The Future of Public Health in England

The transformation of public health in England has not been without its critics. There have been accusations that the transfer of responsibility for the improvement of public health to local authorities has in some areas led to public health funding dropping below an acceptable level, resulting in local councils having to make difficult choices about where limited resources are allocated.

Delegates at The Future of Public Health in England conference will gain a comprehensive overview, from experienced public health experts and those most affected by the changes to public health in England, of the far reaching influence of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Delegates will also gain insights into the impact the Act is likely to have on the future of public health.

Undoubtedly chronic diseases are the main cause of death and disability in England, yet the main risk factors are largely preventable. Addressing these risk factors is an efficient use of public money. Indeed, the economic case for investing in health promotion and prevention has never been greater.

The conference will cover some of the ‘wicked issues’ in public health, such as obesity, smoking and alcohol misuse. To date a mainstay of the government’s public health policy in England has been the voluntary “responsibility deal” with industry, in the face of strong scepticism that “pledges” (e.g. to “enable customers to eat and drink fewer calories”) will have a meaningful impact. Meanwhile, Public Health England (PHE), pledges to “support local authorities to deliver whole system approaches to tackle obesity, including through supporting healthier and more sustainable food procurement” and “use alcohol as the trailblazer for a new whole system approach that establishes what works and is clear on the return on investment, enabling government, local authorities and the NHS to invest with confidence in evidence based policies, prevention and treatment interventions”

PHE sees place-based approaches under the leadership of local authorities, working with clinical commissioning groups and professional bodies as a ‘game changer’ in terms of an opportunity to deliver public health, along with redefining our approach to improving health through the application of the concept of wellness.

The conference will consider potential ways of moving the public health agenda forwards, including exploring how to create a social movement for change, and the role that local authorities play in the development of public health practices.  The conference is set in Salford, part of Greater Manchester, the major new front in the English devolution debate. Known as ‘Devo Manc’, this is the initiative to create a ‘northern powerhouse’.  Arguably the most exciting development in Public Health is taking place here in Greater Manchester, where there are ground-breaking plans around the future of health and social care with a signed memorandum agreeing to bring together health and social care budgets – a combined sum of £6bn.

The Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England showed that the case for a single health and social care budget is compelling but only if sufficient funding is provided.  However, as pointed out by Simon Stevens (NHS Chief Executive) “no-one should pretend that just combining two financially leaky buckets will magically create a watertight funding solution – it’s going to take more than that.” Much will now hinge on the ability of council leaders to hold together when difficult decisions have to be made about the future of public services. 

 “Greater Manchester now has a unique opportunity for innovation and improvement in health and wellbeing. The eyes of the country will now be on what this new partnership can deliver,” Simon Stevens—NHS Chief Executive.