Public Health Practitioner

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - eligible employees can lease an electric or low-emission vehicle at a reduced cost through salary sacrifice, subject to National Minimum Wage and other eligibility requirements.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes

Roles are either ‘site based’ or ‘home based’.

Site based roles are mainly based at the workplace, with the option to work from home for up to two days a week, depending on service needs.

Home based roles are mainly based at home, with the expectation of attending the workplace up to one day a week.

The working arrangement for each role is set by the manager, based on service requirements.

Job Introduction

We’re recruiting a Public Health Practitioner to join our Public Health service, with a particular focus on mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention.

You’ll help turn evidence into action, supporting the delivery of important public health priorities and helping us understand and respond to the mental health needs and inequalities within our communities.

Working across the Public Health Shared Service footprint of Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes, you’ll bring together data, evidence and partnerships to support effective local action.

You’ll work closely with health partners, local authorities, the voluntary sector, residents and other organisations, helping to strengthen relationships and improve public health outcomes.

The role includes coordinating work on public mental health and suicide prevention, analysing and communicating data, supporting real-time suicide surveillance and managing programmes, projects and budgets.

You’ll usually work on site for at least three days each week across Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes, with flexibility to be on site more often when the needs of the service require it.

This role may be suitable for home working, following an assessment. Home‑based roles require a minimum of one day per week working from the office or site

Interviews for this role will be held on 3rd November 2026

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We’re dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

We take pride in our supportive work culture and try to go that extra mile when it comes to investing in our colleagues.

Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk

Role Responsibilities

• Coordinate evidence-based work on key public health priorities, including public mental health and suicide prevention.
• Monitor and analyse population health data to identify needs, inequalities and emerging trends, using your findings to support local strategies and action.
• Coordinate data for the real-time suicide surveillance system and help turn surveillance information into evidence that supports prevention activity.
• Build effective relationships with health services, local authorities, the voluntary sector, residents and other partners across the shared service area.
• Present complex or sensitive public health information clearly to different audiences, including decision-makers across the local Integrated Care System.
• Develop, deliver and monitor public health programmes, projects and budgets that aim to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

Ideal Candidate

• A degree-level qualification or equivalent, together with significant demonstrable experience in public health or a closely related area and a good understanding of public health principles and practice.
• Bringing a strong understanding of national and local public mental health and suicide prevention priorities, you’ll understand the importance of working effectively across the wider Integrated Care System.
• With experience of applying public health methods, you can use data and evidence to understand inequalities and evaluate projects and programmes.
• Confident when communicating with different audiences, you can interpret complex information and explain it clearly, sensitively and accurately.
• Experienced in project management, you’re comfortable managing and evaluating complex projects while balancing a busy workload and meeting deadlines.
• Collaborative and adaptable in your approach, you can work independently as well as with colleagues and partners, and you’ll be able to work on site for at least three days each week across Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have an independent and unrestricted right to work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future.