This is a standing item for the Director of Public Health and the Director COVID-19 & Refugee Lead to provide an update about health issues and services affecting the borough and it’s residents.
Minutes:
There had been a concern that the capacity to continue delivering family planning activities in sexual health clinics would be displaced because of the response to Monkey Pox. However, additional support had been offered at the John Hunter Clinic at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, if they could not be seen at 10 Hammersmith Broadway which had been very welcome. A small pox vaccine was now being made available and rolled out to vaccinate those in at risk communities.
Providing an update on Covid 19, Dr Lang confirmed that the number of cases across the UK continued to rise exponentially and that there had been many localised outbreaks in H&F nursing homes and care settings. Fortunately, high rates of vaccination meant that most cases were asymptomatic or experienced mild symptoms.
Regarding Monkey Pox, Councillor Patricia Quigley enquired if there would be a similar communications or messaging provision as had been previously provided in response to Covid 19. Dr Lang confirmed that there had not been as the response was being delivered through specialist communication channels deployed by sexual health charities. SASH (Sexual Health Outreach Service) was a mini consortium providing support for those in at risk communities. The GUM service had also reached out to a local gay bar, Teds, in Fulham, to offer appropriate and sensitive support to encourage small pox vaccination.
Co-optee Victoria Brignell asked about the extreme heatwave and enquired if with the agreement of the other members, an update could be provided at the next meeting about how the heatwave had affected residents, what activities had been undertaken in response to help mitigate and what steps could be taken in the future. Dr Lang welcomed the proposal and expanded it to include contributions the emergency planning team. The heatwave had thrown into stark relief the question of preparation for extreme heat in the UK. Measures had been implemented to protect vulnerable people in care homes and schools but there was a question about how to make buildings heat secure using white paint on reflective surfaces and awnings, using recyclable materials that did not retain heat. Dr Lang reported that she was about to commence a large project with the environment department recognising that significant preparations would be needed to tackle climate change effectively.
ACTIONS: Update to be provided at the next meeting on how heatwave has affected the borough, what has been done to mitigate, and steps to take into the future; to invite the emergency planning team to help explore how residents can prepare themselves better to deal with extreme heatwaves in future.
Co-optee Jim Grealy enquired about the Covid 19 vaccination programme and for those at risk aged over 50 and how this group could be encouraged to receive their booster vaccination during the autumn roll out. Philippa Johnson and Sue Roostan responded that the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) had announced that cohorts 1-9 over the age of 50 and at risk would become eligible and that preparation and planning work had begun to implement the autumnal booster programme, including how many residents H&F were eligible to assess the capacity required to deliver it.
Councillor Ben Coleman asked if there were sufficient levels of vaccines to support the autumn delivery programme. Sue Roostan confirmed that there was, and that delivery would be co-ordinated through hospital sites, community pharmacies with support from primary care. There would be a focus on vulnerable and house bound patients, and patients in care homes. There was also the potential to co-deliver both Covid 19 and flu vaccines.
ACTION: That a further vaccine update would be provided at the next meeting of the committee.
Councillor Amanda-Harris sought clarification about the offer of a small pox vaccine and asked if it was like the Covid 19 vaccine. Dr Lang confirmed that the small pox vaccine was similar to the monkey pox vaccine as it conferred a degree of protection against infection. Although the level of protection was unknown, it reduced the severity of the disease. It was also confirmed that the small pox vaccine programme would not replicate the same methods of delivery such as a mobile bus as the main group identified was sensitive and at-risk. Vaccines were being delivered confidentially and quietly through sexual health clinics. With regards to Covid 19 vaccination, the mobile service would be deployed. Sue Roostan confirmed that there was sufficient capacity within the system to deliver vaccines, and to provide these at home or in a care setting where necessary, primary care network hub or community pharmacy.
RESOLVED
That the verbal update and actions were noted.