Posted on: 19 June 2020
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP), which covers Bradford District and Craven; Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield exists to protect and improve 2.7million people’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities.
We do this through strong local partnerships, making the most of their expertise and understanding of communities. This includes the delivery of specialist public health services by highly qualified, experienced colleagues, such as those delivered by Kirklees Council public health teams and Public Health England.
The primary objective in any outbreak management is to protect public health by identifying the source and implementing control measures to prevent further spread or recurrence of the infection.
The investigation and management of reported outbreaks and implementation of necessary control measures requires multidisciplinary expertise and collaboration – which Kirklees, and indeed all our local place partners have.
During the Kirklees reported coronavirus outbreak we have used the Partnership and the Local Resilience Forum to ensure that the public health response has been well coordinated and has drawn on good national support. The overall management of the public health response has built on well-rehearsed local infection control and protection mechanisms in place and was swiftly and effectively implemented.
During this period, our Directors of Public Health have shared expertise and learning on a regular basis. This has been the case throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and is an important part of our approach.
This blend of local skills and intelligence backed by national support is an essential part of successful systems. The public can be reassured and feel confident that people with the right skills are working hard to keep everyone safe and well, both in Kirklees and across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.