ADPH responds to Government on ICSs

Responding to the Government’s formal response to the recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee on ICSs and the Hewitt Review, Prof Jim McManus, ADPH President, said:

“Directors of Public Health share the ambition for ICSs to enable strong partnership working at a local level, including between the NHS and local government, to boost health and wellbeing. The Government’s response emphasises the importance of ICSs continually focussing on prevention and health inequalities; and reaffirms the role of Directors of Public Health and their teams.

“ADPH has long called for more investment in prevention. It is therefore disappointing the Government has dismissed the proposal from the Hewitt Review for a national expectation that the share of NHS spend on prevention increases over time.

“However, there is a recognition that this is the right direction of travel through a commitment to work with ICSs, local government and others to support local decision-making on prevention spend and consider an appropriate definition. ADPH and Directors of Public Health will engage at all levels to drive more investment in, and focus on, prevention and health inequalities through the collaborative forums ICSs provide.”