Tackling TB: Local Government’s Public Health Role
Local government leadership to champion TB is crucial to achieve better TB control. This document is aimed at Councillors and officers in local government to help them meet local government responsibilities to ensure that the wider social determinants of TB are addressed and that people are supported to be diagnosed early and complete their treatment. Many of the actions needed to eliminate TB require strengthened and integrated local services as TB does not exist in isolation from other health and social concerns.
The document includes sections on:
- what is TB, TB in England and globally
- TB diagnosis, treatment and drug resistance
- social risk factors for TB
- TB prevention, pre-entry screening and LTBI testing and treatment of new entrants
- what can local authorities do to tackle TB?
- data on the burden of TB by upper tier local authority
Actions local government can take to control TB are outlined below:
- ensure a joined-up, multi-agency approach to TB patient care and support
- encourage local health and social service commissioners to prioritise the delivery of appropriate clinical and public health services for TB
- promote local leadership of TB at all levels
- encourage NHS commissioners, local authorities, housing departments and hostel accommodation providers to agree a process for housing homeless TB patients
- support where possible an individual’s social needs
- invite a local TB nurse to raise awareness of TB among local authority staff
- ensure information about TB is cascaded into key local authority teams
- facilitate appropriate access to information and advice on TB
- promote registration with GPs for new migrants, vulnerable or marginalised people
- work, via the DPH, with CCGs and NHS England to ensure that screening, immunisation and treatment services reach out to diverse populations
- consider how third sector organisations can help improve access to TB services and patient support
- include TB in the local authority’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
- encourage multi-agency working on TB via the health and wellbeing board (HWB) and health protection board
- consider undertaking a scrutiny committee review of TB
The document has a number of key messages around local authority involvement in the TB agenda. These include local leadership, access to advice and information on TB for local government staff and that local councillors and officers understand TB and support the actions outlined in this document.
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