Public Health

Definition:

Public health refers to all organized measures (whether public

or private) to prevent disease, promote health, and prolong
life among the population as a whole. Its activities aim to
provide conditions in which people can be healthy and focus on
entire populations, not on individual patients or diseases.
(WHO)

The three main public health functions are:

1. The assessment and monitoring of the health of
communities and populations at risk to identify health
problems and priorities.
2. The formulation of public policies designed to solve
identified local and national health problems and priorities.
3. To assure that all populations have access to appropriate
and cost-effective care, including health promotion and
disease prevention services.

Brief History:
In 1988, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released an assessment of
the U.S. public health system titled, The Future of Public Health. The
report described the network of county, state, and national public health
agencies as being in "disarray" and prompted a national discussion about
the state of public health in the country. Questioning the ability of existing
public health systems to provide essential services, the report sought to
establish a comprehensive framework delineating the "three
fundamental purposes of public health." These purposes included
"assessment, policy development, and assurance."
These efforts culminated in the publication of The Essential Services
of Public Health in late 1994. Given as:

Ten Essential Public health Services Developed By DHHS

(Department of Health and Human Services 1994:

The 10 Essential Public Health Services describe the public health

activities that all communities should undertake and serve as the

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framework for the NPHPS instruments. Public health systems
should

1. Monitor health status to identify and solve community health

problems.

2. Diagnose and investigate health problems and health

hazards in the community.

3. Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.

4. Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and

solve health problems.

5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and

community health efforts.

6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure

safety.

7. Link people to needed personal health services and assure

the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.

8. Assure competent public and personal health care workforce.

9. Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal

and population-based health services.

10. Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health

problems.

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 Meaning of statutory:
Prescribed, enforceable, and punishable under an act of
parliament.
Definition of statutory Functions:
Obligation of a firm's directors or officers imposed
by corporate legislation, such as
(1) disclosure of personal-interest contracts,
(2) filing of required information with the
appropriate authorities,
(3) Keeping of statutory books,
(4) exercise of due care and skill.

8 Statutorily Mandated Functions of Public Health:

1- Public Health Statistics:

Participation in mechanism for collection, tabulation,

analysis and reporting for health jurisdiction served

2- Health Education:

Public and professional information and education with

emphasis on prevention

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 3- Nutritional Services:

Nutrition program including appropriate activities in

education and consultation for promotion of positive health,
prevention of ill health, and dietary control of disease

4- Maternal and Child Health:

Comprehensive plan for maternal and child health services

to include prenatal, childbearing and reproductive care,
family planning, child and adolescent health, child abuse,
genetic disease control

5- Communicable and Chronic Disease Control:

Preventive services including immunization, screening,

referral for treatment, prevention and control of vision,
hearing, dental problems

6- Environmental Services:

Water, food, air, wastes, vectors, housing, bathing places,

safety, noise, toxic hazards, nuisances

7- Community Nursing Services:

Provision of community nursing

8- Emergency Medical Services:

Provision for development and implementation of an

emergency medical service system including identification of
primary services, mutual aid and mass casualty plans,
participation in regional planning

STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF

PUBLIC HEALTH:
A number of the Director of Public Healths specific
responsibilities and duties arise directly from legislation. In
particular the NHS Act 2006, the Health and Social Care Act 2012

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and related regulations. Some of these duties are closely defined
but most allow for local discretion in how they are delivered.
In general the statutory responsibilities of the Director of Public
Health outlined in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 are
designed to match exactly the corporate public health duties of
their local authority. The exception is the Director of Public
Healths annual report on the health of the local population where
he/she has a duty to write one, whereas the authoritys duty is to
publish it. Otherwise section 73A(1) of the 2006 Act, inserted by
Section 30 of the 2012 Act, gives the Director of Public Health
responsibility for:
1. all of their local authoritys duties to take steps to improve
public health;
2. any of the Secretary of States public health protection or
health improvement functions that s/he delegates to local
authorities, either by arrangement or under
3. regulations these include services mandated by regulations
made under section 6C of the 2006 Act, inserted by section
18 of the 2012 Act;
4. their local authoritys role in planning for, and responding to,
emergencies that present a risk to public health;
5. their local authoritys role in co-operating with the police, the
probation service and the prison service to assess the risks
posed by violent or sexual offenders; and
6. Such other public health functions that the Secretary of
State specifies in regulations.
As well as these core functions, the Acts and regulations give
the Director of Public Health some more specific responsibilities
from April 2013:
1. Director of Public Health is a mandated member of the local
health and wellbeing board (section 194(2)(d) 0f the
2012 Act); and
2. through regulations made under section 73A(1) of the
2006 Act, inserted by section 30 of the 2012 Act, the
Department intends to confirm that the Director will be
responsible for their local authoritys public health response
as a responsible authority under the Licensing Act 2003,
such as making representations about licensing applications
(a function given to local authorities by sections 5(3),

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 13(4), 69(4) and 172B(4) of the Licensing Act, as
amended by Schedule 5 of the 2012 Act).

Key Responsibilities:

1. Producing an independent annual report on the health of the

population, progress on improving health and reducing
inequalities and making recommendations
2. Being principal adviser to Health and Wellbeing Board in
developing a Health and Wellbeing Strategy based on the
assessed needs of the population and proven interventions
to improve health.
3. Providing specialist public heath advice to commissioners on
priorities for health and social care spending and the
appropriate configuration of services within and between
local authorities. In Torbay the DPH is a co-opted member of
the CCG Governing Body.
4. Supporting Local Resilience Forum in developing
comprehensive multi agency plans for the anticipated
threats to public health
5. Having full access to the papers and other information that
they need to inform and support their activity, and day to
day responsibility for their authoritys ring-fenced public
health budget.
6. Being Principal Advisor on all health matters to members and
officers across local government.
7. To contribute to peninsula, regional and national Public
Health networks.