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The return of public health to local government in England: changing the parameters of the public health prioritization debate?

Marks, L., Hunter, D.J., Scalabrini, S., Gray, J., McCafferty, S., Payne, N., Peckham, Stephen, Salway, S., Thokala, P. (2015) The return of public health to local government in England: changing the parameters of the public health prioritization debate? Public Health, 129 (9). pp. 1194-1203. ISSN 0033-3506. E-ISSN 1476-5616. (doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2015.07.028) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:50454)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2015.07.028

Abstract

Objectives

To explore the influence of values and context in public health priority-setting in local government in England.

Study design

Qualitative interview study.

Methods

Decision-makers' views were identified through semi-structured interviews and prioritization tools relevant for public health were reviewed. Interviews (29) were carried out with Health and Wellbeing Board members and other key stakeholders across three local authorities in England, following an introductory workshop.

Results

There were four main influences on priorities for public health investment in our case study sites: an organizational context where health was less likely to be associated with health care and where accountability was to a local electorate; a commissioning and priority-setting context (plan, do, study, act) located within broader local authority priority-setting processes; different views of what counts as evidence and, in particular, the role of local knowledge; and debates over what constitutes a public health intervention, triggered by the transfer of a public health budget from the NHS to local authorities in England.

Conclusions

The relocation of public health into local authorities exposes questions over prioritizing public health investment, including the balance across lifestyle interventions and broader action on social determinants of health and the extent to which the public health evidence base influences local democratic decision-making. Action on wider social determinants reinforces not only the art and science but also the values and politics of public health.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.puhe.2015.07.028
Uncontrolled keywords: Priority-setting, Public health investment, Local commissioners, Democratic decision-making
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HJ Public Finance
J Political Science > JS Local government. Municipal government
R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Funders: National Institute for Health Research (https://ror.org/0187kwz08)
Depositing User: Stephen Peckham
Date Deposited: 10 Sep 2015 09:25 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 10:59 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/50454 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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