DPH Role

The role of the Director of Public Health is essentially the same across all countries of the UK despite growing differences in structures and accountabilities. The core purpose of the DPH is:

independent advocacy for the health of the population and leadership for its improvement and protection.
Despite very different professional strengths, populations and organisational expectations, the basic roles that DsPH undertake are also consistent across the UK with differences highlighted in priorities rather than the way that DsPH work. A brief description of the role is in the ADPH trifold.

As part of their advocacy role DsPH are expected to produce an Annual Report on the health of their population. ADPH has held a competition for the best DPH Annual Report each year since 2005.

ADPH produced a report The Role of the DPH (2010) for the English Department of Health based on a wide range of stakeholder views which sets out the current role and recommendations for its continuance.

Other useful publications:

Leading Together Better (2009) - a joint publication from ADPH, IDeA, ADASS and ADCS

Perspectives on joint DPH Appointments (ed. David Hunter 2008)

ADPH framework on joint appointments (2006)