E-cigarette sales banned for under-18s

vapingFrom today (1 October) it becomes an offence to sell anyone under the age of 18 an e-cigarette.

E-cigarettes were designed to help smokers quit by mimicking the effects of real cigarettes by producing a vapour which, while free of tar, for example, does contain nicotine which is addictive.

Specific legislation regulating e-cigarettes is due to be introduced next year. However, many people report e-cigarettes have helped them to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke and ultimately quit.

The legislation has been introduced to help prevent young people taking up tobacco after starting smoking e-cigarettes: studies show that they are more likely to consider smoking after trying e-cigarettes, than not. However the number of children thought to be using e-cigarettes is still relatively low.
(more…)

Council plans for new healthy child service for 0-19 year olds

 Members of City of York Council’s Executive will be asked to approve plans for a change in the way future provision of services for children and young people in the city are delivered by health visitors and school nurses at a meeting later this month (27 August).

Healthy kids

The proposals come since the council became responsible for the Healthy Children Programme for children aged 5-19 years (which includes school nursing and the National Child Measurement Programme) with the transfer of public health to local authorities in April 2013.  Last year the Department of Health confirmed the transfer of 0-5 child public health services (which includes health visiting services) from 1 October 2015 which will complete the transfer of public health responsibilities to local authorities.

The Healthy Child Programme provides a framework of services for children and young people to promote the best health and wellbeing, prevent ill health and provide early intervention when required.

(more…)

Drowning prevention week – activities in York schools

Schools and youth groups across York will be working to keep pupils safe around water during Drowning Prevention Week (June 20-28).

drowning

Using the River Safety Resource pack launched this spring by City of York Council, schools have a wealth of information, ideas and contacts to hand to share the message that taking care near water can save lives.

Developed in consultation with the city’s multi-partner River Safety Group including Safer York Partnership, the Canal and River Trust and emergency services, the pack also supports the National Curriculum’s new requirements for building water safety and aquatic skills.

The council is working with Ebor Lifesaving Club to deliver water safety initiatives during and outside the Royal Lifesaving Society’s annual week of action. Primary schools and youth groups in York have approached the club or are using the packs themselves to raise awareness of the dangers that open water pose.
(more…)

York Children’s Health Profile Data Released

Public Health England has this week released Child Health Profiles for City of York Council, which provide a snapshot of child health in the city.

Child Labour

Fewer children living in poverty

The key findings from the report show that the health and wellbeing of children in York is generally better than the England average and that children and young people under the age of 20 make up 21.7% of the city’s population.

The profiles help City of York Council to work in partnership to improve health in the local area. The profiles contain data on a wide range of issues about and affecting child health, from levels of childhood obesity, MMR immunisation rates, teenage pregnancy and underage drinking, to hospital admissions and levels of child poverty. Each profile provides two types of information: background demographic information about the children in each area; and comparative analysis with other local authorities across the country.

The data shows that in 2013 there were 2045 live births in York, which saw the number of children in the city aged between 0 and 4 remain at 10,700 and the number of children aged 0 to 19 increase to 44,000.  The findings project the number of children in York aged 0 to 19 by 2020 will be 44,900.

According to the child population section the life expectancy at birth of boys and girls in York is 79.4 and 83.5 respectively.   The regional figures for Yorkshire and Humber are 78.5 and 82.2 and nationally 79.4 and 83.1 putting York above the regional and national average.

The level of child poverty in York is better than the England average with 11.7% of children aged under 16 living in poverty, a fall of 1.4% since the last Child Health Profiles data was released.
(more…)

York NHS reacts to independent criticisms

Local services labelled as “requires improvement”

Bootham park

The York Council will debate on Wednesday a report on the progress being made in addressing failings in NHS services in the City.

The report responds to a Care Quality Commission review  last year in which 70% of the areas rated were judged to be ‘Good’, 25% as ‘Requires Improvement’ and 5% as ‘Inadequate’.

5 areas for immediate improvement were identified as;

  • Safety and suitability of premises
  • Systems for identifying, handling and responding to complaints
  • Ensuring staff receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisals
  • Ensuring there are enough suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff at all times to meet patients’ needs
  • Eliminating mixed sex accommodation

A report to the Councils Health Scrutiny Committee, details the changes that the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was required to make and progress against targets.

The Trust claims to have achieved 96% of its improvement targets

NB. The same meeting will discuss a report on the direct payments made to individuals in York for care services. The Council has implemented a policy where those who opt for direct payments receive the payments to a personal account. There had been some concerns raised when payments had been made to third party organisations.

