Introduction

The Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) sets out a vision for public health. Its aim is to:

  • improve and protect the nation's health
  • improve the health of the poorest fastest

The framework focuses on the two high level outcomes we want to achieve across the public health system and beyond:

  1. Increased healthy life expectancy.
  2. Reduced differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between communities.

Our focus is on reducing differences between people and communities from different backgrounds. This is not only our life expectancy, but our healthy life expectancy.

Improvements in these outcomes will possibly take years or even decades. With this in mind, we have developed a set of supporting indicators grouped into 4 domains. Indicators cover the full spectrum of our concept of public health and what we can realistically measure now.

Our overarching indicators domain (group of indicators) presents the high level outcomes, with the supporting indicators grouped into 4 domains, with their own objectives:

  1. the wider determinants of health domain objective is to measure improvements against wider factors that affect health and wellbeing, and health inequalities
  2. the health improvement domain objective is that people are helped to live healthy lifestyles, make healthy choices and reduce health inequalities
  3. the health protection domain objective is that the population's health is protected from major incidents and other threats, while reducing health inequalities
  4. the healthcare and premature mortality domain objective is reduced numbers of people living with preventable ill health and people dying prematurely, while reducing the gap between communities

Policy

The PHOF was introduced in 2012 to allow the whole public health system to be refocused around achieving positive health outcomes for the population and reducing inequalities in health, rather than focused on process targets.

The PHOF is not a performance management tool. However, PHOF data will enable local areas to benchmark and compare their own outcomes with other local areas.

The PHOF indicators are reviewed every 3 years. The current version is from 2019, following user consultation, with the latest review being delayed due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the 2024 general election. Details of the previous frameworks can be found on the pages for 2013 to 2016 and 2016 to 2019. You can contact us for data from previous versions.

 

Official Statistics

Updates to the PHOF are published as official statistics. They are produced in accordance with best practice set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics to ensure that they are fit for purpose, methodologically sound, politically independent and produced in a transparent way. 

The phrase ‘pre release access’ refers to the practice whereby official statistics in their final form, and any written commentary, are made available to an eligible person in advance of their publication. The rules and principles which govern pre-release access are featured within the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008. Post holders who are given pre release access 24 hours prior to release can be found in the PHOF updates section of the Public Health Outcomes Framework Collection.

 

Data sharing and reuse

You can use and reuse the data and charts from the PHOF (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium under the terms of the Open Government Licence. If you need a paper copy, write to Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk. 

Please use the following copyright statement when reproducing or using any material from Fingertips, adding the date of access:

'Office for Health Improvement & Disparities. Public health profiles. [Date accessed] https://fingertips.phe.org.uk  © Crown copyright [Year].'

 

Find out more

We publish quarterly updates in February, May, August and November. Exact dates will be announced on the www.gov.uk statistical release calendar.

There are data for the most recent period available and accompanying trend data where possible. Inequalities data are provided where these are available.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework Collection provides a list of indicators updated for the most recent and previous releases, as well as access to the accompanying statistical commentary.

Access our further information page for:

  • details of the selection of indicators
  • how indicators are presented
  • supporting data
  • links to other useful data sources
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