Decision Maker: Director for Police, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, GM Deputy Mayor, Treasurer GMCA
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Public health expertise has been crucial to
the development of the GM Violence Reduction Unit and the programme
has greatly benefited from this since its inception in 2019.
Throughout this time, input has been through a succession of Public
Health Registrar appointments as part of the national registrar
training programme. However, between January 2021 and May 2021
there was no Public Health Registrar available which highlighted
the potential risk of solely relying on registrar support. The
current Registrar is due to stay in post until Aug-2022 when the
VRU will be faced with another gap in support, with no plans in
place for a replacement, a process over which the VRU has limited
influence.
Therefore, to ensure a strong public health approach is adopted
across Greater Manchester for Violence Prevention, it is critical
to incorporate senior public health expertise and knowledge. The
individual must be an expert in the field of Public Health,
(registered in GMC/UKPHR/GDC), with particular specialist knowledge
in Violence Prevention, so that the public health principles can be
embedded into a system wide approach. They must also be a senior
and system leader with extensive knowledge and expertise of public
sector, in particular NHS and local government, so that cultures
and organisational boundaries are understood, yet can be
challenged.
Benefits to the VRU:
• Provide sufficient senior expertise to influence and
negotiate with District Directors of Public Health and Strategic
Health Leads across a range of organisations and settings
• Represent GM wide public health agenda in relation to
Police, Fire and Crime to support integration within the developing
locality boards and development of an Integrated Care System
• Advise Mayor and Deputy Mayor regarding opportunities and
approaches to support reducing Youth Violence and Gender Based
Violence
• Represent Public Health agenda at the GM Violence Reduction
Governance Board and provide credible leadership and guidance at a
senior level to support systemwide change and improvement
• Provide oversight of all relevant data and ways to
strengthen and improve the VRU understanding of all factors
relating to violence
• Oversee the production of the Violence Strategic Needs
Assessment
A Public Health Consultant is appointed for
2.5 days per week, for the VRU at a cost of £87,000 per annum
for a period of 2 years.
Total cost £174,000
Publication date: 05/09/2022
Date of decision: 28/07/2022