About
The Scottish Public Health Network is open to everyone in Scotland who has a professional interest and significant involvement in the wider public health agenda including staff from the NHS, local authorities, academia and others.
Participation is centred round specific projects which will involve multiple organisations and disciplines. Anybody who wishes to be part of ScotPHN where appropriate may do so.
The work programme is generated from the public health community in Scotland.
Aims of ScotPHN:
- To undertake prioritised national pieces of work where there is a clearly identified need.
- To facilitate information exchange between public health practitioners, link with other networks and share learning.
- To create effective communication amongst professionals and the public to allow efficient co-ordination of public health activity.
- To support and enhance the capabilities and functionality of the Scottish Directors of Public Health Group.
Infrastructure
The ScotPHN is hosted by Public Health Scotland and is accountable to the Directors of Public Health.
Team
A small team supports the work ScotPHN undertakes:
- Lead Consultant – Phil Mackie
- Organisational Lead (Public Health Networks) – Ann Conacher
- Manager – Ashleigh Jenkins
- Researcher – Neza Javornik
- Business Executive Support – Gillian McCartney
- Network Officers – Denise McHugh and Ryan Hughes
- Co-ordinators – Emma Scarlett
- Communications ＆ Engagement Implementation Lead – Vivienne Wilson
In addition, ScotPHN is joined by public health professionals working on longer term programmes of work. Currently these are:
- Michelle Gillies – Independent Public Health Consultant – Prevention of Gambling Harms
- Anna Cunningham – Interim Public Health Researcher
- Matthias Rohe – StR in Public Health
Governance
ScotPHN’s governance arrangements have been updated with the formation of Executive and Advisory Groups (2014). These groups are responsible for monitoring the delivery of ScotPHN’s work programme and its quality assurance.
Executive and Advisory Groups
The Executive and Advisory Groups include representation from key constituencies in public health. The chair is usually a Director of Public Health; the current chair is Linda de Caestecker.
The current Advisory Board membership can be found on this page, under “Documents”. The Executive Board members are Linda de Caestecker (NHS GGC), and Claire Sweeney (PHS), along with ScotPHN team management.
ScotPHN provides the secretariat to:
- Scottish Directors of Public Health Group
- Consultants in Dental Public Health and Chief Administrative Dental Officers Group
- Scottish Health Promotion Managers Group
- Various special interest groups and SHIIAN and SMaSH