Public health - annual report and healthy communities

Public Health is the term given to the work we do to improve people's health; improve health services; reduce inequalities in health; prevent illness and disease; and improve life expectancy of our residents.  

Our work includes promoting healthy lifestyles; identifying and targeting the greatest health needs of our communities; commissioning evidence-based services and interventions; and detecting, preventing and responding to infectious diseases. 

Annual Report and Healthy Communities

Annual Report of the Director of Public Health 

The Director of Public Health Annual Report describes how we work together collectively to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities. It highlights the different experiences of health and illness across the county and the key challenges we face.

The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2018 (PDF, 2.5mb) : A new vision for 'The Taylors' improving health in County Durham - introduces a fictional family, 'the Taylors' to highlight the issues some of our families face as well as what we can achieve collectively to improve health and wellbeing. 

The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2019 (PDF, 2.9mb) : Time to talk about mental health and wellbeing take an in-depth look at mental health at scale and a health workforce. Support people to be able to talk more openly about mental health.

It sets out our refreshed priorities, how we will work to reduce any differences in health across our county, and how the whole council can contribute to the health and wellbeing of the people in County Durham.

Amanda Healy, Director of Public Health, talks about the Public Health Annual Report in the video below.

Amanda Healy public health vlog transcript (PDF, 179.8kb)

Meet the Taylors

Although Public Health works at a population level we know our actions ultimately impact on individuals and families. We have developed a fictional family called "The Taylor Family" which we use to show the positive impact of our work. The Director of Public Health Annual Report introduces the Taylor Family and shows the challenges they face along with their strengths and how through supporting and working with them their health and wellbeing can be improved.  

Healthy communities 

We have a role to develop a framework of healthy settings across our communities and organisations. Improving the public's health can only happen by working with other partnerships in County Durham, developing health in all policies and improving wider asset-based approaches. This includes the development of 'social movements' for health; for example making every contact with health services count and focusing on areas such as mental health and workplace health.