The Isle of Wight’s public health service has moved a step closer to a new long-term strategic partnership with Hampshire County Council.
The Council’s Cabinet approved the proposal on Thursday night which will also go before Hampshire county councillors on 22nd July.
The new partnership — already supported by Public Health England — will build on a successful interim arrangement between the Island’s council and Hampshire which has been in place since January 2018.
The Isle of Wight Council will retain responsibility for public health policy and strategy to best meet the needs of the Island’s community.
Public health services focus on improving the health of the population through a range of statutory and other programmes of work including empowering the population to make healthy choices, protecting them from health harms and working with partners for the best health outcomes.
The Cabinet agreed that the full details of the new partnership, including public health targets and resources needed, would be delegated to the council’s chief executive and Cabinet member responsible for public health.
Councillor Clare Mosdell, Cabinet member responsible for public health, said:
“If approved by Hampshire County Council, this new partnership will help us to build, for the long-term, on the interim public health arrangements we already have in place with Hampshire – alongside what has proven to be a very successful arrangement for children’s services.
Article continues below this advertisement “It will allow us to fully share knowledge, expertise and resources for the benefit of Island residents in terms of the future provision, development and promotion of public health services.”
If the proposal is agreed by Hampshire later this month, the new partnership would start on 1st August 2019.
