AHP's an integral part of the public health workforce - Linda Hindle

AHPs an integral part of the public health workforce

Linda Hindle, Allied Health Professions LeadFollow me on twitter @hindlelinda

My conversation with you• Our shared ambition

• Why we need to take action now

• Our collective priorities

• How I am supporting our ambition

• What more you can do

AHPs Autumn 2014AHPs Summer 2015

Our Ambition – AHPs are recognised as an integral part of the public health workforce• Well over 170,000 AHPs in UK

• Over 4 million contacts per week

• AHPs work across NHS, social care, education, private and voluntary sectors

• We work across the life course in a wide range of specialities

AHPs have the potential to add to virtually every public health priority


Why we need to act nowThe scale of the challenge – sustainability of our health and social care system

We are reducing premature mortality but not as fast as many other high income countries

Rising prevalence of most chronic diseases

Inequalities remain wide: a 10 year difference in life expectancy between least and most deprived 10% of population.

Worrying trends (e.g.: cases of diabetes increasing, increase in childhood obesity)


The major killers are well-known

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Ischaemic heart disease

Lung cancer

Stroke

COPD

Colorectal cancer

Breast cancer

Cirrhosis

Lower Respiratory Infection

Pacreatic cancer

other cardio

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Top causes of under 75 mortality – 2010

Raised blood pressure accounts for 50% of all heart

disease

Around 86% of lung cancer deaths

in the UK are caused by tobacco

smoking

…as are the main forms of disability

1) Musculoskeletal disorders

2) Mental illness

3) Diabetes

4) Chronic respiratory diseases

5) Neurological disorders

6) Unintentional injuries

7) Cardiovascular disorders

8) Cancer

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11 risk factors that account for 65% of the burden

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Wicked Problems: Health Inequalities

Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, and premature mortality rates vary across the country – higher rates strongly linked to socioeconomic deprivation




So what needs to happenUrgent need to shift focus towards prevention

We need to take every opportunity to create the environment, information and support to help people and communities change their behaviour and to enjoy better health and wellbeing.

Evidence based approached

Appreciation of health inequalities


Why AHPs are well placed to be public health practitioners

We routinely incorporate questioning around healthy lifestyles and wellbeing within our assessments.

Many of us have skills in motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Many of our interventions are geared towards encouraging patient’s to change.

We have a good understanding of the implications of poor health and lifestyle choices.

We care about our local population and community.

We all can incorporate the ‘Make Every Contact Count’ agenda into a current working day.


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Are we working as public health practitioners already?

AHPs Summer 2015

What do we mean by public health?

Improving the wider determinants of health

Health improvement – making every contact count

Health protection

Healthcare public health – preventing premature mortality


All HCPs

Primary andCommunity care

Public health

Patient

Family

Community

Population

Health and care

Population health outcomes

Good patient outcomes

Patients and the Public

Health Care Professionals (HCP)

Roles

The relationships for care and practice that bring opportunities to improve health and wellbeing

Prevent Illness & ComplicationProtect Health & Safety

Promote Positive Health & Well-Being

We are doing public health already


AHPs and Healthy Conversationso 9 in 10 AHPs agree their role

should include prevention

o Over four fifths already incorporate health improvement or prevention into their daily practice

o Almost 9 in 10 members of the public would trust healthy lifestyle advice from and AHP. This compares favourably with other professionals including doctors, nurses and pharmacists

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Could we do more?

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It’s not always easy

Commissioners

Leadership and

Service redesign

Training

Evidence


Challenges and opportunities for AHPsChallengesDo we have the skills?

Do we have the time / resources

Are we able to influence commissioning decisions

OpportunitiesWe can use public health as a tool to raise our profile

We are doing public health already

We may appeal to a wider group of commissioners


So what needs to changeAllied health professionals need to talk about their public health role, evaluate it and think about how to do more

Service planners and commissioners need to consider how to get public health value from their AHP contracts

Public health commissioners could consider whether AHPs should be part of commissioning plans

Educators need to ask if their curriculum includes proper attention to public health and prepares the future workforce for a wider role.

Researchers need to ask if they can publish more on the potential impact of AHPs on public health.


The time is right for AHPs in public healthPH leaders see

potential of AHPs

Professional bodies support

shift

Academics are preparing workforce

Policy shift towards

prevention

Commissioning for prevention

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Empowerment to achieve our ambition

National Local

Local leadership

Relationships

implementation

Profile

context

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My role

To achieve our collective ambition of AHPs being recognised as an integral part of the public

health workforce


How Will We Know We’ve Got There?1. AHPs are enthused about public health

2. All AHPs can describe the public health element of their role

3. Commissioners recognise the value and impact of AHPs on public health


Achieving the Ambition1. Engage and attract AHPs to public health

2. Sell AHP contribution to commissioners

3. Increase public health component of training and research

4. Improve communication

5. Focus our collective efforts to make a visible impact


Agreed Priorities Children ready for school / early years (language development, nutrition, physical skills, emotional development, vision)

Making every contact count (particular emphasis on obesity, physical activity, smoking and alcohol)

Improving health for older adults (nutrition, falls, maintaining independence, dementia, social isolation, mobility)

Emotional wellbeing (achieving parity of esteem of emotional wellbeing in line with physical health, holistic care)


Alignment of AHP public health priorities to PHE’s 7 priorities


Parity of Esteem Health Inequalities

PHE AHP Project Boards• Clarity about current AHP contribution

• Increasing strategic connections

• What could we do more at scale

• How we measure our impact

• How we communicate our public health role within our professions

• Communicating our role to wider stakeholders

• Influencing research

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Forthcoming work examples1. Development of an AHP public health strategy with AHP

Federation

2. Mapping of evidence of AHP contribution to public health

3. Developing our understanding of public health component of education

4. Specific tools e.g. AHP contribution to the Healthy Child Programme

5. AHP MECC videos

6. Championing AHP public health role at local level

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Local FocusPromote what you

do already

Can you do more

Evaluate and write up what

you do

Support the priorities

Develop conversations about public health with

commissioners


How – understand local priorities and pressures• Sources of information - Joint strategic needs assessment, health and

wellbeing board strategy, CCG delivery plans, DPH annual report, Health scrutiny committee reports

• Follow local organisations and leaders on twitter

• Sit in on Health and Wellbeing Board meetings

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How – Can you do more?• Seek and take opportunities

• Plan for the future

• Don’t assume your contribution is obvious

• Use examples of good practice from elsewhere

• Focus on re-design rather than just new money

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How -Measure your impact• Take time to plan evaluation

• Do short term data collection if necessary

• Partner with universities

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How – develop conversations with decision makers• Be helpful – solutions not problems

• Don’t assume those in leadership positions have all the answers

• Develop your elevator pitch

• Raise your profile and make connections via social media

• Attend networking opportunities

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How – promote what you do already• Most AHPs are already doing public health

• Take the time to write up what you do - this will have many uses

• Don’t assume everyone else is doing what you are doing / ‘it’s not good enough’

• Apply for awards

• Liaise with your communications teams so they have your good news stories

• Share your work via twitter

• Join in the next DH/PHE week of action

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Thank-you

AHPs Autumn 2014

Linda Hindle

[email protected]

@hindlelinda

AHPs summer 2015

mailto:[email protected]