As well as serving its own regional users each public health observatory (PHO) supports the others, across the APHO network, through its national lead role. PHOs have a national lead role in a key policy area to:

• develop expertise and in-depth knowledge
• provide a single point of contact and information source
• publicise significant work
• develop training programmes for health intelligence staff and public health researchers and practitioners

In addition to the lead policy areas (such as mental health, diabetes and cancer), each PHO takes on responsibility for linking with key national organisations or networks - such as the Healthcare Commission, the United Kingdom Association of Cancer Registries (UKACR), and the Audit Commission.

The South West Public Health Observatory's lead areas are:

• Sexual Health
• Injuries

The other PHOs' lead areas are:

• Eastern Region PHO - Primary Care, Rural Health
• East Midlands PHO - Food and Nutrition, Renal Disease, Teenage Pregnancies
• London PHO - Black and Ethnic Minorities, Tobacco, Health Inequalities
• North East PHO - Mental Health, Offender Health, Europe and International
• North West PHO - Drug Misuse, Alcohol, Crime and Violence
• South East PHO - Physical Activity, Obesity, Transport, Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke
• Wales Centre for Health - Environment and Sustainable Development
• West Midlands PHO - Cancer, Older People
• Yorkshire and Humber PHO - Children and Young People, Diabetes, Health Economics

For more information about the Association of Public Health Observatories, visit the APHO website.