LGA issues guide for councillors on local authority public health responsibilities
The Local Government Association published a guide for councillors on local authority public health responsibilities.
The guide covers:
- Introduction
- Local authority public health responsibilities
- Duty to improve public health
- Wider duties relevant to health
- Director of public health role
- Appointing directors of public health
- Public health grant
- Drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services
- Weighing and measurement of children
- NHS Health Check – assessment and conduct
- Sexual and reproductive health services
- Public health services for children aged 0 to 19
- Public health advice to NHS
- Improvement support
- Further reading
- Glossary and acronyms
Writing in the foreword to the guide, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Councils have, since 1 April 2013, been responsible for improving the health of their local population and for public health services including some services that support children and young people’s health, most sexual health services and services aimed at reducing drug and alcohol misuse. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care continues to have overall responsibility for improving health and addressing health inequalities.
“Councils receive an annual ringfenced public health grant from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) plus supplementary public health funding for substance misuse and stop smoking services. The core condition of this grant is that it should be used only for the purposes of the public health functions of local authorities.”
He added: “This document has been developed by the LGA and is intended as a working document for elected members as guidance to help clarify the current public health grant conditions and mandated functions in local government.
“It is intended to support the broader role of councillors, directors of public health and their teams as system leaders and advocates for health within the local area (‘place-base’).”
