Public Health WalesQuestions and Answers
Public Health Wales Questions and Answers
- How can Public Health Wales fight its corner and maintain its profile when it is so much smaller, particularly in budgetary terms, than the new health boards?
- Size doesn’t matter in all circumstances in establishing a good reputation. The screening programmes in Wales, for example, have an excellent reputation. The identities of smaller programmes can be strengthened through membership of a larger, integrated public health organisation.
- Will the smaller parts be subsumed within the larger new organisation?
- No. It is important that all parts of Public Health Wales maintain their individual strengths so they can contribute to the whole.
- Will health improvement be discussed by the chair in his discussions with the new health board chief executives?
- Yes. The new health boards are understandably focussing on the need for public health support in the health and social care quality domain. However, it’s really important that we don’t lose sight of the need to take forward the health improvement agenda. We need to bring in other partners to this discussion as well – from local government and the third sector.
- Where will the current Local Public Health Team staff be based?
- The Minister has made a commitment to staff being based locally so they can deliver locally. This all needs to be worked through. There is also an NHS reforms work stream examining all NHS accommodation issues.
- Will the public health staff who work alongside Local Public Health Teams, but who are employed on short term funding with other organisations, be transferred to Public Health Wales?
- It’s very difficult when many staff are employed on short term contracts out of project funding. I hope we can keep such numbers to a minimum. However, the organisational change assumption should be that staff will be transferred to their successor authorities.
- Will Public Health Wales provide the back-up, training and professional support that is provided by Velindre?
- This needs working through. We must keep providing all that is good in our existing organisations. I am committed to the provision of professional support.
- As the Hywel Dda Health Board doesn’t have a chief executive yet will the Public Health Wales chair be meeting with the new Hywel Dda chair?
- Yes.
- Will the new organisation continue with the Wales Centre for Health’s work on global health?
- Yes. All the functions of the NPHS, Screening, WCfH, WCISU and CARIS will transfer to Public Health Wales.
- At a time of organisational change and economic recession, where is Public Health Wales vulnerable?
- Although budgets in public services will be tight, Public Health Wales will not be particularly vulnerable financially. Our greatest risk relates to the possibility of public health staff being moved to the new health boards. However, we believe this is contrary to the Minister’s wishes and would undermine the strengths of public health as a whole.
- What will the organisation’s relationship with the CMO be like?
- The chair of Public Health Wales reports directly to the Minister. The CMO advises the Minister and is a member of the National Delivery Board. If a health professional, the chief executive of Public Health Wales will report professionally to the CMO.
Chris LinesApproved for publication
12 June 2009