Departments
Public Health
What is Public Health?
Public Health is about improving people’s health and wellbeing and protecting them from disease. In the past people associated Public Health purely with issues such as sanitation measures and control of epidemics. Today however public health is a lot broader than this. It recognises the wider social and environmental reasons for ill health such as poverty, unemployment, poor quality housing and educational under-attainment.
The Department of Public Health
The Department of Public Health is led by a Director of Public Health and is made up of a range of professionals with a variety of backgrounds and skills. It is supported by a great, but small, team of administrative staff. In order to address the wide range of issues affecting health, the Department works in partnerships with many different bodies and agencies, both within and outside the Health Service.
A key focus is on reducing inequalities in health and wellbeing between geographical areas, socio-economic groups and minority groups.
The Department of Public Health looks after and seeks to improve the health of local people by
- promoting health and wellbeing and tackling health inequalities
- protecting your health
- supporting service development
Annual Report of the Director of Public Health
Each year the Director of Public Health produces an annual report highlighting key issues on health and wellbeing. Since 2004 this report has been combined with the report of the Director of Social Services and the Board’s annual report. The most recent report was published for the period 2006/2007 (Click here). Earlier annual reports are available here
Key issues highlighted in this report include
- preparing for bird and pandemic flu
- tackling patient safety – MRSA and other infections
- protecting your health – looking forward to smoke free workplaces
- new services for those with autism and mental ill health
- childhood obesity.
The Director of Public Health publishes annually a set of facts and figures about the population of the Southern Board area and its health. These are generated with the support of the Board’s Information Department. These “core tables” are available in the document section of the website (Click here).