New WHO Priorities in the European Region and Health Workforce Competencies: A Rapid Assessment of Capacities and Gaps in Public Health Competencies Frameworks

The 74th WHO Europe Regional Committee introduced a set of health priorities comprising core areas of public health and expanded tasks to respond to multiple crises and emergent needs of populations and health systems. No systematic procedure of competencies development and routine review has been established to align changing health policy priorities and workforce. We argue for a transformative approach to competencies development from theoretical constructs to actionable pathways. A rapid qualitative assessment of three of the most relevant public health workforce competencies frameworks in the WHO European region was undertaken using selected priorities and the public health workforce as cases. The results highlight that existing competencies frameworks provide some helpful guidance, but gaps exist in specific and generic competencies and leadership. Further research and policy are needed, calling European and national policymakers to action to invest in public health competencies development to respond to evolving priorities.