Registration opens for the Faculty's Annual Conference
Registration for the 2007 Annual Conference (26-28 June, Eastbourne) opens at the end of March. Following a record number of submissions from across the UK, this year’s new look Annual Conference promises to deliver a wide-ranging and engaging programme for public health specialists.
The conference will explore the big issues across the breadth of public health – from alcohol and prisons to social marketing and sustainability. Plenaries include The Great Public Health Debate, Public Health in the NHS and Local Goverment, and The Future of the Public Health Workforce. Besides the unparalleled networking opportunities, intensive learning sessions will also allow for professional development in a range of public health areas.
Main speakers to include: Sir Liam Donaldson (Chief Medical
Officer for England),
Mr David Nicholson (Chief Executive of the NHS), Sir
David King (Chief Scientific Adviser), and Sir Michael
Marmot (University College London).
To view the programme and book your place visit the conference website.
Final days to register for the Training Conference
There is still time to register for the Training Conference on 17 April 2007 at the University of Warwick. The event gives trainees the opportunity to ask key questions such as 'How do you get the career you want, and how do you get the right training to get there?' to them evaluate the range of options open to them in the remainder of their training and future careers.
To view the programme and book your place visit the conference website.
Help us evaluate the Annual Conference
The Faculty's Annual Conference is almost upon us. In order to make sure we are giving you the annual conference you want, we are keen to improve how it's evaluated. In general, previous evaluations have relied on questionnaires returned by 20-30 people, and we feel that for an evidence based organisation this isn’t good enough. So, we are looking for proposals from members as to how the conference should be evaluated. We would expect suggestions to include a relevant literature review and a range of empirical methods. A small budget is available to carry out the work, and the Conference Committee will form a view as to which proposal it wishes to take forward. Could anyone interested in organising an evaluation submit proposals to Karen Tidy (karentidy@fph.org.uk) by 18 April 2007.
Commissioning health intelligence
The Faculty's Information and Intelligence Committee has been considering guidance on the commissioning of health intelligence from third party suppliers.
A draft document is available on the Information and Intelligence Committee page of the Faculty's website for use by any members involved in the outsourcing of intelligence provision. Please feel free to use this document, and if you have any suggestions on how to improve it, please send them to Hugh Sanderson, committee chair (hugh.sanderson@southcentral.nhs.uk).
International Public Health Network Group
A new International Public Health Network Group has been set up to more effectively engage members in the Faculty's international work. The group is open to all, but overseas members and UK members with international experience are especially encouraged to sign up.
To become a member of the network groups go to http://new.fph-groups.org.uk to register. If you are already a member, login and subscribe to the International Public Health group under the 'My Groups' tab.
Please note: if you registered on the system prior to 31 January
2007, you will need to re-register to gain access to the new network
group system.
Fat statement positively received
The Faculty has launched its new position statement on the health impact of fat. Produced jointly with heart health charity, Heart of Mersey, the fat statement outlines the health dangers of high intakes of saturated and trans fats. In a joint press release, the Faculty and Heart of Mersey called for the reformulation of food products to end the use of trans fats and to reduce saturated fat levels. The statement has received widespread support including from MEPs who are lobbying in Europe for the elimination of trans fats in food production.
A CAP on Health?
The Faculty has released a new report, A CAP on Health?, which calls for public health to be put at the heart of reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and reduce health inequalities.
In the run up to CAP reform discussions in 2008, the Faculty will be campaigning
to put public health before profit in any decision-making. A
CAP on Health?, shows that CAP not only damages Europe's health,
but also increases health inequalities, by subsidising foods which are a
major factor in such public health crises as obesity, diabetes and heart
disease. Decisions made on the CAP therefore have profound implications
for the quality of nutrition in Europe and the health of its people. A copy
of the report has also been sent to all MEPs on the relevant EU committees.
Conservative party public health consultation
The Conservative Party have launched a consultation on public health which poses a number of questions relating to the structure, accountability and financing of the public service. The Faculty is looking for public health experts to help co-ordinate a response to the consultation. If you would like to shape the Faculty's response to this consultation contact Lindsey Stewart (lindseystewart@fph.org.uk) by Tuesday 10 April.
Review of Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
The Department of Health has launched its Review of Parts Two, Five and Six of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. The consultation proposes repeal of the sections currently in Part II and their replacement with more modern and flexible provisions, in order to strengthen the response not only to infectious disease but also to contamination by chemicals or radiation. The aim of the new legislation would be to provide for a more effective response to infection and contamination.
Faculty President, Rod Griffiths will be drafting a response to the proposals.
If you would like to input into this response send your comments to comments@fph.org.uk
by 30 April 2007.
Evaluate our toolkits (and give yourself two chances to win £100 in book tokens)
The Faculty is currently undertaking a formal review of its hypertension toolkit - Easing the Pressure: Tackling Hypertension, and its obesity toolkit - Lightening the Load: Tackling Overweight and Obesity. Have you used either of these toolkits and, if so, what did you think of them? How has the toolkit helped to change policy and practice in your local area?
Your views about the toolkits are very important to us and two short surveys are now available online. The results of the surveys will be presented at the first conference of the Journal of Public Health, and will help shape future Faculty publications. Everyone who fills in each survey will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win £100 in book tokens!
Fill in the hypertension toolkit survey
Fill in the obesity toolkit survey
Reminder: CPD 2006 Return
The deadline for submitting your 2006 CPD return is 31 March 2007. In order to remain in good standing, all Faculty members (all grades) must meet the Faculty’s minimum CPD requirements unless you have been formally exempted by the Faculty. If you think you qualify for exemption and have not already applied, you should do so by 31 March 2007. Contact the CPD Administrator: cpd@fph.org.uk
Any Faculty members who do not comply with this requirement risk being
made 'not in good standing'; continued failure to comply could ultimately
mean removal from the register of members.
Events
Only Faculty sponsored events are listed below, however a list of public health events across the UK is available at www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/all_events.php. If you would like to list your event, please email news@fph.org.uk.
Faculty Training Conference
17 April 2007
Warwick
For further information see: www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/training
Prioritising Health Services - threats and opportunities
26 April 2007
Birmingham
For further information: www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/health_services_2007
Making Public Health Work
Faculty's Annual Conference
26-28 June 2007
Eastbourne
For further information: www.publichealthconferences.org.uk/annual
Patient Safety Research - Shaping the European agenda
24-26 September 2007
Porto, Portugal
UK Faculty of Public Health, University College London, WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety
For further information see www.patientsafetyresearch.org