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Embargoed until 00:01 24 March 2010 - Want to improve your public health career outlook? Check the PHORCaST NOW LIVE www.phorcast.org.uk

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 23 March 2010

Issued by the News Distribution Service on behalf of the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery

Today sees the launch of PHORCaST (www.phorcast.org.uk) ? a unique, free UK-wide web resource bringing together information on education, career, and development opportunities in public health.

PHORCaST has been developed with funding from the Department of Health, England, and the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and is supported by a number of national public health organisations, including the Faculty of Public Health. PHORCaST will be a key resource in helping individuals, organisations, workforce planners and educators plan and deliver the public health and wellbeing workforce of the future.

Alan Maryon-Davis, President of the Faculty of Public Health comments, “PHORCaST fills a major gap in the public health careers landscape. Tailored guidance to suit a wide range of backgrounds and interests at all levels of engagement in public health. Flexible, informative and practical - a hitchhiker's guide to the public health galaxy. I urge you to check it out.”

Split into easy to follow sections the PHORCaST website provides:

- Useful background on working in public health, including overviews on the workforce, key policies and UK health systems

- Step-by-step guidance on starting a career in public health and information on different career options and roles

- Over 80 ‘real life’ career success stories of people working in a wide variety of public health roles across the UK

- Help on developing your career through competence frameworks, continuing professional development and CV development advice

- Access to training and resources and development opportunities within public health

PHORCaST will be of interest to anyone considering a public health career including: school leavers, those wishing to find out more about their contribution to health in their current job, existing public health workers wishing to change direction, and recent trainees in public health looking for their first consultant posts.

Isabel Perez, East Midlands Teaching Public Health Network Lead adds, “The launch of PHORCaST is an exciting development for anyone aspiring to a rewarding career in public health. The high quality career information and guidance, along with the unique personal insights from professionals already working in public health, is sure to establish the site as the leading online resource for recruiting, retaining and developing the careers of individuals working in public health.”

Notes to editors

1. National stakeholder organisations – A number of national public health organisations have actively supported the development of PHORCaST, including: Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), Faculty of Public Health (FPH), and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

2. Delivery organisations – PHORCaST has been developed by Solutions for Public Health (formerly PHRU), East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery, East Midlands Teaching Public Health Network (TPHN), West Midlands TPHN and Skills for Health.

3. Career stories – A number of career stories from individuals working within public health are available for use. These can be found at www.PHORCaST.org.uk , alternatively for more information contact the press office (contact details below).

About PHORCaST
- PHORCaST is a UK-wide initiative, funded by the Department of Health, England and the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

- PHORCaST will help recruit, retain and develop the careers of people working in public health (including health and wellbeing) from volunteers up to senior management.

For press enquiries and interview requests about PHORCaST, please contact East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery Communications Team: deanerycommunications@eastmidlands.nhs.uk; tel: (0116) 295 2240

Solutions for Public Health:
Sam.hemmant@sph.nhs.uk [available after 29th March], Marketing and Communications
Tel: (01865) 334761; Mob: 07733177251

Contacts:

NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk