Update: The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) was launched on 1st October 2021. It will be led jointly by Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy as DCMO reporting to the CMO, and Jonathan Marron as Director General playing a key role with oversight of ‘pay and rations’. We called for local government to be at the heart of system leadership, and the appointment of Jeanelle is welcome. She has proven herself a very effective and independent public health leader in her role as President of ADPH, as well as a highly respected and experienced expert in delivering public health on the ground.
Alongside this announcement there were also further details on the structure of OHID and who will lead the new directorates. The full list is set out below:
- Director General, OHID – Jonathan Marron (previously DG for Public Health)
- DCMO, OHID – Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy (previously Director of Public Health in Tameside, and President of ADPH)
- Director of Public Health Policy, Systems and Innovation – Cathy Morgan previously Director of Strategy at PHE)
- Director of Diet, Obesity and Healthy Behaviours – Natasha Burgon (previously Principal Private Secretary to Sajid Javid)
- Director of Addiction and Inclusion – Rosanna O’Connor (previously in very similar role and responsible for tobacco at PHE)
- Director of Public Health Analysis – Professor John Newton (formerly Director of Health Improvement at PHE)
- Director of Prevention Services – Gila Sacks
- Director of Early Years, Children and Families – Liz Ketch
- Joint DWP/DHSC Work & Health Unit – Dilys Alam
- Chief Public Health Nurse – Professor Viv Bennett
Although there is still much to be clarified, overall the structure of the new public health system reflects much of what we called for and in the more detailed input that ASH made to the consultation on the new structure. However, we will need to continue to monitor the system as it evolves to ensure that it meets up to the six tests set out in our second joint statement.
Context
In response to the Government’s published timetable for the restructuring of public health announced on 15th September 2020, leading health organisations and alliances set out six tests they believed Government proposals must pass to deliver truly world class outcomes in levelling-up health and securing a population resilient to future health risks.
The publication of these six tests followed the first joint statement endorsed by over 120 organisations across the health sector which sets out the principles a new public health system must be based on, to ensure delivery of the Government’s interlocking pledges to ‘level up’ society; significantly increase disability-free life years, while reducing inequalities; to improve mental health; reduce obesity and alcohol harm; and to end smoking.
The six tests were:
Test 1: Sufficient and secure funding to scale up health improvement interventions
Test 2: Sufficient high-quality public health experts in health protection, health improvement and healthcare public health functions
Test 3: The commitment and infrastructure to deliver health improvement at national, regional and local level
Test 4: A stronger health intelligence function which supports both health improvement and health protection and underpins accountability
Test 5: Improved co-ordination between the NHS and local government
Test 6: Strong relationships across health protection and health improvement across all four nations of the UK
First Joint Statement: List of Endorsements
127 organisations endorsed the First Joint Statement.
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Action on Pre-eclampsia
Action on Salt
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
Action on Sugar
Addictions and Mental Health Group University of Bath
Alcohol Change UK
Alcohol Health Alliance
All Party Parliamentary Group on Infant Feeding and Inequalities
All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health
Alzheimer’s Research UK
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology
Association of Directors of Public Health
Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership
Baby Lifeline
Balance
Best Beginnings
Better Breastfeeding
Birth Companions
Blood Pressure UK
Breathe 2025
Bristol City Council
British Association for Nursing in Cardiovascular Care
British Association for Sexual Health and HIV
British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers
British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine
British Dental Association
British Heart Foundation
British HIV Association
British Liver Trust
British Medical Association (BMA)
British Thoracic Society
Bury Council
Cancer Research UK
CancerWatch
Catholics for AIDS Prevention and Support
Centre for Ageing Better
Centre for Mental Health
Centre for Perioperative Care
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association
DECIPHer Cardiff University
Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation
Diabetes UK
Doctors’ Association UK
European Public Health Alliance
Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health
Faculty of Public Health
Fresh
Gateshead Council
Gay Men’s Health Collective
GP Infant Feeding Network
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership
Group B Strep Support
Health Action Campaign
Health Equalities Group
HENRY
HIV i-Base
Hospital Infant Feeding Network
Humankind
Imperial College London Self-Care Academic Research Unit
Institute of Alcohol Studies
Institute of Health Promotion and Education
Institute of Health Visiting
Institute of Social Marketing and Health University of Stirling
Kit Tarka Foundation
Lullaby Trust
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Maternity Action
Men’s Health Forum
Mental Health and Addictions Research Group University of York
Mental Health and Smoking Partnership
Mental Health Foundation
Mental Health Nurses Association
METRO Charity
Mind
National AIDS Trust
National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training
National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Nicotine Research Group, King’s College London
Obesity Health Alliance
Oral Health Foundation
Oxpip
Primary Care Respiratory Society
Primary Care Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Medicine Society
Rethink Mental Illness
Richmond Group
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Midwives
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal Society of Public Health
Samaritans
Sands
Saving Lives UK
Scottish Public Mental Health Special Interest Group
Scottish Public Mental Health Special Interest Group
Smokefree Action Coalition
Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group
Society of British Dental Nurses
Sophia Forum
South Tyneside Smokefree Alliance
SPECTRUM
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Sustrans
Terrence Higgins Trust
The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region
The Brunswick Centre
The College of Podiatry
The Fatherhood Institute
The Health Foundation
The Hepatitis C Trust
Tobacco Control Research Group University of Bath
Turning Point
UK Association for the Study of Obesity
UK Community Advisory Board
UK Public Health Network
UK Society for Social Medicine and Population Health
University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group
Versus Arthritis
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK Steering Group
World Cancer Research Fund
Second Joint Statement: List of Endorsements
67 organisations endorsed the Second Joint Statement.
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Action on Salt
Action on Smoking and Health
Action on Sugar
Addictions and Mental Health Group University of Bath
Ageing Better
Alcohol Change UK
Alcohol Health Alliance
Alzheimer’s Research UK
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA)
Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH)
Balance
Better Breastfeeding
Birth Companions
Breathe 2025
British Association for Nursing in Cardiovascular Care
British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH)
British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL)
British Association of Sport Rehabilitators (BASRaT)
British Dental Association
British Heart Foundation
British HIV Association
British Liver Trust
British Thoracic Society
Cancer Research UK
CancerWatch
Centre for Mental Health
Diabetes UK
Doctors’ Association UK
Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health
Faculty of Public Health
Fresh
Health Action Campaign
Health Equalities Group
HIV i-Base
Hospital Infant Feeding Network
Institute for Health Visiting
Institute of Alcohol Studies
Institute of Health Promotion and Education
Local Government Association
Lullaby Trust
Mental Health and Addictions Research Group University of York
METRO Charity
Mind
National AIDS Trust
National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)Yes
NHS Confederation
Nicotine Research Group, King’s College London
Primary Care Respiratory Society (PRCS)
Richmond Group
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Physicians
Samaritans
Saving Lives UK
Smokefree Action Coaltion
SPECTRUM
Sustrans
Terrence Higgins Trust
The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region
The Health Foundation
Tobacco Control Research Group University of Bath
UK Public Health Network
UK Society for Social Medicine and Population Health
University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group
Versus Arthritis
World Cancer Research Fund International