Multidisciplinary Public Health: Understanding the Development of the Modern Workforce

Including the voices of key protagonists in the development of the public health workforce, this book is an important addition to the history of public health in England. It charts events leading to the unique achievement, from 2003, of specialist status, equivalent to public health medical consultants, for those from non-medical backgrounds. Setting these changes in context it discusses implications for practitioners and the wider UK public health workforce. A lively and comprehensive review of policy change, Multidisciplinary public health: Understanding the development of the modern workforce concludes with a reflection on the new public health system under way in England, making useful comparisons with the rest of the UK. This is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in public health, including public health academics and relevant postgraduate students.

Jenny Wright contributed to UK multidisciplinary public health from 2000, developing national competency and assessment frameworks and promoting public health careers. Now retired, she is completing a PhD on public health women doctors in England.

Fiona Sim OBE is current chair of the Royal Society for Public Health, Honorary Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Visiting Professor, University of Bedfordshire. She has contributed nationally to building public health capacity as a senior public health physician within service, research and DH. Fiona was a founding member of the Tripartite Group, representing RIPH. She stood down from the group on taking up a role at DH in 2002.

Katie Ferguson is a Public Health Speciality Registrar. Katie has a history doctorate and researched the multidisciplinary public health training scheme for her masters.