Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

The geographical distribution of specialists in public health in the United Kingdom: is capacity related to need?

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

UNSPECIFIED (2005) The geographical distribution of specialists in public health in the United Kingdom: is capacity related to need? PUBLIC HEALTH, 119 (7). pp. 639-646. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2004.10.020 ISSN 0033-3506.

Research output not available from this repository.

Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2004.10.020

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Objectives. Recent organizational changes reflect the need to be more responsive to local populations and have included fostering a closer structural relationship between primary care and public health. In light of this, we explore the distribution of the specialist public health workforce and the relationship with population deprivation and need.

Study design. Questionnaire survey to all directors of public health working in primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) in England to determine the number of specialists in public health working in either PCTs or SHAs. All identified specialists were given the opportunity to self-define in a further questionnaire survey. Whole-time-equivatent staffing, per head of population, was analysed against socio-economic deprivation, measured by the DETR 2000 Index of Multiple Deprivation. The analysis was conducted at the SHIA level.

Results. The survey was undertaken whilst public health in the UK was undergoing immense change. This presented specific challenges in identifying specialists in public health working within PCTs and SHAs. Seven hundred and eighty-three specialists working in PCTs and SHAs were identified. On average, in England, there are 1.69 specialists in public health per 100,000 population, with some variability at SHA level (range= 0.8-2.89). Findings indicate an overall positive association between capacity at SHA level and socio-economic need, although some discrepancies between need and provision are apparent.

Conclusions. The general. positive association between capacity and deprivation should offer some reassurance to policy makers, researchers and patients alike. However, further efforts are needed to redistribute specialists in some areas to address organizational capacity and equity issues. (c) 2005 The Royal Institute of Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Journal or Publication Title: PUBLIC HEALTH
Publisher: W B SAUNDERS CO LTD
ISSN: 0033-3506
Official Date: July 2005
Dates:
DateEvent
July 2005UNSPECIFIED
Volume: 119
Number: 7
Number of Pages: 8
Page Range: pp. 639-646
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2004.10.020
Publication Status: Published

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item
twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us