Director of Public Health - Council

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About The Role

Role: Director of Public Health REF112605
Contract Length: Initially until May 2026
Location: Hybrid - Policy is 40% onsite, HQ is in Reigate
IR35: Inside
Pay Rate to Intermediary: Market Rate

Spinwell is recruiting for a Director of Public Health for an excellent opportunity within the public sector.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH

• Be the chief officer and principal adviser on public health to the Council, local communities and local partners
• Operate strategically as a member of the corporate management/executive board and across the Council influencing policy and practice.
• To lead on embedding Public Health within the whole Surrey system positively working with partners to ensure the health and well-being of Surrey residents is maximised to its full potential.
• To act as a lead within the system for Population Health Management, ensuring effective use of data to design new models of proactive care and deliver improvements in health and wellbeing which makes best use of the collective resources.
• To undertake assessment of the population's health and well-being through the interpretation of highly complex epidemiological and statistical information of Surrey's health population. To ensure the use of the best available evidence base to support the assessment of health needs, inequalities, impact assessment and identification of areas for action within the population and produce an annual report on the health of the population of Surrey.
• To provide expert public health advice and leadership to support and inform an evidence-based approach within ethical frameworks for commissioning, seeking opportunities for integrated and joint commissioning that improve outcomes for residents wherever possible.
• To provide expert advice to support evidence-based commissioning, prioritisation of services for the population (and in some circumstances for the individual) to maximise opportunities for health.
• To lead the communication, dissemination, implementation and delivery of national, regional and local policies and public health strategies, developing inter-agency and interdisciplinary strategic plans and programmes, with delegated authority to deliver key public health targets.
• To act in an expert advisory capacity on public health knowledge, standards and practice, across the spectrum of public health at Member level.
• To be responsible for the development and implementation of multi-agency long-term public health programmes as required, based on identification of areas of potential health improvement, the diversity of local needs and the reduction of inequalities
• Ensure proper linkages between the health agenda and strategies related to the wider determinants including for example, community safety, the environment and sustainability to support shared accountability for delivering improved outcomes for local people.
• To take the lead in developing inter-agency and interdisciplinary short and long-term strategic plans for securing health improvement, both in the general population and in vulnerable groups at high risk of poor health and reduced life expectancy, working in partnership with a range of agencies.
• To influence external agencies in their public health policy decisions by working with complex professional, managerial and population groups and other organisations in the statutory, non-statutory and private sectors.
• To pursue a programme of CPD, in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements, or other recognised body, and undertake revalidation, professional appraisal, audit or other measures required to remain on the GMC/GDC Specialist Register or the UK Public Health (Specialist) Register or other specialist register as appropriate.
• To practise in accordance with all relevant sections of the General Medical Council's Good
• Medical Practice (if medically qualified) and the Faculty of Public Health's Good Public
• Exercise the statutory responsibilities including the delivery of the mandated services
• To advise County Council on its statutory and professional public health obligations.
• Work with the PHE Region and NHS England & NHS Improvement to ensure local communities are protected from infectious disease threats (including food and water borne disease, pandemics, etc) and environmental hazards
• Ensure the development and delivery of a credible plan to improve health and wellbeing of communities in Surrey and reduce health inequalities.
• Ensure that the Council has implemented its EPRR responsibilities and through Co-chairing of the Local Health resilience Forum, that partner organisations have delivered their EPRR responsibilities.
• Work in partnership with ICBs and Directors of Social care to take responsibility for
• Population Health and Care; including oversight and promoting population coverage of immunisation and screening programmes.
• Provide public health advice (the core offer) to ICBs supporting the commissioning of appropriate, effective (based on evidence), and equitable health services.
• Support the Health and Wellbeing Board to deliver its statutory duty to promote integration for the benefit of local communities.
• Collaborate across local authority boundaries and with Integrated Care Systems to ensure residents of Surrey benefit from population health and care programmes
• Develop a constructive relationship with the media and the public, within the context of the
• Council Communications policy.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH

• Inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List or UK Public Health
• Register (UKPHR) or within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview.
• If included in the GMC/GDC Specialist Register in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine practice.
• Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with
• Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body.
• Can demonstrate continuing professional development through appraisal and revalidation as a specialist with GMC or other regulator.
• MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment.

• High level of understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
• Full understanding of and commitment to addressing relationships and cultures of organisations that impact on the wider determinants of health
• Demonstrable understanding of the changing role of local authorities, the issues facing local government and the wider economy and how they impact relevant service areas.
• Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
• In-depth knowledge of local communities and better working between the public and local organisations
• Understanding of social and political environment
• Understanding of interfaces between health and social care and wider integration agenda
• A transformational leader with a full understanding of relationships and culture of organisations that impact on the wider determinants of health as well as health services

• Ability to persuade, negotiate and influence at all levels.
• Ability to apply discretion and initiative in dealing with complex sensitive issues.
• Ability to think strategically with appropriate level of detail analysis to plan and execute.
• Authoritative and influential with highly developed relationship management and networking skills, and the ability to foster joint working across service and organisational boundaries for the benefit of residents and communities in Surrey.
• Able to lead across all local authority functions to district councils, NHS bodies, the private sector and the third sector indicating the impact of investment on public health and inequalities
• A skilled and trusted communicator at all times particularly in a crisis, demonstrating excellent oral and written communication skills, including media relations
• Political sensitivity with an ability to make progress in complex policy areas and a strong belief in the value of local democracy and accountability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Substantial experience of public health practice at a senior level within a complex system.
• Demonstrably accomplished in improving the health of communities
• Experience of working in complex political and social environments
• Experience of producing a range of high-level documentation suitable for scrutiny, such as scientific publications, conference and seminar papers and/or presentations
• Experienced presenter with the ability to respond effectively to challenges in a public arena
• Track record of embedding performance management into operational activity and of delivering improvements against performance targets.
• Experience of developing relationships and influencing multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrable change management skills
• Experience of managing a large (multi £m) complex budget

If you are Director of Public Health apply now or send your CV to Spinwell!
We welcome all applications regardless of background, in line with our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

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