Public health reforms
The story so far
The Government announced its plans for a radical transformation of the public health service in England in November 2010.
Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for Public Health in England sets out the Government’s vision for how they will respond to the major public health challenges of the 21st century – such as smoking, obesity, alcohol – through a redefined public health service.
- Download Healthy Lives, Healthy People
- Read FPH’s responses to the previous consultation document Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS
The white paper saw the creation of a new, integrated, national public health service, Public Health England, and a return to local authorities for local public health teams, bringing with them a new imperative to put health at the heart of public services.
The Health and Social Care Bill was introduced into Parliament on 19 January 2011. Following the publication of the NHS Future Forum report on the findings of the 'listening exercise' and the Government's response to it, FPH wrote a letter to Secretary of State Andrew Lansley.
We welcomed the commitment to create Public Health England as an executive agency, as well as highlighting continuing areas of concern. FPH has also produced a summary of the key points and outstanding issues.
FPH evidence submissions
The UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH) has submitted evidence to the Health Committee Inquiry into Public Health. Read our submissions:
- HC Inquiry into Public Health - FPH Evidence
- Health Service Committee paper on HC Inquiry into Public Health
FPH previously responded to Healthy Lives, Healthy People with the following documents:
- Response to Our Strategy for Public Health in England
- Response to Transparency in Outcomes
- Response to Developing the Healthcare Workforce
- Response to Review of Regulation of Public Health Professionals
- Response to Funding and Commissioning Routes
- Press statement on the white paper
- Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron from FPH, the Royal Society for Public Health and the Association of Directors of Public Health.
Drawing on feedback from national and local discussions, from members’ emails and from our surveys, we have set out principles which should underpin our response to the consultations on the future public health system in England. These key points can be read here.
Joint working
Jointly with our colleagues in the PHMCC White Paper Task Group, FPH has prepared some initial bullet points to help inform our media and other responses.
We have done this with some success in London, resulting in agreed definitions of ‘public health specialists’ which are widely applicable:
"A public health professional with demonstrable expertise working wholly within a public health function; and where either the individual or the post has a Masters in Public Health or related subject (e.g. epidemiology; health promotion etc); or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in the specialist area."
The leaders of the UK's main public health organisations sent a joint letter to health secretary Andrew Lansley ahead of the public health white paper.
FPH, as part of the Smokefree Action Coalition (SFAC), has written to Andrew Lansley on the proposals to protect children through tobacco legislation and enforcement. You can read the SFAC letter here.
FPH President, Lindsey Davies, has also signed a joint letter to the chair of the House of Commons Health Committee, Stephen Dorrell, requesting a meeting with him to discuss active travel in the context of the white paper. You can read the active travel joint letter here.
FPH is one of six institutional signatories of a policy statement on the role of public health in climate instability.
Professor Davies gave evidence to the Health Committee Inquiry into Public Health. Watch her give evidence. You will also find information on the inquiry's terms of reference. FPH will be submitting evidence to the inquiry.
Read FPH’s responses to the previous consultation document Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.
