Issue - meetings

To receive the report of the Executive Director People, LBE, to provide a briefing on influenza and health protection assurance.

RECEIVED the report of the Director of Public Health.

NOTED the introduction by Dr Tha Han, highlighting the three key issues:

•  Enfield multi-agency Pandemic Influenza Plan, for which an exercise was run in September. There was a need to align with the business plans for key departments and NHS bodies. There was also a need to plan for how the voluntary care sector could play its part.

•  Flu surveillance, which was coordinated and collated by Public Health England to closely monitor occurrence of flu and of vaccination uptake.

•  Enfield data, which was set out in the report, and some of which was not very encouraging last year. Work was being done to improve vaccination rates across the board.

IN RESPONSE comments and questions included:

1.    Though good promotional work was being done with NHS and Council employees, the vaccination take-up rates remained relatively low in the borough and not reaching herd immunity levels. Vivian Giladi urged greater effort to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

2.    Councillor Brett emphasised the importance of communication and information to ethnic and religious communities in particular. Dr Abedi confirmed that GPs had a concerted campaign this year, but there was a large cohort of patients refusing the vaccine. The most common reason given was side effects in the past. This year there were better developed vaccines, but convincing patients was difficult. There was no evidence that particular faiths could not have the medicine, and promotional posters were being displayed at local mosques. GPs had experienced early vaccine supply difficulties but these were now resolved.

3.    Concern was expressed that there had not been more coherent and aligned messaging despite Health and Wellbeing Board previously agreeing to work together. It was suggested that each member organisation should put forward a representative to a ‘flu task force’ to prepare and improve outcomes for next year 2019/20.

AGREED that Health and Wellbeing Board

(1)  Noted the Enfield Multi-agency Pandemic Influenza Plan;

(2)  Noted the flu vaccination of Children, Pregnant women, At risk groups, and Front line staff uptake;

(3)  Agreed the formation of a flu task force.

ACTION:  Dr Tha Han