The influence of the public health lobby seems to be increasing. Not only do we have several quangos dedicated to the task such as Public Health England, but the Health and Social Care Act returned many associated competencies to local government.
There are clearly areas in which guidance must be delivered, however it must be ensured that policies do not encroach unduly on people’s lives and drive up the cost of living. And this comes at taxpayers’ expense, so it should be subject to scrutiny.
This is even more relevant when taxpayer-funded public health employees make vocal demands for increased taxes or regulation such as the sugar tax or minimum unit pricing for alcohol.
This research note details senior salaries in relevant quangos and total remuneration in local government. It provides the most comprehensive picture of the cost of employing public health staff that has ever been produced.