Council are:

 

Recommended to publish this Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024/25

 

Reason: to fulfil their duty under the Health and Care Act 2012, and to progress work on improving the health of young people in the city

 

Background

 

8.           The substance of this report is found in Annexe A, the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024/25.

 

9.           Whilst DPH annual reports can focus on a broad overview of health, they frequently choose a topic or theme to focus on. This year, the topic is ‘Next Generation Health: The Health of Adolescents in our City.’

 

10.        The report outlines the strengths and potential of our young people in York, the generation with some of our most vibrant and creative individuals – the movers, shakers, artists, scientists, mums, dads, entrepreneurs, politicians, public servants of the future.

 

11.        They are, however also a generation with huge challenges to their health: the generation perhaps most affected by the recent pandemic; the first generation facing worse living standards than their parents; and a generation who share many uncertainties around their future social, technological, financial and emotional wellbeing.

 

12.        The report aims to shine a light on some of these issues, using a combination of data, insight from direct work with young people, and professional expertise and input from those who work with young people in the city, with the aim to prompt action and greater partnership working amongst all who work with young people so we can better tackle these challenges together.

 

13.        The report has six findings about the key health and wellbeing needs in the city, and makes ten recommendations.

 

Consultation Analysis

 

14.        The report was produced after a series of consultation and engagement opportunities, to inform its contents. This includes engagement events with key third sector and partner groups including direct conversations with many young people to gain their views, a professional survey on the topic, use of a coproduction initiative (Core Connectors), and use of data from the bi-annual Schools Health and Wellbeing Survey.


Options Analysis and Evidential Basis

 

15.        Given the statutory duty for the council to publish this report, that is the only option available to Council.


Organisational Impact and Implications

 

·                    Financial

 

There are no direct financial implications involved in publishing this report. The recommendations made by the report are all funded through existing and approved programmes within public health and other partner resources. Any assessment of health need inevitably highlights the severe financial strain the health and care system in York faces, in line with national pressures.

 

·                    Human Resources (HR)

 

There are no direct HR implications of publishing an Annual Report

 

·                    Legal

 

The publication of this Annual Report by the council is a statutory duty under section 31 of the Health and Care Act 2012

 

·                    Procurement

 

There are no direct procurement implications of publishing an Annual Report

 

·                    Health and Wellbeing

The publication of this report is intended to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents through raising key issues affecting the health and wellbeing of young people, and making recommendations.

 

·                    Environment and Climate action

 

It is clear that climate breakdown is a key issue for our young people, as the generation most likely to be affected. The report draws attention to the need to balance realism around this situation with a sense of hope and capitalising on the positive activism and solutions that future generation in York will bring.

 

·                    Affordability

 

The report reports on the impact of poverty and low income on young people, and the adverse consequences on their health, and makes recommendations which aim to address these.

 

·                    Equalities and Human Rights

 

There no direct equalities implications of making the decision to publish this report, and no EIA is therefore required. However, equalities issues are key in tackling poorer health in our younger people, including disparities of health around gender and ethnicity, and this report lays these issues out.

 

·                 Data Protection and Privacy

 

There are no direct data protection implications of publishing an Annual Report

 

·                    Communications

 

There are no direct communications implications of publishing an Annual Report

 

·                    Economy

 

There are no direct economy implications of publishing an Annual Report

 


Risks and Mitigations

 

16.        There are no risks associated with the publication of this annual report

 

Wards Impacted

 

17.        This report covers all wards in York.

 

Contact details

 

For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.

 

Author

 

Name:

Peter Roderick

Job Title:

Director of Public Health

Service Area:

Public Health

Telephone:

07511160283

Report approved:

Yes

Date:

18/03/2025


Annexes

 

·        Annex A: Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024/25