By the UK Public Health Register
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital work of those at the front line of public health practice. But public health practitioners don’t just operate in a crisis – every day, they protect and promote the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and populations across the UK.
It is a tragedy, then – and grossly unfair – that practitioners are among those most likely to be caught in the fall-out of the recriminations currently being levelled at the entire public health system.
Here at UKPHR, we know the extraordinary breadth of knowledge and experience required to be a public health practitioner. We want to recognise and celebrate these unsung heroes for their skills, dedication and achievements – and we want their employers to do the same.
That’s why we are inviting employers to nominate their very own ‘Public Health Heroes’ – the practitioners who have not only stepped up during the current crisis, but whose ongoing contributions to public health have helped make the UK a safer, healthier, better place to live.
Why Public Health Heroes, and why now?
Despite ever-increasing pressure, scrutiny and demands being placed on them, practitioners have continued to work long hours with great skill and tenacity in recent months. Now more than ever, employers have a responsibility to support their own practitioner workforce.
This campaign is designed to demonstrate to employers why their practitioners are worth investing in – whether that’s by supporting them through our practitioner registration process, or by facilitating their access to structured CPD programmes, or by encouraging their involvement with (and membership of) professional networks and bodies.
The more invested employers are in supporting and developing their practitioner workforce, the greater the benefit for all of us in the sector – and indeed, the greater the benefit for the public we ultimately exist to serve.
How to nominate
If you’re an employer, nominate a practitioner today by visiting https://bit.ly/PHheroes.
There’s no deadline and you can nominate as many practitioners as you like (including multiple members of the same team).
All eligible submissions will be profiled in an online gallery, with both you and your successful nominee each receiving an exclusive digital badge (for use in email signatures and online) in recognition of your status as a Public Health Hero Employer or a Public Health Hero.
If you’re not an employer but you know a practitioner who should be nominated, why not get in touch with them or their employer and send them the link? Together we can make sure these unsung heroes get the recognition they deserve.
Nominate your Public Health Heroes now at https://bit.ly/PHheroes
