Decision details

To seek approval for Bracknell Forest Council to re-join the pan-Berkshire

shared arrangements for Public Health.

i.      from 1 April 2019 to enter into an agreement with the Public Health

Shared Team to share the services of the Strategic Director of Public

Health (SDPH) and receive support from the Public Health Shared Team

for health intelligence, health protection and strategic leadership for health and wellbeing.

ii.     a Consultant be recruited in the Public Health post to lead the Bracknell Local

Public Health Team reporting to the Executive Director: People.

iii.    Bracknell Forest Council will continue to act as host for the Berkshire Shared Public Health Team and host the SDPH with all costs shared with the other five Berkshire

            Councils.

1.    There are a number of statutory duties and mandated functions that Local

Authorities are required to deliver to achieve the aim of improving the healthy

life expectancy of their residents and reducing inequalities in health between

different groups in our community. In 2013, Berkshire developed a unique

hub and spoke type model across the six unitary authorities locally.

2.    All upper tier local authorities have a duty to appoint a Director of Public

Health. There is some local flexibility in the way in which the post can be

designed although in all cases the agreement of Public Health England

(PHE) is required. Appointments of DPH’s are joint appointments between

the host Council and PHE. The proposals in this report have been

discussed by the Chief Executive and the Regional Director of PHE and PHE

support them and the appointment of the existing Berkshire DPH as the DPH

for Bracknell Forest.

3.    In 2013, the Berkshire Shared Public Health Agreement created a SDPH

post covering all six unitary authorities supported by a Shared Public Health

Team. Each Authority employed a Consultant in Public Health to lead their

Authorities work to improve the health of their residents. The Shared Public

Health Team staff, including the Director, were hosted by Bracknell Forest

Council.

4.    In 2018, the decision was taken for Bracknell Forest to withdraw from the

arrangements. The scope of Bracknell Forest’s agreement with the Shared

Public Health Team was reduced to continuing to use the Shared Team only

for access to data and for health protection support1. A Bracknell Forest

Director of Public Health was appointed with plans to support the post with a

part time local Consultant in Public Health.

5.    The Director of Public Health post holder has recently resigned and the post

is currently vacant. The context for delivering improved health has also

shifted with a supportive policy context and a new local set up. Interim

arrangements have been made by the Chief Executive and Executive

Director: People for the existing DPH for the other five Berkshire authorities

to cover the Bracknell Forest role and this is working well. This presents an

opportunity to forge a new partnership for public health across Berkshire with

benefits to be gained for Bracknell Forest residents from a more networked

approach.

1.    For Bracknell to retain its own Director of Public Health.

2.    For the Shared Public Health Team to be hosted by a different authority.

None