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Health and social care

An introduction to Public Health

We're responsible for the health of people living, working, studying and visiting York.

The Faculty of Public Health defines public health as:

'The science and art of promoting and protecting health and wellbeing, preventing ill-health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society.'

Public Health Team

Our Public Health Team is tasked with improving the health of the city's population.

The team includes:

  • Director of Public Health
  • Assistant Director of Public Health
  • Nurse Consultant in Public Health
  • Health Improvement managers and officers
  • Health and Wellbeing Partnerships coordinator

Areas of Public Health

There are 3 key areas in Public Health.

Health improvement

Health improvement includes assessing the impacts on health of:

  • inequality
  • education
  • housing
  • employment
  • family/community
  • lifestyle

Healthcare

Healthcare includes areas such as:

  • clinical effectiveness
  • efficiency
  • health economics
  • service planning
  • audit and evaluation
  • clinical governance
  • equity

Health protection

Health protection includes assessing the health consequences of:

  • infectious diseases
  • screening
  • chemicals and poisons
  • radiation
  • emergency responses
  • surveillance and monitoring of specific diseases and risk factors

Our roles and responsibilities

The work of the Public Health Team is driven by the Council Plan and the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for York, which is informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Our work covers a variety of areas, such as:

Public Protection

Immediate and short-term Public Protection health issues are dealt with by our Environmental Health Team.

This includes:

Your doctor and your health

Immediate and urgent risks to your health must be referred to your own doctor (GP).

Also see

Public Health

Station Rise, West Offices, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 553866