Blackpool Council Annual Health Report 2019 Blackpool Council Annual Health Report PAGES | Page 4

HEALTHY BEGINNINGS
FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE
The way in which healthcare and social care are delivered in Lancashire and South Cumbria
(including Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen) is changing. Local authorities and NHS
organisations are working more closely together towards delivering more integrated health
and social care services. The Integrated Care System (ICS, known as “Healthier Lancashire
and South Cumbria”) undertaking this work have nominated me to be a Children’s
Champion and it is my responsibility to make sure the welfare and health of our children is
pushed to the foreground in every aspect of the ICS’s work.
From this point of view, I wanted to take a closer look at the health of children here in
Blackpool and take this opportunity to highlight the great work being undertaken in the
town and celebrate successes in improving our children’s health.
Early in 2018 the children and young people’s commissioning group for the ICS completed
a needs assessment for the whole of Lancashire and South Cumbria, outlining key aspects
of the health and wellbeing of our younger citizens and making recommendations for how
to support this going forward. This annual report on the health of Blackpool’s population
draws from that needs assessment and other sources, to show how Blackpool compares to
the regional and national picture and the ways in which we are already working to protect,
promote and champion our children’s health and the town’s future.
There have been significant developments over the past few years in understanding
the importance that children’s health and wellbeing in early years plays in determining
their health and wellbeing as adults. The environment and experiences a child grows
up with can change the likelihood of developing poor health in adulthood and adversity
in childhood has been linked to increased likelihood of diseases including cancer,
cardiovascular disease, lung or liver disease, as well as increasing the likelihood of
undertaking health harming behaviours such as smoking, drug or alcohol misuse and
violence. With some of the highest levels of these diseases and behaviours in the country
in Blackpool, it is imperative that we maximise all opportunities to reduce risks for our
population.
Since last year’s report, the Public Health team has continued to work tirelessly to improve
the health of all our citizens and have been working hard to make sure that the residents
of Blackpool are at the heart of everything we do.
Our Citizens’ Inquiry programme gives residents a chance to share their opinions and
experiences and put forward recommendations of how to improve wellbeing in their
community and the project was awarded Project of the Year at the Patient Participation
Group Awards organised by the NHS Blackpool and NHS Fylde and Wyre Clinical
Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
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