DH NW works with other regional Government Departments and Agencies, the National Health Service, Government Office for the North West, North West Development Agency, 4 NW, local government, universities and voluntary organisations to improve the health of the people living in our region and to reduce inequalities in health. We are responsible for ensuring that public health and social care policy is introduced, developed and implemented, capacity and networks developed, and the lessons learnt are shared so that as many people as possible benefit from advice and improved ways of working
Public health works across communities and populations rather than at the
level of the individual. It emphasises collective responsibility for
health, its protection and disease prevention. Key to this is the
recognition of the key role of the state, linked to a concern for the
underlying socio-economic and wider determinants of health, as well as
disease. Partnership working with all those who contribute to the health of
the population is a main aim of public health action at all levels –
nationally, regionally and locally.
There are three main areas of public health practice-health improvement,
health protection and health services. Key partners include the NHS,
local authorities and other agencies whose responsibilities include or
impact on the health and well-being of local populations. This
involves addressing issues that influence and are affected by health and
wellbeing such as behaviour and lifestyle, health and social care services,
housing, education and skills, culture, community engagement, the economy,
employment and transport, as well as health inequalities within our region.
Since April 2007 the Department of Health North West has moved towards an
integrated structure to serve the needs of Government Office for the North
West and NHS NW and the Department of Health. The Regional Director of
Public Health leads a single team which serves the three organisations.
Team members have the authority to act on behalf of Department of Health
and NHS. There are strengthened business management arrangements with a
focus on delivery, with integrated business support functions across the
team.
The Role of the Public Health and Social Care Team
DH NW is one of nine Regional Public Health and Social Care teams reporting
to the Chief Medical Officer. They all have broadly the same senior
management structure and work closely together to ensure coherence and
consistency providing national delivery on a number of key public health
areas such as
- tobacco control
- alcohol
- obesity
- physical activity
- health inequalities
- sexual health
- breast feeding and
- food and nutrition
DHNW is responsible for the development of regional partnerships to improve
health and reduce inequalities by:
- building regional partnerships to tackle the wider determinants of
health such as housing, transport, education and ensure that health and
social care issues are integrated into major policies
- provides support for clinical developments and the delivery of health
and social care services
- provides leadership for public health and social care in the North West
of England and the development of capacity and networks
Multi-agency networks enable the regional public health groups to build a
strong health component into regional programmes such as crime, employment,
economic development, transport, education and skills, housing, sustainable
development and environment and regeneration.
Alongside public health specialists, many others make a significant public
health contribution within their job roles – school teachers, health
visitors, housing officers, planners, police and probation workers,
community workers and others. Regional public health and social care teams
have an important strategic role in building capacity and capability in the
workforce at all of these levels.
The Regional Picture at a glance
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The
health of the people in the North West has improved but remains worse
than the average for England
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There
are inequalities in health within the North West region, which are
closely associated with deprivation. For example, the health of people
in Stockport, Flyde, Cheshire East and Trafford is generally better
than the national average while the health of people in Manchester,
Knowsley, Liverpool and Halton is generally worse.
-
Males
and Females in the North West are living longer but nearly three years
less then people living in other parts of the country.
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Progress
has been made over the past year in reducing deaths from smoking, heart
disease and cancer, the biggest causes of lower life expectancy in the
region.
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The
North West has the highest rate of incapacity benefit claimants for
mental illness in England and second highest for Hospital stays related
to alcohol. The challenge to improve health requires strong action by
strategic partnerships.
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The new
Regional Health Inequalities Strategy is being developed and will form
part of the RS2010 – The Regional Strategy for England’s
North West. The reports ‘Our Life in the North West’ and
2007/2008 Annual Report are available at
www.northwest.nhs.uk
Priorities
The priorities for the region are:
- delivering a better patient experience, including improving patient
safety and access to services
- improving people's health, including reducing premature deaths from
heart disease, stroke and cancer and reducing harm from tobacco and alcohol
- reducing unfairness in health, including improving access to healthcare
for marginalised population groups and looked after children
- securing the best start in life for children and young people,
including tackling the rise in childhood obesity
- supporting improved performance of adult social care services by
working with Local Authorities and the Joint Improvement Partnership
