The Health and Social Care Act 2012 effected significant changes in the responsibility for public health in England. The Department of Health described those changes at the time as follows:We are pulling together every aspect of Government to improve our nation’s health. At the national level, this will be through Public Health England, which will be established as an executive agency of the Department of Health, and by delivering concerted cross-government action through the dedicated public health cabinet sub-committee that we have established. At the local level, this will involve putting local authorities in charge of driving health improvement, pulling together the work done by the NHS, social care, housing, environmental health, leisure and transport services.Referring to the new role for local authorities in public health, the Department saidThe Government believes that many of the wider determinants of health (for example, housing, economic development, transport) can be more easily impacted by local authorities, who have overall responsibility for improving the local area for their populations. Local authorities are well-placed to take a very broad view of what services will impact positively on the public's health, and combine traditional “public health” activities with other activity locally to maximise benefits.The Health Committee will carry out a short overview inquiry on the impact of the Health and Social Care Act reforms of the public health landscape, considering whether they have achieved their aims, and what further improvements may be necessary. The Committee invites short written submissions (no more than 3,000 words) on this subject.The Committee plans to consider the impact of the structural changes at a general level, and is likely to consider in particular:
- The delivery of public health functions
- The effectiveness of local authorities in delivering the envisaged improvements to public health
- The public health workforce
- Public health spending
In addition to this initial overview, the Committee plans to hold a small number of individual “case study” evidence sessions, focusing in greater depth on specific service areas or aspects of public health provision. If you have suggestions for a “case study” area of public health provision which warrants further consideration, please include details in your submission.The Committee expects to hear oral evidence in the new year.
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