News item
CfWI Public Health Consultant and Specialist Survey 2013
This survey provides a snapshot of current career intentions and issues affecting recruitment and retention within the public health specialist workforce since the changes to the public health system introduced on 1 April 2013 which resulted in responsibility for public health transferring from the NHS to local authorities.
The survey was conducted online in November and December 2013 with just over half of the target population participating.It revealed the following key findings:
- Job satisfaction – public health consultants and specialists rated their job satisfaction as 6 out of 10 on average. Many appreciated the variety of their work and the potential to make an impact, with 52 per cent giving a job satisfaction rating of 7 out of 10 or higher.
- Career intentions – just over half of respondents expected to remain in their current post for the next one to two years, and just over 20 per cent over the next three to five years.
- Changing roles and responsibilities – over 70 per cent of respondents anticipated changes to their roles and responsibilities over the next one to two years, with changes to organisational boundaries, policy and procedures most commonly cited as expected changes.
- Career support – over half of respondents rated the support provided by their employer as 6 out of 10 or higher, suggesting that overall career support was moderately good while a sizeable minority rated the level of support from their employer as 3 out of 10 or lower.
- Education and training – the most popular suggestions to encourage new applicants to the profession were clearly defined career pathways, a clear vision for public health, and favourable terms and conditions.
- Career recommendation – encouragingly, 48 per cent said they would recommend a career in public health, compared to only 22 per cent of respondents who would not.
To read the full survey report, click here.