Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to the announcement of Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy as the new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and the formal launch of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
Responding to the announcement of Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy as the new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and the formal launch on 1 October of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said;
“Congratulations to Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy for her new role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer, which comes at a crucial stage of our pandemic response and as we learn to adapt to and live with coronavirus.
“Jeanelle’s contribution to local government, as President of the Association of Directors of Public Health and as Director of Public Health at Tameside Council, during the biggest health crisis in memory has been immense and we look forward to continuing to work closely with her in her new role.
“The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and change of its formal title is a better reflection of the need to address the underlying health inequalities which existed long before COVID-19 and have been exacerbated by it, if we are to build back better.
“All parts of the public health system – including councils’ public health services - have a role to play in promoting healthier choices, preventing sickness and intervening early, to reduce the need for costly hospital treatment and social care.”