The latest update to the Public Health Outcomes Framework has recently been published by Public Health England. The Framework contains a range of indicators covering:

  • Overarching health (e.g. life expectancy)
  • The wider determinants of health (e.g. education, employment, housing)
  • Health improvement (e.g. smoking, physical activity)
  • Health protection (e.g. vaccination)
  • Healthcare and premature mortality (e.g. hospital emergency readmission)

The full list of new and updated indicators is available online. The online tool allows trends, maps and comparisons with national, regional and other similar local authorities to be viewed.

What does this mean for Richmond?

Wider Determinants of Health

  • The rate of pupil absence is the lowest in London (4% of half days missed, compared to London average of 4.5%).
  • The proportion of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEETs) fell from 4.3% to 3.1%, which is equal to the London average.
  • Seventy-eight per cent of people aged 16-64 are in employment (third highest in London).
  • The rate of first time offenders is the lowest in London (186 vs 334 per 100,000 London average).
  • In 2014/15 there were 46 eligible homeless people deemed not in priority need1, equating to a rate of 0.6 per 1,000, lower than London and England averages. This compares with 232 households in temporary accommodation for the same time period.

Health Improvement

  • 43% of looked after children have a SDQ2 score which is a cause for concern – the third highest proportion in London and above the England average (37%).
  • In 2014/15 there were 188 emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm, which equates to a rate of 104 per 100,000, similar to the London average (97 per 100,000)
  • 60% of children age 15 meet the recommended ‘5-a-day’ intake of fruit and vegetables, which is higher than London and England averages (56% and 52%).
  • 69% of adults are physically active and 19% are physically inactive adults, which is better than London and England averages.3
  • Smoking prevalence in adults overall has fallen slightly to 11.8%, which is much lower than the London and England averages (16% and 17%). However, this is not the case for people in routine and manual occupations, where the prevalence has increased to a four-year high of 22.6%, almost double that of the overall population.4
  • At 47%, the proportion of people successfully completing alcohol treatment is above London and England averages (38% and 39%).
  • Between 2013/14 and 2015/16, 72% of the eligible5 population was offered an NHS Health Check. Of these, 49% received a check. This means 35% of the eligible population received a check in this time period, which is higher than London and England averages (32% and 27%).

Health Protection

  • Coverage of the HPV vaccine for 12-13 year olds is 77%, which is 6th lowest in London, and compares to 84% for London and 89% for England.
  • Flu vaccine coverage shows a decreasing trend with only 67% of over-65s vaccinated compared to 77% in 2011/12 and 39% of at-risk individuals vaccinated in 2015/16 compared to 53% in 2011/12.

Healthcare and Premature Mortality

  • The infant mortality rate is 2.6 per 1,000, fourth lowest in London.
  • 19% of 5 year-olds have some degree of dental decay, which is lower than London and England averages (27% and 25%).
  • 3% of adults are in contact with secondary mental health services, which is lower than London and England averages (4.6% and 5.3%)
  • There were 24 suicides between 2012 and 2014, which is the lowest 3-year total since 2007-09.
  • The rates of preventable age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease and glaucoma sight loss and sight-loss certifications were similar to London and England averages.
  1. The Local Authority has no statutory duty to secure suitable temporary accommodation for people who are “eligible, homeless but not in priority need”, however, they must still be provided with advice and assistance in securing their own accommodation.
  2. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioural screening questionnaire with a total score of 40. Those scoring 17 or over are considered a cause for concern.
  3. “Physically active” means doing at least 150 “equivalent” minutes of at least moderate intensity physical activity per week. “Physically inactive” means doing less than 30 “equivalent” minutes of at least moderate intensity physical activity per week. Therefore it is possible to be classified as neither physically active nor physically inactive.
  4. The methodology for measuring smoking prevalence has changed so figures are not directly comparable to those previously reported.
  5. People aged 40-74 who are not already on a disease register are eligible for an NHS Health Check.