ABSTRACT
A brief history of public health and partnership working 99 The concept of partnership working 100 Structure and format of partnerships 102 Partnership working and social capital 103 Benefits to partnership working 104 Challenges of partnership working 105 Summary of key points 107 References 108 Further reading 110
Much has been written on the links of poor health status, inequalities and material deprivation. As part of the present Government’s attempt to address this issue, considerable focus has been placed on the benefits of partnership working; indeed it has become one of the ‘fundamental principles’ in delivering on the health inequalities agenda. With an emerging role in public health the midwife needs to develop an understanding of the concept of partnership working and the midwife’s role within it.
