Detection, characterisation, susceptibility testing and where appropriate typing of organisms

causing Enteric disease, Genito-Urinary and virological infections.

Our undertaking is to provide

 Microbiology support for the investigation, management and control of incidents of
infection and outbreaks of communicable disease both during and out of normal working
hours.
 Expert medical and scienti c microbiological advice, including access to PHE experts
locally and nationally as necessary.
 Assistance during eld investigations by processing clinical samples.
 Receipt, processing and reporting of laboratory results and epidemiological data in a
timely and ef cient manner.
 Assistance in maintaining an ef cient communication network with all public health and
NHS organisations involved in communicable disease control in the North East of
England.

2. DEMENTIA
i
2009 in response to the need for a national strategic framework for making quality
improvements to services for people with dementia and addressing health inequalities.
Objectives of the strategy include - increasing public and health workers awareness to
dementia; improving the early diagnosis of people with dementia; providing access to
good pathways of care; the provision of high quality information; improved support for
those with dementia and their carers.

3. CleaR assessment
To help monitor and discover how individual components of their
tobacco control plan was working, Durham agreed to assess their
services using the CLeaR assessment programme in 2014.

This assessment allows local public health organisations to rate their

own tobacco services. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) developed
the assessment with various public health partners.

The first step for Durham’s tobacco control alliance partners was to work
together to complete a tobacco control self-assessment.

Following the self-assessment, Durham decided to request a peer

assessment. This would let fresh eyes look at their tobacco control plans
and offer an unbiased assessment of their own.

Durham submitted a portfolio of evidence setting out their strategy and

tobacco control measures, before receiving a team of CLeaR assessors
for a day.

Peer assessment
In March 2015 a CLeaR team visited Durham to undertake the peer
assessment. The team was made up of 6 people from 5 different
organisations, including 2 from Public Health England.

The peer assessment day was divided into 2 parts:

1. presentations to assessors by tobacco control partners

2. interviews with important organisations and feedback
Presentations

The morning session consisted of a series of presentations for the

CLeaR team, which included:

 a welcome session explaining CLeaR

 vision and leadership presentations by lead members, officers and the
Director of Public Health
 a partnership health check

Interviews

The afternoon session was made up of small interview sessions, with the
CLeaR team talking directly to:

 marketing and communications

 trading standards and environmental health
 stop smoking services, including maternity services

CLeaR results
The peer assessors used the results of their findings to put together a
full report detailing the strengths and weaknesses of Durham’s strategy
and action plan.

What could be better

The CLeaR assessment also set out areas where Durham’s tobacco
control plans could make changes:

 adult prevalence rates are falling, but trend data on prevalence for
routine and manual smokers is less clear
 build up clinical leadership and engagement to be more effective
champions of tobacco control across acute sector and with Clinical
Commissioning Groups (CCGs)
 opportunities to engage further with health visitors, midwives and
dental health teams to keep children and families smoke free
 extend prevention work on smoke free playgrounds to include sports
grounds

What’s working well

Durham’s strengths in tobacco control include:

 well maintained leadership and funding for local and regional tobacco
control
 commitment to tackling smoking related inequalities
 commitment to tackling smoking in mental health services
 reductions in smoking in pregnancy through the Baby Clear
programme
 high quality local stop smoking services

Next steps
Councillor Audrey Laing, Support Cabinet Member and Chair of Tobacco
Alliance, Durham County council, said:

The peer assessment took place in 2015 and was a very positive
experience for all involved.

The report has since been shared with the Health and Wellbeing Board
and has resulted in more partner engagement.

It has also helped the alliance review and shape the tobacco alliance
action plan for 2015 to 2016.

4.
Health Equity North
 an emerging collaborative venture exploring the
potential of collective approaches, across sectors,
to achieve a step
change in the health and wellbeing of communities
across the
north of England
 it’s about research, debate and collaboration:
identifying and building collaborations and
networks across the north of England with an
interest in, and influence on health and wellbeing -
local government, voluntary and community sector,
public health, academics
 build on the assets of the north
 build community and regional resilience

Purpose
To look at the evidence on social determinants of
health in the light of
 the changes in public health responsibilities
 the current economic context
 public service reform
 from a northern perspective
 considering what could be done differently to
impact on health inequalities