Public Health Grant is slap in the face for Warrington says health chief

THE Government’s annual public health grant awarded to Warrington Borough Council for the next financial year is ‘woefully inadequate’ and is an a “slap in the face for Warrington” according to the council’s cabinet member for Public Health and Wellbeing, Maureen Mclaughlin.

She says it fails to recognise both the costs of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and the importance of tackling the factors that make people more susceptible to the disease- although Warrington South Mp Andy Carter says he is pleased with the Government’s commitment to keeping the Public Health grant including £1.3m to Warrington to track and trace.

Cllr McLaughlin says that despite over a year of intense work tackling the pandemic, and with further demands on the system expected as lockdown gradually eases, the grant allocated by the government is just £59.75 per head of population – an increase of only 0.67% – and with it the council is expected to manage additional responsibilities, so in real terms, this is a cut.
The Council’s public health team is now responsible for a wide range of Covid support measures to help tackle infection rates including local track and trace; offering support for people who are self-isolating; intervening in local outbreaks; advising schools, care homes and businesses; and data analysis to keep a close eye on local infection rates.
These services are in addition to the everyday work of the public health team around physical, social and emotional wellbeing and the public health grant also has to pay for vital commissioned services such as sexual health services and NHS health checks.
Cllr McLaughlin added: “This grant is woefully inadequate and fails to recognise the crucial work the council’s public health team carries out on a daily basis – not only in terms of fighting the pandemic but also in helping to address the many health risks that make people more susceptible to Covid. It’s a slap in the face for people in Warrington, and for our dedicated public health team.
“Despite public health being thrust into the spotlight over the last 12 months, the Conservative Government has completely overlooked the important role of local teams both in tackling the pandemic and in delivering programmes to reduce health inequalities and address health risks such as smoking and obesity.
“After the terrible year we’ve had, it beggars belief that this Government still hasn’t grasped the implications of the Covid crisis. It has been local councils
and health partners that have done much of the work on disease prevention and control. NHS staff were rewarded with a paltry 1% pay rise, whilst councils are hit with a derisory funding settlement that is a big cut in real terms.”

In response Mr Carter said: “The Government is supporting Directors of Public Health, and their teams, to protect and improve the public’s health and wellbeing during the pandemic and beyond.
“As part of the recent Spending Review I’m pleased that the Government committed to keeping the public health grant, meaning Warrington Borough Council can continue to invest in prevention and essential frontline health services.
“In addition to the baseline funding for public health which has seen an increase, we have also made over £11bn available to local councils to support them with the costs and impacts of Covid-19, such as the £1.3 million that has been available for Warrington for track and trace.”