New guidance setting expectations for healthcare public health advice to integrated care boards (ICBs) has been published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Published on 13 January, the guidance sets out how local authorities should provide public health advice to ICBs.
DHSC said that public health advice should be embedded at ‘every stage of the commissioning process’ and it has called for closer joint working following the move to larger ICB footprints and the reorganisation of local government.
The guidance states that public health advice and skills need to be aligned with strategic commissioning to ensure effective decision-making. And that healthcare public health capacity needs to be developed to ensure each local authority gets the right services to meet population needs.
DHSC acknowledges the recent move to larger ICBs and reorganisation of local government and sets out principles to help local partners decide on the most appropriate delivery model for their area.
This should be formally agreed between local authorities and ICBs, said DHSC.
And it should include the development of training placements to upskill staff across the NHS and local government, ensuring access to continuing professional development, and building capacity across commissioners and providers.
The guidance has been developed in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) and the Faculty of Public Health.
Sara Blackmore, co-lead for NHS, ICS and social care policy at the ADPH, said the guidance was important to ensure public health expertise is fully utilised, avoid duplication, and make best use of increasingly stretched resources.
‘This week’s guidance is especially important in light of the ongoing NHS and local government reform which, as well as providing opportunity to improve population health, also poses significant challenge to both workforces who are working incredibly hard to improve outcomes whilst also undergoing ongoing boundary and role changes,’ said Ms Blackmore, who is also director of public health for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
