'We must make things happen, not just make noise'
In response to an article in the Lancet magazine about public health leadership in England, Professor Lindsey Davies, President of the UK Faculty of Public Health says:
“The UK Faculty of Public Health cherishes its independence. To use our influence effectively, we must have dialogue with government. Our role is to challenge government where necessary and support where appropriate. It would be a dereliction of duty not to engage with the Government over health reforms, and we have our members’ strong support to do this.
“We deal with evidence and fact, and take a professional and scientific approach to providing advice and advocacy on health policy and inequalities. We strongly refute any suggestion that we have become ‘unconsciously anti-science’. Such an assertion requires evidence to back it up, and none is given in this anecdotal article.
“In these challenging times for public health, we must present a united front. Trainees are right to be concerned for the future, and we must do everything we can to support them. Public health leaders in the UK are working hard, together, to get the new system right, and we cannot let the frustrations of a few overshadow the concerns of the majority of public health professionals. Public health, at heart, is the art of the practical. It is about making things happen, not just making noise. Sound and fury achieve very little; dialogue and determination, grounded in fact and reality, change minds and lives.
“Our vision is that the world’s population achieves and maintains its fullest potential for health and wellbeing. We already work in partnership with many organisations to achieve this. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Lancet to discuss the real evidence and explore how we might work together.”
Written: 16/09/2011 , last modified: 06/02/2012
