Standardised approach central to creating ‘best public health system in the world', delegates hear
Thursday, 28 June 2007
‘A skilled workforce is fundamental to achieving our ambitious aims of improving the health of the population,' Chief Executive of the South East Coast SHA Candy Morris told delegates at the Through the kaleidoscope session on the public health workforce. And the unique contribution of that workforce was to champion the health of a diverse population and engage with a wide range of partners, many of whom won't be part of the health sector at all, she said.
Faculty President Alan Maryon Davis agreed. People like architects, town planners and people working in housing and leisure could have a significant impact on public health without realising it, he said. ‘We need to extend the spectrum beyond public health practitioners into the wider workforce.'
A key part of achieving this would be a standardised approach to regulation. ‘We need clear standards, approved training programmes and clear mechanisms of recognition for people on other registers like nurses, pharmacists and health economists. We need to build in motivation and facilitation, with clear competencies so people can move around the system.'
Key to achieving these aims were the ‘three Es' he said – encouragement of people to make a contribution, empowerment to allow them to use their skills, and an environment conducive to this.
‘Public health trainees are an incredibly motivated, skilled and passionate group,' Chair of the Trainees Committee Rachel Partridge said, urging delegates to give them more of an opportunity. ‘You should harness that experience and passion to really make a difference and add value to the work of public health teams.'
‘We should make it the best system for public health in the world,' said Alan Maryon Davis. ‘And then export it.'