Background
In June 2020 local government have been identified as critical in managing the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: testing, contact tracing and outbreak management. This includes both the professional expertise of the director of public health and their team and also the political and system leadership role the council has. All upper tier councils have been tasked by Government to
- establish a member-led Local Outbreak Control Board
- establish a director of public health-led COVID-19 Health Protection Board
- develop a Local Outbreak Control Plan.
This sector led improvement offer aims to support council leaders, the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, and the Chief Executive with effective planning for a local outbreak. The key outcome sought would be a well-organised local system that works in tandem with Public Health England health protection teams, other relevant partners, with councils and councillors clear in their roles and responsibilities and able to communicate effectively with their local population, and to respond to the action needed for managing a local outbreak.
The local leadership offer
We have developed this peer support offer, recognising that, as this pandemic is unlikely to be short-lived, councils and their partners can all learn from each other. It will help identify strengths and areas for improvement for now and during the recovery phase. A system of mutual assurance can also be developed across councils by sharing best practice and peer reviewing each other’s plans. Leaders can also look to the 11 Good Practice Networks set up by Department of Health and Social Care to share learning with the sector. There are two parts to the local leadership peer support offer:
- self-assessment/ checklist of questions
- facilitated session (virtual).
The self-assessment tool can be used by the local leaders independently ADD LINK We can also provide a facilitated (virtual) workshop session to help achieve a common understanding between the local leaders of how prepared the authority is, in terms of its leadership, capacity, partnership working and communication with community. The facilitation would be delivered by an experienced member peer and director of public health.
For further information contact: [email protected] or [email protected]