Falling workforce numbers putting nation's health at risk
Not enough specialists to tackle growing public health crises, says Faculty of Public Health
The number of qualified senior public health staff is falling at a time when the country is facing increasing public health challenges such as obesity, alcohol misuse and widening health inequalities, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) has warned.
The number of public health specialists now falls far short of that recommended by FPH to effectively lead and coordinate the promotion and protection of the nation's health, according to its new Specialist public health workforce in the UK survey [pdf]. This is in stark contrast to rising staff numbers in most other health specialties and at a time when public health issues have never had a higher profile.
The government has made repeated and wide-ranging commitments to the public health agenda over the last few years, but wave after wave of restructuring in the health service has led to displacement, uncertainty and low morale in the workforce, ‘reorganisation fatigue' and an exodus of highly qualified workers. More than a fifth of those surveyed indicated that they may leave the public health workforce in the next five years.
The numbers have now been falling for five years, with the problem particularly acute in England. FPH recommends a staffing level of at least 25 per million population to deliver the ‘fully engaged' scenario set out by Sir Derek Wanless in his landmark report Securing good health for the whole population and is calling on the government to ensure that public health teams are adequately resourced and funded, and that working conditions are significantly improved.
New joint appointments between primary care trusts and local government offer a real opportunity to create well resourced and effective public health departments and to boost public health training, the Faculty believes, and it recommends that all UK regions put in place a robust workforce plan to match with their local training schemes. It also wants to see public health input into acute hospital trusts strengthened in order to attract and retain high quality staff and deliver a public health function capable of meeting the challenges of 21st century Britain.
‘Despite the fact that public health issues like obesity, alcohol and health inequalities are right at the top of the government's agenda, we're seeing a steady loss of specialists with the right mix of skills and expertise to help tackle these challenges. Concerted action must be taken to reverse this trend. It's absolutely essential that the UK has a robust, well-resourced public health workforce capable of providing the leadership and expertise needed to help make sense of investing in health.'
ENDS
Notes to editors
- For further information contact:
Chloe Parkin
Head of Policy and Communications
Faculty of Public Health
T: 020 7935 3115 - Interviews can be arranged with FPH President, Prof Alan Maryon-Davis and Prof Selena Gray, author of the report.
- The Faculty of Public Health is the leading professional body for public health specialists in the UK . It aims to promote and protect the health of the population, and improve health services, by maintaining professional and educational standards, advocating on key public health issues, and providing practical information and guidance for public health professionals.
- References
Annual health check for England 2006/07 Healthcare Commission
Securing good health for the whole population, HM Treasury
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