Agenda item

Each year the Director of Public Health produced an annual report on the health of the population.  This year the report focussed on mental health. The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022-23 described the factors that supported good mental health, identified groups that were at risk of poorer mental health and made recommendations for the Council and its partners to promote mental health and well-being. The report was a call to action for partners in Buckinghamshire, asking partner organisations to reflect the recommendations in existing multi-agency plans, for the Start Well, Live Well and Age Well Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy.

Mental health was as important as physical health for health and wellbeing. It underpinned people’s ability to build strong relationships, to do well at school or in our jobs, and shaped how people interacted with the world around them. Good mental health often led to better physical health as well as a reduced chance of dying at a younger age.

People in Buckinghamshire generally enjoyed higher levels of good mental health and wellbeing compared with the England average. However, good mental health was not experienced by everyone, and many people experienced periods of poor mental health during their life. Fortunately, there were many things we can do to improve and protect mental health. There were also actions that schools and organisations could take to support the mental health of those who lived, learnt and worked in Buckinghamshire.  These preventative actions were the focus of the 2022-23 annual report.

The report did not consider the different types of mental health conditions, nor did it cover treatment and support for mental illness. These were important subjects that would require a long and detailed report in their own right. Many people with a mental health condition enjoy a good quality of life and many of the preventative actions in the annual report may support them, in addition to formal treatment.  The report further detailed formal research and local data and mentioned that it was not surprising to find a strong overlap between the factors that were important to children and young people and those that were important in adulthood. The things that affected mental health did not change as people grew older. However, two additional factors become important as people aged – the impact of retirement and increased risks of becoming socially isolated.

While the factors for mental health listed could affect everyone, some people in Buckinghamshire were more likely to be vulnerable to poor mental health. National research had demonstrated a link between poverty and mental health, and this was evident in Buckinghamshire.  While not all mental health conditions and disorders could be prevented, individuals could take steps to improve their own mental health by focusing on the protective factors listed in the report.

The report made a number of recommendations regarding actions that schools, Buckinghamshire Council, the local NHS and employers and voluntary sector organisations could take to promote good mental health. These actions are grouped into five areas:
1. Support our children, young people and their families.

2. Encourage lifestyles that protect mental health.

3. Provide opportunities for people to build their social network, learn new skills and give to others.

4. Take action on the things that increase people’s risk of poorer mental health.

5. Encourage open conversations about mental health.

RESOLVED –

That the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2023: Mental Health be NOTED, and the Council and partners be recommended to incorporate the actions identified in the Annual Report into existing mental health action plans and the Buckinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan.

Each year, the Director of Public Health produced an annual report on the health of the population.  This year, the report focussed on mental health. The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022-23 described the factors that supported good mental health, identified groups that were at risk of poorer mental health and made recommendations for the Council and its partners to promote mental health and well-being. The report was a call to action for partners in Buckinghamshire, asking partner organisations to reflect the recommendations in existing multi-agency plans, for the Start Well, Live Well and Age Well Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy.

Mental health was as important as physical health for health and wellbeing. It underpinned people’s ability to build strong relationships, to do well at school or in employment, and shaped how people interacted with the world around them. Good mental health often led to better physical health, as well as a reduced chance of dying at a younger age.

People in Buckinghamshire generally enjoyed higher levels of good mental health and wellbeing compared with the England average. However, good mental health was not experienced by everyone and many people experienced periods of poor mental health during their life. Fortunately, there were many things residents could do to improve and protect mental health. There were also actions that schools and organisations could take to support the mental health of those who lived, learnt and worked in Buckinghamshire.  These preventative actions were the focus of the 2022-23 annual report.

The report did not consider the different types of mental health conditions, nor did it cover treatment and support for mental illness. These were important subjects that would require a long and detailed report in their own right. Many people with a mental health condition enjoyed a good quality of life and many of the preventative actions in the annual report might support them, in addition to formal treatment.  The report further detailed formal research and local data and mentioned that it was not surprising to find a strong overlap between the factors that were important to children and young people and those that were important in adulthood. The things that affected mental health did not change as people grew older. However, two additional factors become important as people aged – the impact of retirement and increased risks of becoming socially isolated.

