Report of the Director of Public Health

As part of the statutory role of the Director of Public Health there is a requirement to produce an annual report on the health and wellbeing of the local population. The report can either be a broad overview of a wide range of public health programmes or may have a focus on a particular theme. This year the report focuses on HIV and sexual health.

A digital version of the report will be circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting and contributors to the report will attend the Committee to respond to questions.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health that described that, as part of the statutory role of the Director of Public Health, there was a requirement to produce an annual report on the health and wellbeing of the local population. The report can either be a broad overview of a wide range of public health programmes or may have a focus on a particular theme. This year the report focused on HIV and sexual health.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Part One: “That was Then” described how Manchester responded to the emerging global challenge of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s;

·         Part Two: “This is Now”, highlighted how Manchester had taken the learning from those times into the present day; and

·         “What next for Manchester”, noting that the Director of Public Health had made a series of recommendations for consideration.

The Committee then heard from Richard Scarborough; Paul Fairweather; Priscilla Nkwenti; Mike Narayansingh; Chitra Babu, Clinical Lead, The Northern; Debbie Thomas, Unit Manager, The Northern; Darren Knight, Chief Executive, George House Trust; Jeni Hirst, Director of Service Development and Delivery, BHA for Equality and Lauren Duffy, Head of Sexual Health Services, LGBT Foundation

who spoke to the different sections of the report. They spoke of their individual and collective response to the enormous amount of prejudice and discrimination faced by people with HIV/AIDS and the varied work undertaken over the decades to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with this condition.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         Recognising the report as a powerful and important document that reflected the lived experience of people in Manchester with HIV/AIDS;

·         Noting the report was a testament to Manchester standing up to stigma and prejudice;

·         Manchester was, and remained a voice and champion for all those living with HIV/AIDS; and

·         Noting that reference had been made to a ‘family’ when describing the response and support for people with HIV/AIDS and that the Council was proud to have had been and remained part of this family.

The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care reiterated the importance of this document as a historical record of the true Manchester spirit in tackling prejudice and intolerance. He paid tribute to the Director of Public Health for his important contribution to the city.

The Chair recognised that this was the last meeting that David Regan would be attending in the capacity of Director of Public Health before he retired. The Members of the Health Scrutiny Committee wished to place on record their gratitude and appreciation for all of his dedication and hard work over the previous 35 years working in health organisations in Manchester and being Manchester's Director of Public Health since 2009, especially for his steadfast leadership during the challenging period of the pandemic. The Committee and all those present wished David a long and happy retirement.

In concluding this item of business, the Committee and all those present observed a period of silent reflection to remember all those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Decision

To note the report.