Uncertainty about funding for future public health capacity and workforce development
Future public health capacity is dependent on the ability to fund the recruitment, training and retention of high-quality skilled workers.
After April 2013, public health functions will be delivered through a range of organisations that include local authorities, Public Health England, NHS Commissioning boards, Commissioning Support Services and Clinical Commissioning Groups. The precariousness of future funding of a public health sector spread across a number of agencies and particularly operating within budgetary constrained local authorities has given rise to concerns about future workforce capacity. These concerns apply across all three domains of public health – health improvement, health protection and health services. They cover ideas of marginalisation and diffusion of workforce skills, and the availability of education, training and mentoring platforms for professional development. The emphasis on many organisations and employers may lead to specialists and consultants working in professional isolation. In view of these concerns, it is still unclear how Public Health England will engage in developing future capacity or how this will be managed at the local level.
Sources or references
- Securing good health for the whole population: Final report - February 2004 Wanless D HM Treasury http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_wanless04_final.htm
- Skills for Health, Department of Health
Public health transitional support funds available for local authorities (2010)DoH http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/09/ph-la-transition/
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
