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Expanding the public health workforce

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Expanding the public health workforce

The Royal Society for Public Health is urging all public-facing workers, including bar staff and hairdressers, to discuss health issues with the public

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is calling for public-facing workers to help promote key health messages to the wider population.

The appeal is intended for anyone with “the opportunity or ability to positively impact health and wellbeing through their work” and the health charity’s report – Rethinking the Public Health Workforce – highlights hairdressers and bar staff as possible candidates, as well as traditional healthcare professionals such as pharmacists.

The report builds on findings presented in a review published earlier this year. Understanding the Wider Public Health Workforce was commissioned by the Department of Health, Public Health England and Health Education England, and produced by RSPH in collaboration with the Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI).

The findings indicate that one in four people are happy to access health advice through non-traditional channels, such as hairdressers. This could, the authors suggest, help break down barriers between the public and primary care by normalising discussions that may provoke anxiety for some people.

Positive interventions

The report offers a breakdown of different occupations whose efforts could complement the core public health workforce.

Of those whose work is linked directly to healthcare, the report estimates that there are 172,686 allied health professionals (e.g. physiotherapists), 243,000 welfare and housing professionals and 72,985 in pharmacy who can contribute. With 95 per cent of the population visiting a pharmacy at least once a year, RSPH argues that the sector offers significant scope for positive intervention.

RSPH also identifies new job sectors with the potential to aid public health efforts. These include 1,957,000 people working in education and 1,405,000 in various hospitality roles. Suggested measures include engaging people in conversation about healthy lifestyle choices and signposting to specialist services, as well as businesses such as bars being used for checking blood pressure and carrying out other medical tests.

Chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, Shirley Cramer CBE welcomed the report: “An extra 15 million people would be a huge addition to the public health workforce and the potential benefits to the public’s health are huge.

“Many of these occupations enjoy trusted relationships with the public and have golden opportunities to reinforce and support conversations about lifestyle health issues in a sensitive and non-judgemental fashion.”

Commenting on the valuable role pharmacy plays in advising on health issues, Royal Pharmaceutical Society English Pharmacy Board chair Sandra Gidley said: “Pharmacy is at the forefront of making every contact count when it comes to improving the public’s health. Pharmacists work alongside fellow medical and nursing health professionals as an active part of NHS delivery of public health. Right now, around the country, pharmacists are helping people with sexual health problems, helping people quit smoking, addressing alcohol and substance misuse, and providing weight management, screening and vaccinations. This is on top of the provision of advice and support around self care and expertise on all aspects of medicines from community pharmacists.

“The results of a national evaluation of Healthy Living Pharmacies, where pharmacists and their teams focus on health improvement as part of a structured offer to the public, showed marked success in chlamydia screening and quitting smoking," she said. "We would urge Local Authorities to follow this evidence trail and back a full roll out of Healthy Living Pharmacies in their locality.”

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