York’s Heatwave Plan is Up and Running

The York Council has issued advice on dealing with a forecast “heatwave” This is what they say;

 “Now the month that officially sees the start of summer has arrived City of York Council is encouraging residents to prepare for the much anticipated warmer weather

The council is encouraging residents to think about how it may impact on their health and that of their friends and family.

The council works to the nationally operated Heatwave Plan that includes a Heat-Health Watch alert system which operates from 1 June to 15 September and is based on Met Office forecasts and data.  This system triggers levels of response from the NHS, government and public health systems and communicate risks.    

The Heat-Health Watch system comprises five main levels (0-4) ranging from year round planning for warm weather to the declaration of a major incident due to a prolonged heatwave being experienced.  

The Heatwave Alert system is based on temperature thresholds where there is a 15-20% increased risk of a heatwave being declared.  For York the trigger criteria for declaring a heatwave are 29/15/29C (Day/Night/Day).   
(more…)

Parents in York urged to have children vaccinated

City of York Council is calling on parents to ensure their children get all the appropriate vaccinations and is highlighting the potential risks being placed on children who are not vaccinated.

flu shotAlthough immunisation rates are generally good in York (92.3% had their full MMR vaccines – data: NHS England) recent research shows that “letting nature run its course” by allowing childhood infections to build immunity is a poor, and possibly unsafe choice.

Recent research has shown that a natural infection by measles in a child has the effect of resetting the immunity of the child back to that of a newborn infant.  All the immune memory, which we rely on to protect us, is destroyed.  The measles virus kills white blood cells that have a “memory” of past infections and therefore provide immunity to them.  It had been thought that these cells bounce back because new ones appear following recovery.  However, recent research in monkeys has shown that these new memory cells only remember measles itself.

In other research, a team analysed child mortality records from the UK, America and Denmark before and after the measles vaccination was available.  The data showed that the number of children who died of infectious diseases was linked to the number of measles cases there had been in the two or three years previously.  The duration of the so called “immune amnesia” is similar to the time it takes for new born babies to build up a natural immunity; this suggests that measles resets children’s immunity to that of a newborn.

City of York Council’s Interim Consultant in Public Health, Dr Sohail Bhatti said: “This research shows the importance of getting our children vaccinated and the implications if we don’t.  I would urge parents in York to do the best by their children and ensure they receive the MMR vaccine to protect them against measles, as well as mumps and rubella.

“If children are not vaccinated against measles they run a much higher chance of getting the disease which means their immune memory could be destroyed.  They are then more likely to get other diseases when the symptoms and consequences can be much more severe.”

For more information about measles and the MMR vaccine visit www.nhs.uk

City gears up for Dementia Awareness Week (17-24 May)

Organisations across York are gearing up for Dementia Awareness Week (17-24 May) with a series of events.

The activities form part of York’s work to become a ‘dementia friendly city’ which is welcoming, empathetic and accessible to people living with dementia and their friends, relatives and carers.

Local residents will be able to get a preview of a new photographic exhibition in the council’s headquarters at West Offices, throughout Dementia Awareness Week from 18-22 May. The exhibition, entitled ‘a storylikeours’ is a positive portrait exhibition featuring and celebrating people living with dementia and their carers. A series of short films on the same theme have also been produced to raise awareness of dementia.

(more…)

All Walk 2 Joggers now running 5km!

York residents completing the final session of a ten-week Walk 2 Jog programme have hailed it a success, with many vowing to continue running for pleasure.

All those completing the course can now jog five kilometres and new sessions have been arranged to meet demand and to support people planning to run in charity events.

The Walk 2 Jog Programme is organised by City of York Council and delivered by Jonathan Nyman, a qualified England Athletics run leader along with expert council officers.

Beginners enjoy a structured and progressive programme of fun sessions, starting with a three-kilometre walk. Speed and distance is gradually increased as the group becomes fitter, although everyone is able to progress at their own pace.
(more…)

£25,000 initiative to raise awareness of Autism

An £25,000 project will see 50 York people become Autism Awareness Champions in York.

will Department of Health funding to help raise public awareness of what life is like in York for people with autism. The initiative will see the council and Living Autism train professionals and members of the public to become Autism Awareness Champions, as well as enabling 150 people to attend a free two-hour Autism Awareness Course.

It’s hoped the Champions will deliver further awareness training to community groups, schools and professionals in the future, ensuring that understanding and awareness of the condition spreads across the city.

(more…)