ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the historical origins and contemporary practice of public health in the UK. This includes an overview of the history of public health in the UK from the 1830s to today. Public health practice comprises three domains: health protection, health improvement and healthcare public health. Directors of public health are required to publish local health-related data. These data are used for local and national profiles and for their own annual public health reports. The chapter explains the process of carrying out a health needs assessment to understand the needs of a population and determine the priorities for interventions to improve their health. It also describes the process of carrying out a health impact assessment which aims to predict how a proposed intervention may affect the population's health.
