Sylvia Godden Principal Public Health Intelligence Specialist London Borough of Sutton PHE Knowledge and Intelligence Network 18th February 2016 Sylvia Godden, Sutton Public Health

The History of Public Health Intelligence (PHI) PHI since around 1990, since then a strong workforce that has matured professionally and organisationally Impact of 2010 WP ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’, implemented in Health and Social Care Act 2012 Transfer of responsibilities to Local Authorities Abolition of PCTs, SHAs Creation of CCGs, NHS England, Health & Wellbeing Boards Prior to the Act, PHI largely within the NHS in PCTs, SHAs, and in regional PHOs Under the Act PHI transferred out of NHS, mostly to Local Authorities, while PHOs absorbed into PHE (civil service)

The Development of PHI Public Health function depends on reliable information, evidence and analysis to understand issues, identify priorities and actions to improve health and reduce inequalities Combination of information, methods and evidence for decision making is Public Health Intelligence Provides evidence and intelligence for the local authority, Health and Wellbeing Board, CCGs, and others

PHI Knowledge, Skills and Experience A profession encompassing: Thorough knowledge and understanding of wide range of data and evidence sources, access, quality, strengths and weaknesses, to inform on PH outcomes and trends Some overlap with analysts in other areas for generic skills, e.g. advanced data manipulation, databases, spreadsheets, range of software, GIS Plus importantly specific Public Health knowledge, e.g. appropriate statistical methods and analysis, epidemiology, the population focus Understanding of PH context and national and local policy Knowledge of health economics Requires strong communication and presentation

Development: Who are we? Not a homogenous group No single specific career pathway or training route Almost all of the PHI workforce now in either:  Local Authority Public Health teams  Public Health England, Chief Knowledge Officer‘s Directorate, Local Knowledge and Intelligence Services

Development: The potential for PHI in the Local Authority PHI well positioned to support Local Authorities and directly influence decision-making and delivery of services Opportunity to develop skills to encompass all the wider determinants, (transport, education, social care etc.) Increased profile of Public Health Intelligence as a result of the Five Year Forward View, i.e. opportunities to be proactive on alcohol, fast food, tobacco Appreciation by Local Authority and others

Development: PHI in Local Authorities Latest PHI workforce estimate 1,000–1,400 people nationally, including PHE (CfWI) County councils tend to have larger teams In London councils there is wide variation Most common PHI model is as part of a core Public Health team led by a DPH, accountable to the CE or a senior director Or PHI as part of a corporate intelligence unit for all the council’s research and intelligence functions (Each model has advantages and disadvantages but FPH advocates the first)

Development: PH Workforce Strategy 2013 Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Public Health Workforce Strategy, April ,500 PH staff transferred to LAs including PHI Strategy recognised that : PHI function underpins delivery, vital for all PH domains Knowledge to inform action Wide range of skills, analysis, statistics, epidemiology, knowledge management and Public Health Developed organically, little structure or consistency Need for clearer pathways, particularly for non-medics Lack of information about workforce. New ESR for NHS and PHE, does not include non-NHS

Government Response 2014 Recognised need for a workforce strategy to: ‘ensure Knowledge and Intelligence available wherever needed, best people recruited, retained and developed by making it an attractive career’ Proposals for: CfWI mapping of the Public Health Knowledge and Intelligence Workforce (report March 2015) Development of a Common Skills Framework Training for Local Authority analysts as part of the local PHE contribution Trial of secondment opportunities for analysts

Current Issues for PHI in LAs (1) Impact on PHI of the HSC Act 2012, and transfer to new organisations Stability, security, continuity Reorganisation and funding Career progression and workforce mobility Capacity Data Access

Current Issues for PHI in LAs (2): Training and careers Numbers of and composition of PHI teams Career progression Traditional model: Junior Analyst Information Manager or equivalent Senior Analyst or equivalent Head of Service (Consultant/Specialist) Grades NHS AfC 5 through to 8 or equivalent for Senior, Head of Intelligence at specialist level

Current Issues for PHI in LAs (3) Retaining the workforce, knowledge, skills, experience Training in PHI, also ‘learning on the job’ Registration - some formal accreditation (e.g. UKPHR), Pay scales, terms and conditions PHI in the NHS, PHE and LA Financial pressures Independence of the role and function Cuts to external statistical products

Current Issues for PHI in LAs (4) Impact of reorganisation, funding and posts Career progression and workforce mobility Access to data and Information Governance Professional development Recruitment and retention Future of the function

Sources and further links DH, HEE and PHE. Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Public Health Workforce Strategy. lives-healthy-people-a-public-workforce-strategy Centre for Workforce Intelligence. The Public Health Knowledge and Intelligence Workforce, March knowledge-and-intelligence-a-study Health Statistics User Group. HSUG Response to Health Select Committee. January Faculty of Public Health. Response to the Health Select Committee on Public Health. December