To receive a presentation from the Director of Public Health on Dorset Public health activities relating to the current health protection issues; COVID-19 response and interventions; and how the Business Plan is being progressed.
Minutes:
The
Director of Public Health took the opportunity to inform the Board of what
had been
done by Public Health Dorset (PHD) - in partnership with other
heath
bodies GP’s; Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group; the NHS,
emergency
services; and Dorset and BCP Councils - to address and manage
the
Coronavirus pandemic within Dorset over recent months.
The Board
were given a presentation illustrating the local outbreak
management
plan, how it was being applied and managed and what was
being
done in practice, along with other associated information pertaining to
the
pandemic, to put what PHD was doing – and had done - in some context,
this
being:-
· Coronavirus: current situation - including analysis of cases, hospitalisations, deaths, testing regime and vaccination rollout progress
· Comparisons between the Regional/National picture
· The implications for - and of - Step 4 of the roadmap from 19 July
· Health protection – the impact on the team/recruitment and planning
· Business Plan update
· Priority work over the next 6 months
as well as how PDH had been able to continue the successful delivery of its core responsibilities in light of all this.
Given the
unprecedented circumstances in having to deal with such a
pandemic,
it was a seen to be a credit to PHD in how this had been managed
and, as a
consequence, how relatively successful it had proven to be.
The
relative success seen in suppressing such an infectious and contagious virus
was seen to be largely attributable to how PHD managed it, what had been done
in practice to do this; and the preparations they had made to do so.
The acts of
social distancing, hand washing and isolation - which had been generally well observed
in Dorset - had meant that containment of the virus had been relatively
successful, compared to if this had not been the case. The testing regime being
implemented and how successful and efficient the vaccination programme rollout
had been, was seen as testament to the effective management of PHD. Moreover,
the ability to maintain what PHD services offered and could do throughout this
outbreak was to the benefit of Dorset, its residents and visitors in being
assured that continuity was maintained, as far as practicable.
The
Director was confident that lockdown had contributed significantly to
breaking
the chain of transmission along with the observations of social
distancing
and individual hand hygiene being applied, observed and complied
with had
gone a long way to Covid-19 being dissipated as it had.
The Board
were assured that the team had endeavoured to deliver as far as
possible
against their statutory responsibilities, provided essential public
health
services in line with Government guidance at the
time, and
above all protected and responded to the health threats arising from
the
unprecedented pandemic.
The Board
appreciated what PHD had done in addressing the Covid-19
pandemic
and how this had been achieved and the commitment shown, being seen to be a
credit to how important PHD preventative work was, which demonstrably
demonstrated how Dorset and its residents benefitted from it. They hoped this
positive response could be now driven home to quell any further variants and
transmissions becoming overwhelming.
The Board particularly recognised the
importance of the Comms Team during the pandemic – in ensuring that information
and the way it was interpreted and understood was readily available and
accessible to all in a timely manner.
Resolved
That what
had been achieved and the way this had been done to address the pandemic issues
and maintain and deliver the PHD Services be acknowledged and commended.