Public Health in London

Deborah Williams Regional Public Health Group - London

Congratulations

• RPHG and NHSL pleased to support the database development

• Manchester and London feedback

• Concept of a market in Public Health

• A tool for commissioners

• Bar for inclusion set high

• Strengthening local voices

What does “public health” mean?

• Health improvement and tackling health inequalities: ‘wider/social determinants’ and health related behaviours

• Health protection (eg screening, immunisation and vaccination, emergency planning)

• Public Health input into new commissioning structures

• A concentration on prevention rather than cure.

Key Elements of Coalition’s Reform Agenda

• Shift of health improvement resource from NHS to local government leadership.

• Locally - PH teams in councils with DPH leadership to cover all three pillars of PH

• Nationally - Public Health England to be responsible for health protection and helping local action on health improvement based on best available evidence

• 17 year difference in life-expectancy across London

• ‘Localism’ needs to operate in a framework that allows collaboration when useful

• We have good evidence for interventions that we don’t implement

• We do a lot of things which have limited effectiveness

• There is burgeoning literature and policy advice on behavioural change in health and wider social policy

Why We Need to Work Together

Where have we got to?

Governance

National - Regional Director of Public Health (Dr SimonTanner) responsible for transition and linking with Department of Health and the Public Health Englandtransition team

Regional - London PH Transition Programme Board has been in place for over 1 year with senior Borough and VCS Representation

Where have we got to?

Healthy Lives, Healthy People Update and Way Forward (July 2011- post listening exercise)

• Five further policy papers due to be published by the Department during the Autumn:

- Public health outcomes framework- Public Health England Operating Model- Public health in local government and the DPH- Public health funding- Workforce strategy

Where have we got to?

• Role of Director of Public Health broadly outlined

• Appointment process and responsibilities to be clarified

• National agreement on moving staff from the NHS to LG being developed

• Discussions in London about the future of c.1000 public health staff

• London Health Improvement Board being established

• 2012 -13 PHE Leadership recruited and shadow operation

London Health Improvement Board

• Membership includes:- 4 Borough leaders

- NHS reps- GLA: Mayor and Pam Chesters

• Shadow Board will work with stakeholders to identify how pan-London action can produce improvements in outcomes and cost savings

• The Board’s activities will be funded by 3% of public health funds from local authorities (potential for a further 3%)

• Next meeting in October to discuss potential actions relating to:- Alcohol- Childhood obesity- Cancer: early detection and prevention- Information for health improvement

So what does this mean for the VSC ?

Healthy Lives, Healthy People

• Starting well

• Developing well

• Growing Up well

• Living and Working well

• Ageing well

Staying in the Conversations

• DH and VSC linked through Regional Voices

• Mayor and VCS linked through Community Voices

• VCS is part of thinking about Any Qualified Provider

• Added value of VCS provision in a more “traditional” pathway