RSPH has welcomed the revised Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (PHSKF), published by Public Health England (PHE) and guided by the Public Health Skills Framework Steering Group and People in UK Public Health Group (PIUKPH).

The revised PHSKF provides a new way for the public health workforce to map their careers and for employers to understand the skills and competencies they need. It is accompanied by a helpful guide, setting out how it can be used by individuals, employers and educational providers working in public health.

PHE is encouraging individuals and organisations to use the Framework and feedback their experiences in order to further refine the Framework in preparation for the official launch in late Autumn.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of RSPH and Chair of PIUKPH, said: "It has been a privilege for PIUKPH to be involved in the development of the new framework, which marks a new era for the public’s health. We were delighted at the response of the current workforce in responding to the consultations about the framework as the insights gained from such significant engagement has made this a robust, accessible and flexible document which can be used in a variety of circumstances.

"Over recent years the scale and potential for the ‘wider public health workforce’ has been mapped. These are individuals who have ‘the opportunity or ability to improve or protect the public’s health’ but are not part of the core public health workforce. The new PHSKF, through setting out the functional areas in which individuals, teams and organisations operate, will enable the wider public health workforce to recognise their own contributions and perhaps choose to have a career in public health.

"It is vital that we have a standard benchmark across the UK to help individuals and their employers plan personal development and provide a common reference for the development of standards of practice and curricula for training and education qualifications. The new framework has resonance across the UK and critically can be presented through an easy to navigate interactive digital platform referred to as the ‘skills passport’, which creates the flexibility and quality we will need for our workforce of the future."