Public Health Lead - Bootle, United Kingdom - Sefton Council

Description

Job summary

Sefton Council is seeking to recruit a PublicHealth Lead with strong technical skills and a real commitment to improvingpopulation health.

Thepost will provide a broad range of health protection project management andsupport with a specific focus on reducing the harms associated with smoking andthe use of tobacco products. The post holder will take a lead role inidentifying local need and commissioning specialist services in line with thatneed and an emerging smokefree generation agenda. The post holder will lead onco-ordinating efforts to increase the focus of smokefree Sefton developingcollaborations with NHS and other key health partners to increase engagementwith priority groups including pregnant women, people using alcohol and otherdrugs, homeless and rough sleeper populations and people living with mental illhealth.

Main duties of the job

Thepost will provide a broad range of health protection project management andsupport with a specific focus on reducing the harms associated with smoking andthe use of tobacco products. The post holder will take a lead role inidentifying local need and commissioning specialist services in line with thatneed and an emerging smokefree generation agenda. The post holder will lead onco-ordinating efforts to increase the focus of smokefree Sefton developingcollaborations with NHS and other key health partners to increase engagementwith priority groups including pregnant women, people using alcohol and otherdrugs, homeless and rough sleeper populations and people living with mental illhealth.

Thepost holder will oversee the commissioning, contract performance reviews anddevelopment of local specialist smoking cessation and tobacco treatmentservices as well as a range of tobacco harm reduction interventions, includingbut not limited to, swap to stop programmes. The post holder will workclosely with NHS smokefree leads and represent the Local Authority publichealth response at Cheshire and Mersey, Northwest and National Office forHealth Improvement and Disparities (OHID) forums and meetings.

About us

Public Health responsibilities and functions are provided by a specialist multidisciplinary team working across the Borough of Sefton. The team works in partnership with other local authority services, NHS and voluntary, community and faith sector services. Sefton Public Health Service delivers on a wide range of statutory duties and responsibilities to protect and improve population health.

Job responsibilities

Public Healthresponsibilities and functions are provided by a specialist multidisciplinaryteam working across the Borough of Sefton. The team works in partnership with otherlocal authority services, NHS and voluntary, community and faith sectorservices. Sefton Public Health Service delivers on a wide range of statutory dutiesand responsibilities to protect and improve population health.

Services includeidentifying health needs of the population, advising on and commissioninghealth services to meet those needs, providing evidence on the effectiveness oftreatments/interventions and highlighting the needs of the more sociallyexcluded and vulnerable, as well as health protection and broader healthcarepublic health services which are also key component parts of our delivery.

The postwill provide a broad range of health protection project management and support witha specific focus on reducing the harms associated with smoking and the use oftobacco products. The post holder will take a lead role in identifying localneed and commissioning specialist services in line with that need and anemerging smokefree generation agenda. The post holder will lead onco-ordinating efforts to increase the focus of smokefree Sefton developingcollaborations with NHS and other key health partners to increase engagementwith priority groups including pregnant women, people using alcohol and otherdrugs, homeless and rough sleeper populations and people living with mental illhealth.

The postholder will oversee the commissioning, contract performance reviews and developmentof local specialist smoking cessation and tobacco treatment services as well asa range of tobacco harm reduction interventions, including but not limited to,swap to stop programmes. The post holder will work closely with NHS smokefreeleads and represent the Local Authority public health response at Cheshire andMersey, Northwest and National Office for Health Improvement and Disparities(OHID) forums and meetings.

In addition to core responsibilities the postholder will contribute to the public health duties within the local authorityand will have a good understanding of local population needs for Sefton. Thepost holder will, when required, be responsible for advising and briefing councilofficers and Elected Members on all matters of public health, commissioning andservice performance.

Keyareas and responsibilities will include:

MAIN DUTIES

1. Surveillance and assessment of the populations health and well-being

To source, interpret and utilise the available evidence base, including in depth analysis and interpretation of health data and effectiveness appraisal of diverse public health interventions, in the context of conflicting views between professionals and agencies. Contribute specialist topic information to annual and public health reports, strategic documents and other reports as required. Prepare and process communications ( press releases) with the media within overall guidelines set by the LA.

Identify public health needs using various methodologies health needs assessment, equality impact needs assessments (EINAs), Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and develop appropriate health outcome measures when planning and commissioning projects or programmes to improve health and reduce health inequalities.

2. Assessing the evidence of effectiveness of health and healthcare interventions, programmes and services

Analyse and interpret national and local policy, data and national evidence of effectiveness (from a variety of highly complex sources), to develop, make recommendations and evaluate public health related projects or programmes some of which may be contentious.

Support the development of a culture of continuous evaluation by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of investment; identifying the need for and commission/undertake/contribute to evaluations, research and audits to assess the effectiveness of interventions, programmes and services.

Keep up to date with the evidence base of effective public health practice in particular relating to specific public health topic areas, and public health competencies (through literature searches, critical appraisal of literature, conferences, journal clubs, professional body communications, etc.)

3. Policy and strategy development and implementation

Develop and co-ordinate multi-agency and partnership collaborative work to engage and influence others, to identify and report on local need and to improve health and wellbeing. Take responsibility for strategic planning; leading the development, co-ordination and implementation of multi-agency strategy and action plans.

Effectively manage a delegated budget for specific commissioned services and/or projects, with supervision from senior public health staff. Write bids to secure funding for PH and partnership projects.

Commission services, as required, within allocated resources; ensuring that contracts are successfully negotiated and implemented in line with identified needs. Lead development of service specifications and performance management arrangements with all providers that will ensure financial and performance targets are met, that services offer value for money and are delivered efficiently.

Using standard project management techniques set up and manage specific projects or programmes to improve heath and reduce health inequalities.

4. Leadership and collaborative working for health

Influence statutory, community and voluntary sector partners to optimise health gains and reductions in health inequalities.

Provide leadership, support and advice to internal and external partners to inform investment decisions and strategic development to ensure that a public health perspective informs policy development, strategic commissioning and operational planning.

Provide highly specialist knowledge and expertise on health improvement topic areas utilising excellent project management skills, communication, partnership working, training, contributing to websites and disseminating information to partner organisations.

Provide support and supervision for health and other professional staff, in the development of interventions to tackle public health issues and to address health inequalities. Initiate, develop and commission training and education programmes for the benefit of health and other professional staff and evaluate effectiveness, including presentations to small groups, conferences, students, meetings and networks.

5. General

Responsible for the management of member(s) of the Public Health team, as allocated to the post holder including direct line management and/or project/matrix management of staff.

Deputise for the senior public health team as required and represent the council at local, regional and national events; provide advice on policies and practices, and strategic direction and support to the relevant partnership boards and forums.

Use various software packages to enable reports, presentations, spread sheets, databases, and artwork to be produced.

Responsible for chairing and minute taking at meetings as required.

Aware of NHS and council information governance/ best practice and local guidelines. Demonstrate understanding by competently handing patient, confidential and sensitive data at all times.

In the performance of all duties, and in particular in the support and management of staff, to implement all council policies and procedures necessary to meet customer care needs and to reflect the councils vision and values.

To ensure that client information data is lawfully gathered, accurate, up to date and only divulged in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the local government common law duty of confidentiality. Failure to apply these duties can lead to the individual or the Department facing court proceedings.

To undertake any other duties as directed from time-to-time to meet the exigencies of the service.

Qualifications

Essential

Desirable

Experience

Essential

Desirable