Public Health

Overview

The Public Health Team led by the Joint Director of Public Health for Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders, works to promote and protect the health and well-being of Borderers and prevent them becoming ill.

Within the overall team there are five expert teams to ensure particular areas of work are effectively delivered.

Joint Health Improvement Team

The Joint Health Improvement team aims to lead and support improvement in health and a reduction in health inequalities in the Scottish Borders along with partner organisations including, community and voluntary sector as well as the public.

The team brings together Scottish Borders Council staff with designated health improvement functions and the former NHS Borders Health Promotion Department. Most importantly the Healthy Living Network Staff are part of this team.

Health Protection Team

The Health Protection Team in the Borders focuses on:

• protecting the public from being exposed to communicable disease and environmental hazards which damage their health
• limiting impact on health when such exposures have already occurred
• co-ordination of immunisation programmes
• co-ordination of  resilience planning for NHS Borders
• co-ordination of national screening programmes

Scottish Borders Council Regulatory Services

Scottish Borders Council Regulatory Services staff are not directly managed by the Director of Public Health but are a vital complement to the other Public Health teams, particularly the Health Protection Team.

They are responsible for carrying out duties under a wide-range of legislation which has an impact on the health, safety and welfare of our Borders community.

Service Improvement Team

The Service Improvement Team provides support to clinical services in assessing population needs and epidemiology, evidence based approaches, service strategies and design and project management of new services. 

Topics addressed are generally high priorities for NHS Borders in terms of opportunities for service improvement and/or improved efficiency or because they are national priorities.

Borders Alcohol and Drugs Partnership

The Borders Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is a multi-agency group, chaired by the Joint Director of Public Health, established by the Scottish Government to ensure a co-ordinated approach to reduce the impact of problem drug and alcohol use on individuals, families, communities. 

The partnership is supported a small team led by a Strategic Co-ordinator to support the development of actions to tackle drug and alcohol problems at a local level.

What we can do for you?

• we run programs to help children and families stay at a healthy weight
• we run smoking cessation clinics and provide "Keep Well" health checks with support to change lifestyle risk factors
• we investigate outbreaks of foodborne infection as well as other kinds of infection to prevent them happening again or getting worse
• we provide general advice on communicable diseases and infection control in various community settings
• we invite you to take part in various national immunisation and screening programmes
• we contribute to ensuring that you have effective, accessible healthcare services

The Alcohol and Drugs Partnership funds work to prevent problem alcohol and drug use as well as treatment and recovery services. It is also a point of access for information about drug and alcohol use in the Scottish Borders, and where to get help for those with substance misuse problems.

Facts and figures

Between Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders, Public Health has a total joint budget of little more than £1.7 million. The team has fewer than 40 members of staff.

Contact the Public Health Dept

• By telephone:  01896 825560 
  
• by email:  public.health@borders.scot.nhs.uk