FPH Workforce Report

Wednesday 29 March 2006

Public Health Workforce at Crisis Levels Warn Experts

The specialist public health workforce has reached crisis point, warned the Faculty of Public Health in a report published today. A survey of the public health workforce in the UK revealed a loss of 224 consultants since 2003 in both academic and service public health posts.

The problem is particularly acute in England , with only 36% of Primary Care Trusts believing that they have sufficient capacity and capability to deliver public health effectively. This is compared to Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales where overall 70%, 60%, 56% respectively of those surveyed agreed their team was adequate to deliver the public health agenda.

Furthermore, the restructuring of Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities following Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS (CPLNHS) could result in 100-150 more senior positions being lost.

Faculty of Public Health President, Prof Rod Griffiths warned: “With every NHS reorganisation, significant damage is done to the public health workforce. The Government has demonstrated its commitment to public health, seen particularly in Choosing Health . However, without an adequate, appropriately trained, public health workforce the public's health will be put at risk. Steps must be taken to ensure that public health capacity is protected and we have written to Caroline Flint MP about this.”

The survey also revealed a 40% reduction in planned recruitment for public health training for 2006, compared with 2005. Sources within the Deaneries reveal that 4 of the 13 regions plan to cancel their public health training completely for this year. With academic public health one of the hardest areas hit, this points to a long term shortage of public health consultants.

Author of the report, Professor Selena Gray says “This report demonstrates the urgent need for clear HR guidance that protects consultants in public health during this next re-organisation and for increased resource for training.”

Chris Lovitt, chair of the Faculty's Trainee Members Committee says “This report underlines the need for an expansion in the number of trainees recruited. The planned massive cuts in recruitment numbers must be reversed if the future of public health is to be secured.”

ends

Notes to editors

  1. Download the Specialist Public Health Workforce in the UK 2005 Survey: A Report for the Board of the Faculty of Public Health March 2006'.

  2. Additional regional information

    CHANGE IN SERVICE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE* 2003-2005

    Taking 2003 as the start point, each region is shown as a percentage of the average UK consultant rate in 2003. (The average rate in 2003 was 14.1 consultants per million population)

    3. Region

    % of UK

    % of UK 2003

    % change

    Percent adequate and above*

     

     

     

     

     

    Scotland

    102.1

    113.5

    11.4

    57.7

    Wales

    66.0

    76.6

    10.6

    57.3

    Northern Ireland

    105.0

    124.8

    19.8

    60.5

    England

    89.4

    90.1

    0.7

    43.7

     

     

     

     

     

    South West

    66.0

    85.8

    19.8

    30.8

    South East

    68.8

    101.4

    32.6

    40.1

    London

    138.3

    118.4

    -19.9

    47.8

    North Eastern

    107.1

    86.5

    -20.6

    48.2

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    91.5

    75.9

    -15.6

    35.7

    East Midlands

    93.6

    61.0

    -32.6

    21.0

    West Midlands

    127.7

    83.7

    -44.0

    36.0

    North West

    109.9

    96.5

    -13.4

    48.7

    Eastern

    100.0

    75.2

    -24.8

    41.4

     

     

     

     

     

    UK Total

    100.0

    92.9

    -7.1

    44.8

    *includes Directors of Public Health, Consultants in Public Health Medicine, Consultants in Public health, Consultants in Communicable Disease, Regional Epidemiologists
    **Of those that reported adequate and above capacity and capability in their public health teams, 36.6% are employed in PCTs, 46.2% by the Health Protection Agency, 47.9% in Strategic Health Authorities and 72.2% in regional public health groups.

  3. For further information, or to arrange an interview with Professor Rod Griffiths or Professor Selena Gray, contact Chloe Parkin , Head of Policy and Communications, Faculty of Public Health T: 020 7935 3115
  4. The Faculty of Public Health is an authoritative public health body which aims to advance the health of the population through three key areas of work: health improvement, service improvement, and health protection. In addition to maintaining professional and educational standards, the Faculty advocates on key public health issues and provides practical information and guidance for public health professionals. We are a Faculty of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom and have a membership of 3000. The Faculty is a registered charity.

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