Priorities 2017-2020

Public Health will continue to take forward work on areas which evidence shows will provide the greatest improvements in health and wellbeing.

The greatest improvements in health will come through the systematic reduction of risk factors across our population.

The most significant risks to our health and wellbeing are currently overweight and obesity, oral health, drug and alcohol misuse, smoking, sexual health and poor emotional and mental health. 

• We need to work systematically to alter our environment, improve lifestyles and reduce risk factors across our population. 
  
  
• Prioritise interventions which will achieve change for the greatest number of people at affordable cost. 
  
  
• Champion approaches that support individuals, families and communities in taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. 
  
  
• Work with partners across government, private and third sectors to get public health into all policies – supporting people to take responsibility for their own health by ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge and live in environments and communities where healthy choices are easy choices.

Although progress has been made over the past two year’s the Directorate knows that there is still much more work to be done. 

Our work is based on assessment of need (using local data about health and wellbeing in our population), evidence of what works, and a focus on outcomes and evaluation to check that we are making a difference.

This business plan provides an outline of our priority areas over the next three years and how we will make best use of our resources.

From 2017 through to 2020 we will:

• Publish Phase 1 Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF), Lifestyle Survey results and Director of Public Health Annual Report
  
  
• Develop a system to record and disseminate quarterly vaccine uptake rates to Primary Care and Health Protection committee
  
  
• Lead work to reduce lifestyle risk factors across the population
  
  
• Drug and Alcohol – publish a new strategy based on the findings of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
  
  
• Sexual Health – prepare pathway options for a sexual assault referral service (with Department of Home Affairs) and work towards an integrated sexual health service
  
  
• Healthy Weight and Oral Health – 0-5 years: benchmark and gap analysis against best practice standard.  Publish Strategies for next 5 years based on findings
  
  
• Mental Health – deliver strategy and pathways to reduce self-harm (all ages)
  
  
• Smoking Cessation and Tobacco Control – undertake a needs assessment, evaluate the Quit4You Stop Smoking Service and publish a new strategy based on the findings
  
  
• Work with partners across government and beyond to build healthy environments and communities
  
  
• Support the effective use of DHSC resources through development of evidence based clinical policies and care pathways, evaluated to ensure these lead to improved health outcomes
  
  
• Develop a 5 year Public Health Strategy to replace this business plan towards the end of 2020 which will outline the strategic direction for the period from 2020 to 2025.