The Future of Health Improvement
The Future of Health Improvement
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, 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
Download the full statement including the detailed tests here.
The first joint statement is available here.
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 |
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 |