Agenda item

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Scrutiny Working Group on Oral and Dental Health which had met to consider areas for recommendations and where further information was required, following consideration of this issue at the Committee’s previous meeting.  The report set out the Group’s findings and recommendations.

7.2

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       agrees the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Working Group on Oral and Dental Health as set out in the report, subject to the inclusion of an additional recommendation at paragraph 2.9 worded as follows:-

‘The Group recognises that despite all the hard work that goes into oral health promotion, inequality persists in levels of child tooth decay across the City, with a fourfold difference between areas with the highest and lowest levels.  There is also a clear link between deprivation and levels of child tooth decay.  The report clearly indicates the importance of increasing children’s exposure to fluoride in fighting decay, and the effectiveness of water fluoridation in ensuring all children benefit from fluoride.  The Group notes the action in the draft Oral Health Strategy that a review of the appropriateness of water fluoridation in Sheffield be conducted.  It is 12 years since the Council last debated water fluoridation - the Group believes that it is time the issue be re-examined and asks the Cabinet Member and Director of Public Health to take this forward in the appropriate forum, reporting back to this Committee on how they plan to do this.’; and

(b)       requests the Policy and Improvement Officer, in conjunction with the Chair, Councillor Pat Midgley, to progress the recommendations and report back to the Committee.

(NOTE: Councillor Douglas Johnson wished it to be recorded that he did not support the recommendation for the Council to debate water fluoridation.)