Decision details

RESOLVED that:

1.    a new post of Director of Public Health reporting to the Director, Adult Social Care, Health & Housing is created.

2.    participation in key elements of the Berkshire Shared Public Health Team on a reduced basis to reflect the appointment of a local Director of Public Health is continued.

3.    The Council continue to act as host for the Berkshire Shared Public Health Team, reimbursed by the other five Berkshire Councils.

1.    The Berkshire Shared Public Health Agreement created a Strategic Director of Public Health covering all six unitary authorities supported by a shared core team in order to ensure a ‘safe landing’ for each of the Council’s new Public Health responsibilities when they were transferred to local government in 2013.

The pan Berkshire Director of Public Health and shared team have been hosted by Bracknell Forest since 2013.  The original plan was to also establish a local team within each Council, led by a Consultant in Public Health who would report to a local Director and to the Strategic Director of Public Health as appropriate.  In the case of Bracknell Forest the local direct reporting for the Consultant has been to the Director, Adult Social Care, Health & Housing

2.    The original arrangements worked well initially and delivered a safe and smooth transition when public health became a local authority responsibility.  However, increasingly, individual local authorities have pulled back from the areas of shared responsibility as budgets have come under pressure.  This has highlighted a risk and challenge inherent in hosting the statutory function and being the employer of the shared Director of Public Health when we have no influence on other authorities’ priorities, strategies and actions.

3.    On this basis, a number of changes are proposed to the Council’s Public Health arrangements to reflect local need.

1.    Continuing to invest in the full range of services offered by the Berkshire Shared Team:  This would incur recurrent costs to the Council that could otherwise be reinvested into Public Health services to residents.

2.    Complete withdrawal from the Berkshire Shared Public Health Agreement:  This would present a risk in relation to the ability of the Council to meet its statutory Public Health responsibilities, particularly in relation to health protection.

None

Interim Strategic Director of Public Health, Bracknell Forest Council
Regional Director, Public Health England
Chief Executives of Berkshire Unitary Authorities