Whether it is supporting stopping smoking, encouraging healthy eating, protecting good mental health, or delivering universal or targeted health visiting services or simply working closely with the NHS - councils have a significant role to play.
The case studies in this publication show the innovations that can be achieved by local areas collaborating within regions on health issues that can best be tackled at scale.
Drinking and drug problems remain, sadly, all too common. While alcohol consumption is falling, too many adults still regularly consume more than they should.
Addressing violence is not a single agency issue, as it is the culmination of many different issues. It is only by pursuing a strategic, coordinated approach involving a range of agencies, including partnerships between statutory and voluntary organisations, that violent crime can be effectively addressed.
Childhood obesity is one of the biggest health challenges of the 21st century. At the start of primary school one in 10 children are obese and by the end, that has increased to one in five.
Local authority staff have essential frontline roles to play in TB control and ensuring that they themselves are also protected and screened if needed.
The population is ageing. Over the last 10 years the number of people aged over 65 in England increased by a fifth – that’s nearly 1.7 million extra older people.
In November 2017 the LGA conducted a survey of lead members of public health in England to capture the thoughts of local leaders on public health delivered by their local authority.
The theme for this year’s report is transformation. The eight case studies in this report
show the wide range of ways in which public health is transforming how it operates.
