Until March 9 you can give your views on the Department of Health’s public health white paper, which outlines plans for health improvement and health protection.

At the national level, the proposals include building Public Health England within the Department of Health to integrate expertise and set challenging national objectives. And at the local level, local authorities are set to be put in the driving seat, empowering local communities to come together to tackle the challenges they face. This will involve more work being done by the voluntary sector, and the use of more innovative approaches to tackling public health challenges.

The White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People also sets out how funding from the overall NHS budget will be ring-fenced for spending on public health – a recognition that prevention is better than cure.

To view and comment on the public health consultation (closing date March 8) go to:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_121941