Swindon Borough Council

Introduction to Swindon

Swindon is a growing town of 233,000 people, situated half way between Bristol and Reading. It is close to the Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs, which are both Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Swindon is a hub for businesses and organisations outside of London, and economic development is an important focus for the local authority. By 2030 Swindon aims to have “all the positive characteristics of a British city with one of the UK’s most successful economies; a low-carbon environment with compelling cultural, retail and leisure opportunities and excellent infrastructure”. 

Generally, the health of the population in Swindon is similar to England as a whole and faces similar challenges. These challenges include increasing levels of obesity and a population that is living longer with chronic health conditions. Swindon’s population is projected to increase by 11% by 2028, and by a further 7% by 2038. This increase will be proportionately greater in the older population. This provides challenges, including a higher demand on primary care and social care services. Public health will need to drive the prevention agenda across Swindon over the coming decade to support services to deal with the challenges of a larger population and an increase in chronic health conditions, for example Type 2 diabetes.

Despite being relatively affluent Swindon has some areas with high levels of need and deprivation. There is a disparity in life expectancy for females and males of 8 and 5 years, respectively, between different wards in Swindon. An overview of health and wellbeing in Swindon can be found here.

Public Health Team in Swindon

The Public Health team is based at the main Swindon Borough Council offices in Euclid Street, in the centre of Swindon. Free parking is available for staff and the offices are a fifteen minute walk from the train station. Swindon Borough Council is a unitary authority with 57 local councillors from across the political spectrum. The administration is currently Conservative.

The Swindon Public Health team is relatively small, giving it flexibility to adapt quickly to changes in the local authority and in partner organisations, as the COVID-19 pandemic has exemplified. It is well integrated in the council and works closely with other teams, including social care, planning and education. The Public Health team also works closely with the Integrated Care System (ICS), Swindon Locality and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GWH), the local secondary care provider, as well as regional and national organisations. Senior Public Health team members support the Primary Care Networks that operate across Swindon to support the development of preventative work in primary care. Swindon also has strong relationships with the voluntary and community sector across the town. Public Health includes the Community Health & Wellbeing Team who deliver on social prescribing, physical activity and advice and information services. 

The Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2017-2022 sets out the following priorities, which form the strategic framework for the Public Health team in Swindon:

  • Every child and young person in Swindon has a healthy start in life
  • Adults and older people in Swindon are living healthier and more independent lives
  • Improved health outcomes for disadvantaged and vulnerable communities (including adults with long term conditions, learning disabilities, physical disabilities or mental health problems and offenders)
  • Improved mental health, wellbeing and resilience for all
  • Creation of sustainable environments in which communities can flourish

A new Health and Wellbeing Strategy is being developed.

Training Opportunities in Swindon

Swindon is a small, friendly team and there are opportunities to get involved in work across the three public health domains. This flexibility means that the training needs of the individual registrar are prioritised, including providing support and time for professional exams as well as tailoring work towards specific learning outcomes. As a unitary authority, Swindon council provides opportunities for trainees to build experience of influencing outcomes across the wider determinants of health.

Good relationships with partner organisations, including the acute care provider and the ICS, mean that registrars are able to get involved in specific healthcare projects.

Swindon usually hosts two or three registrars, in either phase of training.  Trainees will agree their work plan with their educational supervisor.

Registrars currently or recently placed in Swindon have led on the following projects:

  • Cost analysis of children’s eye screening programme
  • Evidence review of vaccine uptake interventions in children and young people
  • Evaluation of vaccine uptake in children and young people in Swindon
  • Developed press release for Covid-19 booster vaccine
  • Investigated Swindon’s Covid-19 outbreaks
  • Oral Health Needs Assessment with a focus on at risk groups which was taken to the Health and Wellbeing Board
  • Evaluation of the maternity weight management programme in Swindon
  • Evaluation of the falls prevention hub
  • Evidence review and report about the management of Korsakoff’s Disease
  • Evaluation of the provision of Healthy Start vitamins for pregnant women
  • Investigation of the disproportionate number of deaths in Asian children found by the Child Deaths Overview Panel
  • Evaluation of Swindon’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy which was taken to the Health and Wellbeing Board
  • Lead on Public Mental Health – including producing a public mental health strategic plan taken to the Health and Wellbeing Board, engaging with partners on mental health priorities for Swindon and wider system level work
  • Development of a strategic plan for cardiovascular and diabetes prevention
  • Options proposal for latent TB screening in Swindon, and contributed to the business plan

 

Key Contacts

For further information, please contact:  
Rob Carroll Specialty Tutor 

Swindon Borough Council

Public Health Department

Swindon Civic Centre
Wat Tyler West
Beckhampton Street
Swindon  SN1 2JH

 

This page was last updated in March 2023