BROMLEY Council will run certain public health services in the borough from April 1.

This follows the abolition of NHS primary care trusts and transfer of responsibility for these services to local authorities under the government’s Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The key areas to come under the control of the council include health checks, health protection, obesity, sexual health, drug and alcohol misuse and smoking cessation.

Although NHS staff formally transfer to the employment of the council from April, in Bromley much work has already taken place to integrate these public health functions into the work of the council.

A director of public health has been a member of the council’s senior management team since last March.

At the same time, public health professionals began working alongside council officers to integrate their services into the work of the council in areas such as adult social care, children and young people, environmental issues and joint commissioning.

Portfolio holder for public health Councillor Graham Arthur said: “I am very proud that 18 months ago we decided to take a very early approach to shaping how we deliver these important public health services to the people of Bromley.

“This means we are now well placed to look beyond the April milestone to ensuring these public health functions are truly integrated into every aspect of council life.

“We must also remember forty years ago such public health functions were run by local authorities and for me there is a real sense they are now coming home.”

As with other council functions public health will have the same level of scrutiny by elected councillors as all services.