Working in health promotion and public health

This chapter explains the various ways in which people begin and progress their careers in health promotion and public health. The UK public health workforce comprises public health specialists, public health practitioners and the wider public health workforce. Each category contains a wide range of job roles which can be found across a range of sectors and organisations. The chapter outlines four competency frameworks which set professional standards and support individuals to carry out their work effectively. These are the UK Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (UK PHSKF), WHO-ASPHER Competency Framework, the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) Competencies and Professional Standards and the UK Public Health Register Practitioner Standards for Registration. The chapter explains the importance of professional registration and continuous professional development. The chapter includes many illustrations of job roles and career routes.