PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE

LINCOLNSHIRE GOVERNMENT

Isabel Perez, Consultant in Public Health

17th June 2014

OBJECTIVE

• To have a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges of Public Health in local government one year on

What is public health?

The science and the art of improving health, prolonging life and preventing disease through the organised efforts of society

The science and the art of improving health, prolonging life and preventing disease through the organised efforts of society

• Health improvement and health promotion eg lifestyles, wider determinants of health

• Health protection eg communicable disease control, emergency planning, screening

• Healthcare public health eg needs assessment, evidence of effectiveness and cost effectiveness

• Health improvement and health promotion eg lifestyles, wider determinants of health

• Health protection eg communicable disease control, emergency planning, screening

• Healthcare public health eg needs assessment, evidence of effectiveness and cost effectiveness

Factors which influence health and health inequalities

One year on key opportunities

1 Public Health became a local government responsibility in April

2013 for the first time since the 1970s

2 Health improvement is not new to local government

• Council working in great projects

• Span of influence much better

• Major opportunities to skill up local government

workforces in delivering on health improvement

outcomes.

1 Public Health became a local government responsibility in April

2013 for the first time since the 1970s

2 Health improvement is not new to local government

• Council working in great projects

• Span of influence much better

• Major opportunities to skill up local government

workforces in delivering on health improvement

outcomes.

One year on key opportunities

3. New perspectives

• Politically aware

• Wants and demands to add to needs

4. Moving towards focusing on commissioning and on quality

assurance

5. Opportunity to breach the gap between health and social care

6. Health and Wellbeing Boards, Joint Strategic Needs

Assessment, Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies

3. New perspectives

• Politically aware

• Wants and demands to add to needs

4. Moving towards focusing on commissioning and on quality

assurance

5. Opportunity to breach the gap between health and social care

6. Health and Wellbeing Boards, Joint Strategic Needs

Assessment, Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies

One year on key opportunities

5. Public Health Advice to CCGs

6. Independent professional view statutory function

7. Joining up working

• Within council

• Within County

5. Public Health Advice to CCGs

6. Independent professional view statutory function

7. Joining up working

• Within council

• Within County

One year on challenges

1 A new public health system still in phase of implementation

• Working out how the parts fit together

2 Changes, Changes and Changes ……… testing resilience

3 Continuing spending reductions across the public sector testing

security and stability (peoples’ basic needs)

4 New ways of working, testing skills and competencies

• Members versus officers

• New processes for decision making

1 A new public health system still in phase of implementation

• Working out how the parts fit together

2 Changes, Changes and Changes ……… testing resilience

3 Continuing spending reductions across the public sector testing

security and stability (peoples’ basic needs)

4 New ways of working, testing skills and competencies

• Members versus officers

• New processes for decision making

One year on challenges

5 Maintaining objectivity

• Evidence based decisions versus political driven

6 Maintaining identity

Public Health Function and PH directorate

Risk of loosing critical Mass

Risk of isolation of Public Health practitioners

7 Health improvement having to compete with a wide range of

local issues

5 Maintaining objectivity

• Evidence based decisions versus political driven

6 Maintaining identity

Public Health Function and PH directorate

Risk of loosing critical Mass

Risk of isolation of Public Health practitioners

7 Health improvement having to compete with a wide range of

local issues

One year on challenges

8 Ring fenced budget. For how long? What is the impact on

capacity building?

9 Learning the language and culture of local government.

10 Capacity and recruitment

8 Ring fenced budget. For how long? What is the impact on

capacity building?

9 Learning the language and culture of local government.

10 Capacity and recruitment

SOLUTION?SOLUTION?

Solution

"We can't solve problems by using the same

kind of thinking we used when we created

them.”

(Albert Einstein)

"We can't solve problems by using the same

kind of thinking we used when we created

them.”

(Albert Einstein)