Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), writes in the Municipal Journal on the priorities for public health in 2020: 

"A new year, a new me! Ah, the opportunity the new year brings to set new health goals. And so much easier today, with all the inspiring social public health movements, such as Dry January and Parkrun. Social movements, social media, digital technology. The level of public engagement demonstrates the huge appetite that exists for wellbeing. This is cause for celebration.

"[...] We need to create the conditions that enable us all to be as healthy as possible. This should be the nation’s new year’s resolution. Before the General Election, the Association of Directors of Public Health published a Manifesto for Public Health setting out what we thought the Government’s priorities should be. This is an agenda for 2020 and the decade ahead.

"Firstly, wellbeing should be built into the fabric of Government decision-making when it comes to both policy-making and funding allocation. Wales has already made a vital step towards realising this ambition, through the introduction of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Similarly, in Scotland, there is a vision for national wellbeing in the form of the National Performance Framework. England must follow with its own Wellbeing Act

"Secondly, lets address the worrying level of inequalities across the country. This means understanding and acting on the social determinants of health – income and employment, school readiness and attainment, housing – and of course that green space near you big enough for a Parkrun. It also means addressing the commercial drivers of smoking, alcohol use and poor diet, expanding the use of the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle.

"Thirdly, it is time for a multi-year funding settlement for public health. More investment is urgently needed in public health and prevention. Increasing spending on the NHS is essential but it must be matched with a long-term settlement for the home of prevention: local government [...] In addition, further investment is needed across a wide range of policy areas at a national level including housing, transport and welfare to tackle the root causes of ill health. The Government should act immediately to confirm the Public Health Grant allocations for 2020/21.

"[...] Finally, binding national targets to reduce child poverty are fundamental. Poverty is the most significant determinant of children and young people’s health in the UK. Currently, 4.1 million children in the UK are living in poverty. 2020 was meant to be the year we ended it for good. There are glimpses of light. The Department of Health and Social Care has recommitted to making prevention a priority and we look forward to the progression of the Prevention Green Paper [...] Public health is a team sport. In 2020 we all need to play our part – clear leadership from the Government will be essential. Directors of Public Health are fit and ready to go. If we work together, we can all win."

Source: The Municipal Journal, 8 January 2020