health committee Archives - IHV

The iHV is delighted to have been invited as a panel guest to attend today’s London Assembly Health Committee which is currently investigating healthy early years in London. Dr Robert Nettleton, iHV’s Education Advisor, attended to represent the impact and role of health visiting in the early years.

Dr Robert Nettleton, iHV Education Adviser, at the London Assembly health Committee

Dr Robert Nettleton, iHV Education Advisor, at the London Assembly Health Committee

The Health Committee reviews health and wellbeing across London, with a particular focus on public health issues and reviewing progress of the Mayor’s Health Inequalities Strategy.

In the draft Health Inequalities Strategy, the Mayor outlines two key aims around healthy early years:

The first is for London’s babies to have the best start to life. This ranges from supporting expectant parents through pregnancy, breastfeeding and vaccinations and their general understanding of child development.
The Mayor’s second aim is for early years settings and schools to support children and young people’s health and wellbeing. To support this aim, the Mayor is piloting a new Healthy Early Years Awards programme, which is an extension of the Mayors Healthy Schools programme.

Within London there are variations in breastfeeding rates. Women from black ethnic backgrounds and mothers born outside of the UK are significantly more likely to breastfeed despite many living in deprived circumstances.

The London Assembly Health Committee is investigating healthy early years and how we can give children in London the healthiest start to life.

Breastfeeding rates are lower in London than England as a whole
9 in 10 children aged 2-4 years do not meet recommended levels of physical activity
105 per 10,000 0-4 year olds per year were admitted to hospital with unintentional or deliberate injuries^[1]
London has a slightly higher average of low birthweight than England as a whole (7.1 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively).
Children in London are least likely to receive the required number of health visits.^[2]Recent surveys have highlighted increased workloads for public health nurses.

The following guests attended the Health Committee to answer questions:

Dr Robert Nettleton, Education Advisor, Institute of Health Visiting
Emily Arkell, Head of Health Policy, RCPCH
George Hosking OBE, Founder, CEO and Research Co-ordinator, Wave Trust
Geraldine Butler, Locality Manager West Haringey Health Visiting Service, Hornsey Central Health Central
Kim Roberts, Chief Executive, HENRY
Shabira Papain, Deputy CEO, Best Beginnings

The meeting took place today, Thursday 11 January, in the Chamber at City Hall – details here https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=6239

The Government needs to take more robust action to tackle the impact of deep discounting and price promotions on the sales of unhealthy food and drink, says the Health Committee in its follow up report into childhood obesity.

The Government’s plan to tackle childhood obesity was published in August 2016. Although the Health Committee welcomes the measures the Government has announced on the sugary drinks levy, they are extremely disappointed that several key areas for action that could have made the strategy more effective have not been included.

The soft drinks industry levy

The Committee also calls on the Government to ensure that manufacturers pass on the cost of the levy to ensure that there is a price differential at the point of sale between high- and low- or no-sugar drinks.

The report welcomes the Government’s positive response to the Committee’s recommendation that the proceeds of the soft drinks industry levy should be directed towards measures to improve children’s health including through increasing access to school sports and to breakfast clubs.