{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,26]],"date-time":"2026-09-26T19:31:03Z","timestamp":1790451063124,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic provided a stimulus to improve emergency response capabilities in the United Kingdom. Compared to healthcare workers, there is a paucity of research examining the experiences of public health staff involved in the response. During the pandemic, English local authorities (LAs) responded to limit virus spread and mitigate its impacts by providing public health intelligence (PHI). This article reports workforce-related findings from a larger study which focused on understanding sub-national provision of PHI during an infectious disease emergency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A mixed method, sequential, exploratory study was conducted. This involved comparative case studies of LA responses and an anonymous online survey of LA PHI staff followed by data integration. The primary data collection method for the case studies was semi-structured interviews with PHI staff. A cross-case analysis of interview data using inductive thematic analysis was performed. Quantitative survey data was analysed to produce descriptive statistics and long-form text responses supplemented the interview data. Qualitative and quantitative data were integrated by using case study findings to inform survey topics and by following an established framework to examine confirmation, complementarity, expansion, or discordance.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Data from 12 interviews and 120 survey responses was integrated. The pandemic saw changing demands for analytical capacity\u2014the highest demand occurring at the outset. Inequities in allocation of keyworker status impacted those with childcare responsibilities. Staff identified knowledge gaps around health protection, data automation, information governance, and emerging data sources. PHI personnel had traumatic experience, and staff well-being was adversely affected by high workloads, limited leave, exposure to emotive data, and difficulties in disconnecting. Anticipating pandemics and emotional preparedness were valued mindsets. Peer support and effective leadership mitigated negative effects on wellbeing.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The traumatic effect of responding to the pandemic on some PHI staff might not be anticipated in a group not considered \u201cfrontline\u201d. We propose there is a duty to prepare staff for emergencies and implement best human resource practices. Findings suggest a need to improve public health workforce planning for emergencies. Emergency response plans should include the PHI function and be tied to public health authorities\u2019 capacity and capability to enact them.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1833664","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T14:46:33Z","timestamp":1782917193000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Enhancing public health intelligence workforce capacity and capability: insights from English local authorities\u2019 COVID-19 response"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Janette","family":"Parr","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Evidence and Implementation Science, School of Social Policy and Society, The University of Birmingham","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yen-Fu","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Welfare, College of City Management, University of Taipei","place":["Taipei, Taiwan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amy","family":"Grove","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Evidence and Implementation Science, School of Social Policy and Society, The University of Birmingham","place":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"UK COVID-19 Inquiry Module 1: The Resilience and Preparedness of the United Kingdom","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref3","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref4","volume-title":"Public Health Annual Report 2021: Rising to the Challenges of COVID-19","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref5","volume-title":"Public Health Intelligence Challenges for Local Authorities Responding to COVID-19","author":"Parr","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref6","volume-title":"Global Competency and Outcomes Framework for Universal Health Coverage","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1097\/00124784-200107040-00004","article-title":"A systems approach to public health workforce development","volume":"7","author":"Kennedy","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Public Health Manag Pract"},{"key":"ref8","volume-title":"Data for Everyone\u2019s Health Optimising Public Health Intelligence: Challenges, Opportunities and Ways Forward","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-024-10651-7","article-title":"\u201cA system that is struggling\u201d: understanding health protection resilience in England during the COVID-19 pandemic through the experiences of local health protection responders","volume":"24","author":"Rotheram","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"ref10","volume-title":"Public Health and Integrated Care Reform: Doing the Knitting","author":"Buck","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref11","volume-title":"The Public Health Knowledge and Intelligence Workforce","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref12","volume-title":"WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4135\/9781483390659","volume-title":"Mixed Methods in Health Sciences Research: A Practical Primer","author":"Curry","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1177\/1558689817714066","article-title":"The journal of mixed methods research starts a new decade: the mixed methods research integration trilogy and its dimensions","volume":"11","author":"Fetters","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Mixed Methods Res"},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"NVivo (RRID:SCR_014802). 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