Directors of Public Health
The director of public health – the lead officer in the local authority for health, a statutory chief officer, a statutory member of the health and wellbeing board – and his or her team support local political leadership in improving health. The director of public health champions health across the whole of the authority’s business, promoting healthier lifestyles and scrutinising and challenging the NHS and other partners to promote better health and ensure threats to health are addressed.
- The directors of public health work to ensure a rigorous focus on local priorities and action across the life course to ensure a preventive approach is embedded in the local system, including by contributing to the preparation of joint strategic needs assessments and the development of joint health and wellbeing strategies within the framework of the national Public Health Outcomes Framework.