Director of Public Health

Job Purpose

The Director of Public Health is a statutory chief officer of the Council and the principal adviser on all health matters to elected members and officers, with a leadership role spanning all three domains of public health: health improvement, health protection and healthcare public health.

Section 73A(1) of the NHS Act 2006, inserted by section 30 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, gives the Director of Public Health responsibility for:

• all of the Council’s duties to take steps to improve public health
• any of the Secretary of State’s public health protection or health improvement functions that s/he delegates to local authorities, either by arrangement or under regulations - these include services mandated by regulations made under section 6C of the 2006 Act, inserted by section 18 of the 2012 Act
• exercising the Council’s functions in planning for, and responding to, emergencies that present a risk to public health
• the Council’s role in co-operating with the police, the probation service and the prison service to assess the risks posed by violent or sexual offenders
• such other public health functions as the Secretary of State specifies in regulations

The Director of Public Health will provide strategic oversight of the continued integration of public health into all aspects of the Council’s work. Public health will also have an integral part in the delivery of the positive health impacts from the Council’s ambitious regeneration programme to drive growth and economic prosperity across the borough.

Required

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• A recognised professional qualification in public health
• Significant relevant experience in a senior management position with a record of measureable success