The Director of Public Health reported that while the factors for mental health listed could affect everyone, some people in Buckinghamshire were more likely to be vulnerable to poor mental health. National research had demonstrated a link between poverty and mental health and this was evident in Buckinghamshire.  While not all mental health conditions and disorders could be prevented, individuals could take steps to improve their own mental health by focusing on the protective factors listed in the report. The Director of Public Health also highlighted those people who were at risk, such as children living in poverty, who were four times as likely to have mental health issues by the age of eleven, or those living in cold homes, who were five times more likely to have mental health issues. Promoting access to green spaces, culture and leisure would provide help and initiatives such as the Opportunity Bucks Programme which helped deprived areas looking at employment opportunities and housing. The Director of Public Health particularly referred to how crucial the early years for children were regarding their mental health and that this started with their cognitive, emotional and social development whilst the mother was still pregnant. Stress in pregnancy also resulted in poorer mental health.

The report made a number of recommendations regarding actions that schools, Buckinghamshire Council, the local NHS and employers and voluntary sector organisations could take to promote good mental health. These actions were grouped into five areas:
1. Support our children, young people and their families.

2. Encourage lifestyles that protect mental health.

3. Provide opportunities for people to build their social network, learn new skills and give to others.

4. Take action on the things that increase people’s risk of poorer mental health.

5. Encourage open conversations about mental health.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing reported that mental health was as important, if not more important, than physical health for people’s wellbeing. This year’s Annual Report was about how individuals, communities and organisations could improve and protect their mental health. This was particularly important at a time when recent rises in the cost of living were affecting many people’s mental health. The report summarised the things that could promote and protect mental health and highlighted factors that could have a negative impact. It also highlighted groups that could be at risk of poorer mental health so that the Council and partner organisations could consider what actions could be taken to level up mental health across Buckinghamshire. In line with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy it covered mental health throughout life using the themes Start Well, Live Well and Age Well. The report contained recommendations for action for all partners as well as things people could do for themselves and where to get help.

As well as partners, there was a lot the Council could do to help improve mental health and every portfolio holder could make a real difference to improving people’s mental health. This could be by using the Opportunity Bucks Programme to help address financial insecurity, skills, good quality employment and wider work with schools, communities and the voluntary and community sector to support children’s mental health or improving the built and natural environment or increasing access to leisure and cultural opportunities or supporting strong connected communities to reduce loneliness and isolation. This report was a call to action to partners in Buckinghamshire. Actions arising from the report would be incorporated into the existing multi-agency plans addressing mental health in children and adults in Buckinghamshire.

During discussion the following points were noted:-

·       Help was available for houses with damp and mould. The first port of call would be the landlord, as they were responsible for maintaining the house. If the landlord refused to help, then the resident should contact the Environmental Health Team. The Housing Strategy also included information on how to improves homes and the Council’s role in this regard and making more sustainable homes in the future. Housing Associations also had a role in energy efficiency. Helping Hands would also help residents who were struggling to pay their bills. The importance of good sleep was also key.

·       With regard to mental health in young people, reference was made to a study, which had been undertaken during the pandemic, where a quarter of sixth formers experienced loneliness.  A further study was being undertaken and it would be very helpful to compare figures. Different schools had different approaches, but it was key to build resilience in children. The Chief Medical Officer had given advice on the amount of screen time a child should have. The Director of Public Health reported that they had someone dedicated to working with schools on PSHE, which covered physical and emotional health. They also ran a Healthy Schools Accreditation process, which included a whole school approach to mental health. Furthermore, they had recommended the Penn Resilience Programme to schools and offered peer support groups. There was also the 0-25 Children’s and Young People’s Programme which included school nurses and health visitors who ran drop in sessions and a teen health website. It was noted that the approach by schools was variable.

·       Reference was made to regional variations and an example was given that North West Chiltern (area 7) had poorer outcomes than South West Chiltern (area 12) and the reasons for this. The Director of Public Health reported that the map used national methodologies to look at outcomes, such as anti-depressant prescribing etc, which could be affected by individual GP behaviour or demography, such as older people isolation particularly in rural areas. This would be addressed in the Healthy Aging Strategy by working with the voluntary sector to increase social participation. There would be an exhibition in Buckinghamshire about how to age well. The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing also referred to this Strategy and the importance of transport to help isolation and the need for demand responsive transport.

·       This report would be communicated to Members and Community Boards including the Health and Wellbeing Board and Community Groups.

Members welcomed the report.

RESOLVED –

That the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2023: Mental Health be NOTED, and the Council and partners be recommended to incorporate the actions identified in the Annual Report into existing mental health action plans and the Buckinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan.