Annex H
MEMORANDUM BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUBLIC
HEALTH (PH1) (contd.)
Regional and District Role in Public Health
REGIONAL OFFICES
(ROS) OF
THE NHS EXECUTIVE
ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR:
— Supporting Ministers in developing
policy on health and health services, and implementing, monitoring
and evaluating it.
— Working in partnership across Government
and with others to tackle ill health and its causes and improve
social well being.
— Managing the performance of the NHS—including
securing and allocating NHS resources.
— Supporting the NHS in improving the
health of the population and delivering efficient and effective
health care to patients.
— Supporting Ministers in accounting
to Parliament and the public.
— Developing both people and organisations
in the NHS.
ROs are working with Government Offices for
the Regions (GORs), Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and Social
Care Regions (SCRs) to improve health and reduce inequalities.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
— Trent's Health Authorities are funding
a public health post in each of the RDAs with which the NHS region
is partly coterminous.
— The Health Development Agency (HDA)
has created new regional posts shared between ROs, GORs and RDAs.
— The NHS Executive London Regional
Office, along with the Association for London Government, the
Social Care Region, London, and the King's Fund, have led a dynamic
process to develop the London Health Strategy. In partnership
with many London based organisations, from the public, voluntary
and private sectors, they have steered a process to agree an agenda
to improve the health of Londoners.
— The Public Health Observatory in
the SouthWest has been established jointly by the NHS Executive
Regional Office and the South West RDA. An early piece of work
will identify existing data sources, data management tools, expertise
and networks within the regions. The Observatory will agree protocols
for data sharing addressing issues of security, confidentiality
and charging.
— NorthWest Public Health Observatory
is working with the Health Development Agency, Regional Intelligence
Unit for the RDA and existing Observatories in the NorthWest to
support the development of a regional health improvement programme.
It will provide evidence of links between good health and improving
social, environmental and economic conditions and sustainable
methodologies (such as integrated impact assessment). The PHO
is also putting together a public health capacity report with
the help of local authorities, Health Authorities, Community Health
Councils, the Regional Government Offices and NHS Executive.
— Government departments and agencies
have an ever-increasing need to collect, analyse and display data
geographically. The Multi-Agency Internet GIS (Geographical Information
System) (MAIGIS) for the West Midlands provides an interactive
mapping service over the Internet, encompassing health, socio-economic
and environmental data. Data is being collected from the NHS Executive
(NHSE), West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit (WMCIU), Government
Office for the West Midlands (GOWM), Regional Development Agency
(RDA) and the Dept of Culture, Media and Sport. Vital datasets
held by Birmingham University are also part of the project. The
service plays an information part in the West Midlands Public
Health Observatory, plus having a role in implementing Saving
Lives: Our Healthier Nation.
THE FUNCTIONS
OF A
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
OF PUBLIC
HEALTH
Within ROs, Regional Directors of Public Health
(RDsPH) are responsible for discharging and developing the regional
public health function. Core functions which focus both on health
care and the NHS and on wider public health action include:
— Contributing to national policy information
and to developing regional implementation plans shared between
agencies for national policies on all aspects of public health.
— Heading the development of public
health intelligence and dissemination of information.
— Providing vision, leadership and
advocacy within the public health function in their region.
— Provide strategic leadership in convening
all the agencies at regional level that affect public health and
developing the public health function in the region. This includes
academic public health.
— Co-ordinating regional multi-sectoral
public health networks and implement regional public health development
plans.
— Promoting wider understanding of
the causes of health and ill health and how these can be tackled
(including addressing health inequalities and social exclusion).
— Developing and strengthening health
protection services (including communicable disease and environmental
aspects), ensuring quality and co-ordination between Health Authorities.
— Ensuring that the NHS is contributing
to health improvement, and is providing high quality clinical
care with effective health outcomes.
— The new arrangements for improving
quality, effectiveness and clinical governance in the NHS are
major initiatives needing public health skills and leadership.
RDsPH have an important role in strengthening and maintaining
clinical leadership, and providing advice and support to Medical
Directors in instances of potential poor performance.
— Supporting the implementation of
National Service Frameworks and Government priorities for modernising
health and social services.
— Responsibility for Quality Assurance
of screening programmes.
THE FUNCTIONS
OF A
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
OF PUBLIC
HEALTH
These include:
— Contributing as an Executive Director
to the corporate management of the Health Authority.
— Supporting the implementation of
the National Service Frameworks and the Government's priorities
for modernising health and social services.
— Preparing an annual report on the
health of the local population. This will be a public, independent
report to their Health Authority which will inform them of the
health and health needs of their populations.
— Developing public health capacity
and capability in the local NHS and local authority workforce.
— Leading with local authority and
community partners the development of a public health strategy
to give a framework for Health Improvement Programmes and local
health improvement—leading to a reduction of health inequalities.
— Leading and managing a public health
department which includes a Consultant in Communicable Disease
Control (to ensure that action is taken at local level to guard
against the spread of communicable disease), a range of multidisciplinary
public health professionals and support staff and serves the local
health community.
— Leading the HA's work in improving
the appropriateness and effectiveness of both clinical and non-clinical
interventions.
— Playing a key role in strengthening
understanding and co-operation between Health Authorities, Primary
Care Groups/Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts.
— Being a source of public health advice
to local authorities, and to other agencies whose activities impact
on the health of the local population.
— Taking the lead in developing public
health collaboration, programmes and partnerships.
— Providing public health advice to
inform the commissioning of health care and the development of
clinical services.
— Ensuring that appropriate arrangements
are in place for the control of communicable disease and of non-communicable
environmental hazards and that the responsibilities of those involved
are clearly defined in each case.
— Providing a professional contribution
to clinical governance in the Health Authority and with clinicians
in the local health community.
— Supporting and empowering the local
community to change factors which affect their health.
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