ADPH responds to Autumn Statement

Responding to the Autumn Statement, Jim McManus, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:

“We welcome additional investment in the NHS, social care and schools. However, investment in public health is also a vitally important component in improving the nation’s health.

“Health is inextricably linked to wealth. A healthy workforce underpins all economic activity; healthy children are our future workforce and all are dependent on effective public health services like health visitors, school nurses, addiction and rehabilitation clinics and sexual health clinics to name just a few.

“The Government have cut the funding for these services by 24% in real terms since 2015/16 through cuts to the public health grant. This is counter-productive.”

“Directors of Public Health have worked hard to make efficiency savings and continue to provide services, but there have inevitably been knock-on consequences for provision and services will be forced to close.

“We strongly urge the Government to commit to increasing the public health grant in real terms in line with the Chancellor’s decision to deliver rises in real terms to public spending overall.

“We welcome the commitment to review the NHS workforce but this also needs to consider the public health workforce which has been under pressure since before the Covid-19 pandemic and faces equally difficult challenges. We are ready to work with the Government and other stakeholders to help develop a sustainable, effective way forward and welcome the opportunity to discuss this further.

“Ultimately, if funding is not increased, there will further harm to communities and all those who work under intense pressure to deliver essential public health services.”