How we work on public health

Since 2013 local authorities have been responsible for improving the health of their local population, and for public health services including most sexual health services and services aimed at reducing drug and alcohol misuse.

Every local authority with public health responsibilities must employ a specialist Director of Public Health (DPH).

Legislation requires local authorities to have in place a health and wellbeing board. Havering’s Health and Wellbeing Board is a Committee of the Council on which both the Council and other bodies are represented.

The Board works towards ensuring people in Havering have services of the highest quality which promote their health and wellbeing and to narrow inequalities and improve outcomes for local residents.

It achieves this by coordinating the local NHS, social care, children’s services and public health to develop greater integrated working to make the best use of resources collectively available.

The Board uses the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and other evidence to determine priorities, and describes these priorities in a Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.