In his foreword to the Nottinghamshire Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-26, the Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council's Health & Wellbeing Board states that addressing health inequalities across our communities is 'more important than ever' and requires 'joint working to enable everyone to prosper'. This view is supported by the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Strategy which lists 'Tackling Inequalities' as one of its four key aims and principles for 2023-28.
This Council is concerned that there is evidence of inequality in oral health when comparing some areas of Nottinghamshire with others and believes that expanding water fluoridation to all parts of Nottinghamshire would generate oral health benefits for residents of every age, but especially children and young people, to whom we are committed to giving the best start in life as a key ambition of our Nottinghamshire Plan through our Best Start Strategy 2021-25.
This Council therefore supports the Chairman of the Health & Wellbeing Board working with other local councils, Integrated Care Partnerships, and the water companies serving this county, to champion the oral health agenda, including water fluoridation, because we certainly believe "prevention is better than cure".
This Council agrees that the Chairman of the Health & Wellbeing Board should deliver updates to all members on the progress of this advocacy and monitoring work, through whatever channels are most appropriate, given the importance of oral health to our residents' overall health and wellbeing.
Councillor Dr John Doddy Councillor Sue Saddington