Job responsibilities
The Public
Health department is a specialist, multidisciplinary team working across
Sefton. The department works in partnership
with other local authority departments, NHS, other statutory services and the voluntary
sector. The department has a wide range of responsibilities to protect and
improve the publics health and tackle inequalities. These include identifying
health needs of the population, advising on and commissioning health services
to meet those needs, providing evidence on the effectiveness of
treatments/interventions and highlighting the needs of the more socially
excluded and vulnerable, as well as health protection and broader healthcare
public health services which are also key component parts of our delivery.
The Public Health Lead will contribute to the public
health duties within the local authority, these include advising council officers
and Elected Members on all matters of public health, commissioning and
performance management of a specified list of public health services.
It is expected that the post holder will work
across specific programme areas , building strong partnerships which include wider council
partners, NHS and the voluntary sector, assuring that local health improvement,
health care and health protection arrangements are fit for purpose, aligned and
robust. The post holder will be required
to demonstrate a clear understanding of the local population needs for Sefton and
will primarily focus on broad health improvement priorities with some additional
support across health care and health protection when required.
Key
areas and responsibilities will include:
Lead commissioned
programmes for health improvement, health protection, health care public
health, wider determinants and health inequalities.
Lead and co-ordinate
contract performance and review meeting
Interpret national data
sets and address performance issues where required.
Provide service
stewardship and strategic development for a range of programme areas.
Provide expert input to
national, regional and local policy and reference groups.
Provide public health
support to the emerging health and social care structure.
Provide public health
advice / support to multiagency / multidisciplinary safeguarding reviews.
MAIN DUTIES
1.
Surveillance and assessment of the populations health and well-being
To source,
interpret and utilise the available evidence base, including in depth analysis
and interpretation of health data and effectiveness appraisal of diverse public
health interventions, in the context of conflicting views between professionals
and agencies. Contribute specialist topic information to annual and public
health reports, strategic documents and other reports as required. Prepare and
process communications (e.g. press releases) with the media within overall
guidelines set by the LA.
Identify public health needs using various methodologies e.g. health
needs assessment, equality impact needs assessments (EINAs), Health Impact
Assessment (HIA) and develop appropriate health outcome measures when planning
and commissioning projects or programmes to improve health and reduce health
inequalities.
2.
Assessing the evidence of effectiveness of health and healthcare
interventions, programmes and services
Analyse and interpret national and local policy, data and national
evidence of effectiveness (from a variety of highly complex sources), to
develop, make recommendations and evaluate public health related projects or
programmes some of which may be contentious.
Support the development of a culture of continuous evaluation by
improving the efficiency and effectiveness of investment; identifying the need
for and commission/undertake/contribute to evaluations, research and audits to
assess the effectiveness of interventions, programmes and services.
Keep up to date with the evidence base of effective public health
practice in particular relating to specific public health topic areas, and
public health competencies (through literature searches, critical appraisal of
literature, conferences, journal clubs, professional body communications, etc.)
3.
Policy and strategy development and implementation
Develop and co-ordinate multi-agency and partnership collaborative work
to engage and influence others, to identify and report on local need and to
improve health and wellbeing. Take responsibility for strategic planning;
leading the development, co-ordination and implementation of multi-agency
strategy and action plans.
Effectively manage a delegated budget for specific commissioned services
and/or projects, with supervision from senior public health staff. Write bids
to secure funding for PH and partnership projects.
Commission
services, as required, within allocated resources; ensuring that contracts are
successfully negotiated and implemented in line with identified needs. Lead
development of service specifications and performance management arrangements
with all providers that will ensure financial and performance targets are met,
that services offer value for money and are delivered efficiently.
Using standard project management techniques set up and manage specific
projects or programmes to improve heath and reduce health inequalities.
4.
Leadership and collaborative working for health
Influence statutory, community and voluntary sector partners to optimise
health gains and reductions in health inequalities.
Provide leadership, support and advice to internal and external partners
to inform investment decisions and strategic development to ensure that a
public health perspective informs policy development, strategic commissioning
and operational planning.
Provide highly specialist knowledge and expertise on health improvement
topic areas utilising excellent project management skills, communication,
partnership working, training, contributing to websites and disseminating
information to partner organisations.
Provide support and supervision for health and other professional staff, in the development of interventions to tackle
public health issues and to address health inequalities. Initiate, develop and
commission training and education programmes for the benefit of health and
other professional staff and evaluate effectiveness, including presentations to
small groups, conferences, students, meetings and networks.
1.
General
Responsible for the
management of member(s) of the Public Health team, as allocated to the post
holder including direct line management and/or
project/matrix management of staff.
Deputise for the senior public health team as required and represent
the council at local, regional and national events; provide advice on policies
and practices, and strategic direction and support to the relevant partnership boards
and forums.
Use various software packages to enable reports, presentations, spread
sheets, databases, and artwork to be produced.
Responsible for chairing and minute taking at meetings as required.
Aware of NHS and council information governance/ best practice and local
guidelines. Demonstrate understanding by competently handing patient,
confidential and sensitive data at all times.
In the performance of all duties, and in particular in the support and
management of staff, to implement all council policies and procedures necessary
to meet customer care needs and to reflect the councils vision and values.
To ensure that client information data is lawfully gathered, accurate,
up to date and only divulged in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
and the local government common law duty of confidentiality. Failure to apply these duties can lead to the
individual or the Department facing court proceedings.
To undertake any other duties as directed from time-to-time to meet the
exigencies of the service.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The nature of the work may require the post holder to undertake commitments outside normal working hours. This may include meetings and supporting Public Health Senior Leadership Team in response to public health incidents, outbreaks and emergencies.
The
post you are applying for is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
1974 and therefore you are required to declare any convictions, cautions,
reprimands and final warnings that are not protected (i.e. filtered out) as
defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975
(Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2013.
For
further information, please refer to DBS filtering
guidance at www.gov.uk/dbs.
The post you are applying for requires access to the Public Service Network (PSN) and requires compliance with the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard.
