Non-job of the week2

It was bad enough yesterday reading that Ofsted were advertising for 12 press officers, costing taxpayers over £400,000.  Now we see more non-jobs from the two, yes two, job supplements in the Guardian.  Take the Public Relations Officer at Dorset County Council earning £28,172 or Diversity Managers at the Audit Commission earning £50,000 per position as just two of the list of non-jobs on offer this week.  However, the non-job of the week has to be this coded job from Bristol NHS Primary Care Trust:

“Active Bristol Manager
£44,527

37 hours per week

Ref: 701-69101N

Are you passionate about improving health and reducing health inequalities? Do you want the opportunity to make a big difference to the health and wellbeing of Bristol people?

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to manage Active Bristol, a new five year programme (2008-2013), which aims to bring about a significant and sustainable increase in physical activity levels for Bristol people. Active Bristol seeks to encourage people to be physically active and to promote environmental changes so that active travel becomes a natural part of everyday lives.

The post-holder will be part of Bristol City Council’s Health Team and will be accountable to the Associate Director of Public Health. They will work closely with different council departments such as Planning, Transport & Sustainable Development, Culture Tourism & Leisure and Children & Young People’s Services.

The role will include the following elements:

- Championing the Active Bristol principles in the identification and development of interventions.

- Overseeing the delivery of the Active Bristol communications strategy by Bristol City Council and Bristol Primary Care Trust communications departments.

- Using social marketing to tailor interventions and communication messages to priority groups.

- Programme managing the implementation of short and longer-term Active Travel interventions up to 2013.

We are keen to hear from candidates who thrive on solving complex issues and who enjoy effective partnership working. You will have experience of working strategically across organisational boundaries in local government, in the NHS or in related sectors. You should be able to shape and plan several projects concurrently and demonstrate good understanding of health improvement, inequalities and the evidence base for physical activity.”

This would be a perfect job for Mr Motivator, if only it wasn’t yet another communications post draining scarce resources from the front line.  In fighting health inequalities (don’t even get me started on the point of that) you can use social marketing processes, oversee a communications strategy and champion a few principles on the taxpayer’s dime.  Whoop-de-doo. 

You have to stand in shock when the NHS says it can’t afford life-saving treatments and cancer drugs and yet finds the money for non-jobs like this. 

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Tim Aker
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