Honorary position with UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health, providing lectures to Masters students in Dental Public Health.

Public Health Advisory Committees (PHACs) are the standing committees responsible for the development of NICE Public Health guidance. Guidance topics are allocated to a PHAC following referral from the Department of Health. As a core member on the committee, I consider the evidence and make recommendations for people working in the NHS, local government and in the wider public, private and voluntary sectors.

Fixed-term Secondment

This post was a senior position within the Public Health division and I had leadership responsibilities across the range of public health functions. The main function of the post was to lead, develop and manage a portfolio of public health responsibilities and activities, providing public health leadership, advice and support across departments in Leicester City Council and also to NHS Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group. My particular focus was in leading public health priorities for children and young people and dental public health in order to improve health and reduce health inequalities.In general, I was expected to be able to cope with multiple and changing demands and to meet tight deadlines. A high level of intellectual rigour, political awareness, negotiation and motivation skills and flexibility was a constant requirement of this post. I was also required to deal with complex public health issues, brief local politicians and the Health Scrutiny Commission, make recommendations to the Local Safeguarding Children's Board and advise the Children's Trust Board regarding services, patient care and wider determinants of health affecting children and young people (including oral health priorities) in Leicester. This post required me to have a high level of tact, diplomacy and leadership, the ability and sensitivity in understanding other cultures, whilst advising, challenging and advocating to enable effective working across organisational boundaries and influencing without direct authority.

Worked at Consultant level contributing to NHS Suffolk's Public Health priorities. The post was a senior position within the PCT's Public Health Directorate and I was given leadership responsibilities across the range of public health functions. My particular focus included leading public health input across the NHS, local authority and all appropriate inter-agency partners with regards to Domestic Violence (including Sex Workers), Dental Public Health, QIPP Healthy Ambitions programme, mental health and active living.

The specialist training programme provided me with the appropriate competencies to take up a post as Consultant in Dental Public Health with entry to the specialist list in dental public health being gained on completion. I gained experience and the educational support in developing an appropriate level of knowledge and skill in the following areas: * Oral health surveillance* Assessing the evidence on oral health and dental interventions, programmes and services* Policy and strategy development and implementation* Strategic leadership and collaborative working for health* Oral health improvement* Health and public protection* Developing and monitoring quality dental services* Dental Public Health intelligence* Academic Dental Public Health* Appropriate decision-making and judgement* Appropriate attitudes, ethical understanding and legal responsibilities* Role within the Health Services* Personal Development Emphasis was also placed upon shared learning experiences with other Registrars in generic public health, on multi-disciplinary team working and upon the contribution to be made by the public health discipline to the purchasing/commissioning role.

This post enabled me to gain Dental Public Health experience under the guidance and tutelage of my Consultant in Dental Public Health who acted as my Educational Supervisor and enabled me to participate in appropriate dental public health activities. This was a recognised post with the Faculty of Dental Surgery which enabled me to apply, sit and gain my MFDS qualifications with the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and England.

This position was a non-training career grade as I did not wish (at that point in time) to embark on training for any Consultant post. I exercised an intermediate level of clinical responsibility as delegated by my Consultant to whom I was responsible. My commitments related solely to service requirements and I did not have continuous, 24 hour responsibility for my patients.

As a general dental practitioner, I treated and advised patients about the health of their mouths and teeth. I was a self-employed practitioner and also partner of a dental practice, providing leadership to the dental team. My main responsibilities included:educating patients on oral healthcare;examining teeth and diagnosing patients' dental conditions by using tools such as x-rays;assessing treatment options and agreeing treatment plans with patients;carrying out agreed clinical treatments such as restoring teeth affected by decay and treating gum disease;maintaining patients' dental records;recruiting, training and managing staff;overseeing budgets and maintaining stocks of equipment.

The West Midlands Vocational Training Scheme was designed for newly qualified dentists to experience NHS General Dental Services. I participated in this training programme for a period of 12 months and attended all day release courses (usually on Fridays) during University term time. The programme helped me to establish the particular skills and knowledge that is required for General Dental Practice. After satisfactory completion of the programme, I was then eligible for an NHS list number which allowed me to become an associate or principal in the General Dental Services.