Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Telford, 21st June, 2017 Ethical Foundations for Public Health – Implications for Policy, and practice Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Telford, 21st June, 2017

Key role of values “ Values define us as a group of public health professionals, values drew many of us into public health.” “Core values – fundamental ethical and basic scientific values support mission and purpose of the profession.” (Coughlin.S.S. – Epidemiologic review, 2000; 22:169-175)

The moral mandate of public health “The mandate to ensure and protect the health of the public is an inherently moral one. It carries with it an obligation to care for the well-being of communities, and it implies the possession of an element of power to carry out that mandate. The need to exercise power to ensure the health of populations and, at the same time, to avoid abuses of such power are at the crux of public health ethics.” (A Code of Ethics for Public Health – Thomas, J.C.; Sage, M.; Dillenberg, J.; and Guillory, V. j. - Am J Public Health. 2002 July; 92(7): 1057–1059.)

More than Just Technicians Making the invisible visible “If we could first know where we are and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do and how to do it.” Abraham Lincoln House Divided Speech Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858

“Public health practitioners at all levels of practice reported that they must confront numerous ethical choices, both explicitly and implicitly, in their professional roles every day. They often feel ill-prepared to make the ‘ethical trade-offs’ and perceive a need for more education and support to make these decisions.” Gaare Bernheim R (2003) Public Health Ethics: The Voices of Practitioners. The Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics 31(4)(Special Supplement): 104-109. S. 105.

Training in Public Health Ethics “Have you had any specific training / courses in public health ethics since completing your public health training?” 59% (196) - No; 27% (90) – Yes; 5% (16) - Not sure, 10% - still in training. “Did you ever have any specific training / courses in public health ethics during your public health training?” 54% (183) - No; 37% (124) - Yes; 9% (32) - not sure.

Public Health Ethics Advancing the discourse and implications for policy, research and practice Spaces to provide focus, learning and leadership Public Health Ethics Standing Committee Public Health Network Local Public Health Forums Promoting learning, education and training Prioritisation and the Intervention Ladder “Nanny State” Climate change and ethical investment Research and development

Dr Elizabeth Blackwell (3rd February 1821 (Bristol)— 31st May 1910 (Hastings) First Woman doctor “We are not tinkers who merely patch and mend what is broken… we must be watchmen, guardians of the life and the health of our generation, so that stronger and more able generations may come after”

Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Telford, 21st June, 2017 Ethical Foundations for Public Health – Implications for Policy, and practice Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Telford, 21st June, 2017

This is not public health This is not public health. This is violence (Burdens, benefits and justice)