Public Health Observatories in England: progress and prospects 2000/01; a report to the National Governing Board Association of Public Health Observatories 2001

Prefac e

The establishment of eight Public Health Observatories (PHOs), one in each NHS Region of England, has provided an exciting opportunity to develop and strengthen the analysis of public health information at regional level and so influence broad public health policies. This is crucial at a time when boundaries and functions of health authorities are changing and new primary care organisations are emerging. The time is also right to fully engage with other developing regional bodies, such as Regional Development Agencies, Government Offices for the Regions, and Regional Assemblies, in the pursuit of better health and reduced inequalities. This is particularly important at a time of changing government policy on the role of regions in wider health and healthcare issues both inside and outside the National Health Service.

The creation of the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) has been an important facet in supporting the development of the regional PHOs, in providing co-ordination at national level and for the sharing of learning.

The PHOs and the APHO are young and developing organisations. We feel we have achieved much, and still have much to achieve. We are, therefore, delighted to present our first summary of the work we have undertaken since the launch of Public Health Observatories by the Minister for Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer on 15 February 2000. We have also taken this opportunity to look forward and anticipate the outcomes for 2001/02 that will accrue as a result of the planning we have done in 2000/01.

[Signed by the Directors of the 8 Regional PHOs]

Executive summary

This report is the first national summary of the work undertaken by Public Health Observatories (PHOs) in England during 2000/01. It also looks forward to their work over the coming year of 2001/02.

On 15 February 2000, a Public Health Observatory was established in each NHS region in England in order to undertake the following roles as outlined in Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation (1):

• Strengthen the availability and use of information about health at local level;

• Strengthen public health input into the broad range of cross-government initiatives aimed at improving health and reducing inequalities.

In addition, Public Health Observatories are expected to be linked together to form a national network of knowledge, information and surveillance in public health. The Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) was established in June 2000 to facilitate this and to provide an important link between regional Public Health Observatories and the national governing arrangements. The APHO is proving to be a valuable forum for disseminating good practice, co-ordinating action across Observatories and providing a focus for links with nationally based organisations.

The APHO has put in place a programme of work to support the development of the regional PHOs, including:

• A national collaborative project to develop a method for the production of public health indicators for primary care organisations

• A national collaborative project on sexual health and HIV information

• A national collaborative project on information to support the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework

• Development of the national website (www.pho.org.uk)

• Agreement of link PHOs for key areas of national policy
  A strategy development project

• P lanning for a national conference

In addition, the regional PHOs have been undertaking specific projects, based largely on locally determined priorities.

This report demonstrates how the work of the PHOs and the APHO is strengthening public health input into a broad range of cross-government initiatives aimed at improving health and reducing inequalities, with examples of progress reported against key policy headings.