The public health system in England empowers local government to lead on major health issues that affect local populations. This enables a strategic approach tailored to local health needs and to address the determinants of health and health inequalities.
To support a local government-led approach to better public health, every local authority with public health responsibilities must, jointly with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, appoint a specialist director of public health. The Director of Public Health is a statutory chief officer of their authority, accountable for the delivery of public health responsibilities, and the principal adviser on all health matters to elected members and officers, with a front-line leadership role spanning all three domains of public health – health improvement, health protection and healthcare public health. The Director of Public Health also has a vital system leadership role, working closely with place-based organisations in efforts to secure better public health.
In general, the statutory responsibilities of the Director of Public Health are designed to match exactly the corporate public health duties of their local authority. The exception is the annual report on the health of the local population: the Director of Public Health has a duty to write an independent report, whereas the local authority’s duty is to publish it. The content and structure of the report may be decided locally.
Thus, with the exception of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, an independent Director of Public Health Annual Report has been published with the topic and content determined by the Director of Public Health.
2024
The Director of Public Health Annual Report is on Women’s Health.
Now You See Us: Shining the spotlight on women’s health in Hull.
Previous reports
Further information relating to the Director of Public Health Annual reports including previous reports are available on the main Hull City Council website www.hull.gov.uk/public-health/director-public-health-annual-report
Updates
This page was last updated / checked on 20 January 2025.
This page is due to be updated / checked in January 2026.