Agenda item

9.1

To outline for Strategy and Resources Committee the near final version of the 2023 Director of Public Health Report for Sheffield.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) notes the 2023 Annual Report of Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, Sheffield and the COVID-19 Pandemic. What did we learn?, appended as part of this report;

(b) further notes that in the Annual Report The Director makes specific recommendations as below:

(1) Data saves lives - In advance of another pandemic, we need to have immediate data access permissions that we managed to establish over the course of COVID to avoid any delay in getting the vital data to be able to give information to decision makers what is happening and to direct both policy and operational response.

(2) the scope of planning for pandemics and exercising - When planning for, exercising for and responding in future pandemics, we need to think about how the whole of the city is impacted, particularly with reference to those with poorest health and every sector has a role in the planning and response. Pandemic planning should include planning for communication infrastructure, maintaining education systems, job retention, economic resilience, community engagement, ensuring robust sick pay policies, systems for distribution of food and medicines. These activities are as important as modelling, stockpiling of PPE and ventilators and NHS resilience.

(3) the response cannot ignore the structural determinants of how infection spreads and poor outcomes - Planning, preparation, policy and operational response must not ignore the structural determinants of health that amplify and sustain chains of transmission, and thus outcomes;

(c) notes that the Council will publish the finalised report in due course; and

(d) requests that the Director of Public Health write to Central Government to emphasise the need to have immediate data access permissions to avoid any delay in getting the vital data to be able to give information to decision makers what is happening and to direct both policy and operational response.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

As is traditional in DPH reports, an effort is made to focus on a small number of high level recommendations. There will be another global pandemic. It is impossible to predict when. It is thus important to learn from the covid pandemic. It was, to date, the preeminent emergency of our lifetimes. The learning and reflection exercise has been conducted in various ways both within individual service areas, across organisations in the city as a whole and across South Yorkshire.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

None.

9.1

To outline for Strategy and Resources Committee the near final version of the 2023 Director of Public Health Report for Sheffield.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) notes the 2023 Annual Report of Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, Sheffield and the COVID-19 Pandemic. What did we learn?, appended as part of this report;

(b) further notes that in the Annual Report The Director makes specific recommendations as below:

(1) Data saves lives - In advance of another pandemic, we need to have immediate data access permissions that we managed to establish over the course of COVID to avoid any delay in getting the vital data to be able to give information to decision makers what is happening and to direct both policy and operational response.

(2) the scope of planning for pandemics and exercising - When planning for, exercising for and responding in future pandemics, we need to think about how the whole of the city is impacted, particularly with reference to those with poorest health and every sector has a role in the planning and response. Pandemic planning should include planning for communication infrastructure, maintaining education systems, job retention, economic resilience, community engagement, ensuring robust sick pay policies, systems for distribution of food and medicines. These activities are as important as modelling, stockpiling of PPE and ventilators and NHS resilience.

(3) the response cannot ignore the structural determinants of how infection spreads and poor outcomes - Planning, preparation, policy and operational response must not ignore the structural determinants of health that amplify and sustain chains of transmission, and thus outcomes;

(c) notes that the Council will publish the finalised report in due course; and

(d) requests that the Director of Public Health write to Central Government to emphasise the need to have immediate data access permissions to avoid any delay in getting the vital data to be able to give information to decision makers what is happening and to direct both policy and operational response.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

As is traditional in DPH reports, an effort is made to focus on a small number of high level recommendations. There will be another global pandemic. It is impossible to predict when. It is thus important to learn from the covid pandemic. It was, to date, the preeminent emergency of our lifetimes. The learning and reflection exercise has been conducted in various ways both within individual service areas, across organisations in the city as a whole and across South Yorkshire.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

None