Mind the gap: developing the PH workforce in the North East and Yorkshire and Humber regions: a scoping stakeholder study.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify key issues around public health workforce development in the North of England, considering the gap between need and current capacity and the training requirements to deliver the public health and health improvement agenda. METHODS: Interviews were carried out with over 50 professionals in a variety of stakeholder organizations, seeking their views on priorities for workforce development and perceived opportunities and threats to the development of a good public health workforce. RESULTS: There was general recognition of a gap between current public health resources and what is needed to meet the public health agenda. Priorities included both increasing capacity at the specialist end of public health and raising general public health awareness at all levels of public organizations. Major barriers identified to meeting these needs included organizational difficulties, professional barriers and shortages of appropriate training and resources. Opportunities were seen to be presented by the increased amount of joint working and by national and local raising of awareness of public health issues. CONCLUSIONS: Across the health sector, local authorities, training organizations and voluntary sectors, similar issues and expectations were mentioned at both specialist and practitioner levels. However, it has not been possible in North East England to translate this finding into practical programmes in the absence of nationally identified resources to address the issue.