Telford's director of public health set to retire after 10 years in the role

Liz Noakes joined the local authority in August 2013 after joining from Cheshire West and Chester Council, where she was Associate Director of Public Health.

As part of the statutory position Mrs Noakes also took on the role of Assistant Director for Health and Wellbeing.

Mrs Noakes talked about her retirement in an annual public health report put before Telford & Wrekin Council’s health and wellbeing board this week.

The Director of Public Health said that it was fitting that her final annual report focuses on the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people when she was preparing to retire and spend more time with her grandchildren.

“The focus of my work over the last 10 years has been to reduce health inequalities, particularly using community centred-approaches,” her report to councillors said.

“Giving every child the best start in life is the most important way of reducing health inequalities.

“Happy, healthy children grow, learn, develop well to become our resilient adults of the future.

“Today’s children and young people are our borough’s greatest asset and support for children and young people is a key priority to narrowing inequalities.”

Mrs Noakes said that positive experienced in early life are ‘closely associated’ with a range of long-term outcomes including better performance at school, improved social and emotional development, higher income and better life-long health.

She added that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people was ‘significant, with lockdowns causing isolation’.

The Director of Public Health added that the pandemic combined with the cost-of-living crisis and other global events have ‘clearly affected their mental health, emotional wellbeing, motivation and hopes for the future’.

“It is well acknowledged, locally and nationwide, that the demand for young people’s mental health services has increased dramatically,” she said.

“In looking at the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people I wanted to hear directly from them – through both focus groups and an on-line survey about how they are feeling and what is important to them.”

Mrs Noakes added that the Youth Year of Wellbeing campaign, launched by Telford & Wrekin Young People’s Forum is ‘gaining momentum’.

She said that the Telford & Wrekin Best Start in Life (BSIL) strategic partnership oversees the local offer to children and young people, and has a ‘commitment to listen to and work with children, young people and their families’.

Mrs Noakes added that the emotional wellbeing of our children and young people matters report made a series of recommendations aimed at “enhancing support to ensure all our children feel valued, visible and included and emotionally well, providing them opportunities to achieve their aspirations and lead happy and fulfilling lives.”

Recommendations include that the council should launch a small grants process aimed at community and voluntary groups to enhance the local youth offer.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) with Telford & Wrekin Primary Care Networks have been recommended to ‘expand and enhance’ the provision of youth social prescribing.

A review has also been recommended looking at the ‘availability and accessibility’ of life skills training which prepares young people for adulthood, focussing the practical things such as money management, cooking, paying bills and opening bank accounts.