SOCIAL POLICY

Government's New Proposed Public Health Outcomes And Organisational Framework

Government's New Proposed Public Health Outcomes And Organisational Framework

Introduction

This White Paper sets out the Government's long-term vision for the future of public health in England; a strategy which aims to put local communities at the heart of public health. It will do this by encouraging people to make healthy choices, giving local authorities more opportunity to improve public health in their area and creating Public Health England, a new national public health service.

Seizing opportunities for better health

Public health includes health improvement, health protection and health services. It is about what society can do to prevent people getting ill, such as providing access to green and open spaces, good quality housing and social networks, rather than treating illness. Although people are living longer than ever before, there are health inequalities between rich and poorer areas due to low income, unemployment, isolation and discrimination which can all affect physical and mental health. Changing people's lifestyles can also help to prevent the major causes of early death such as cancer and heart disease which are linked to smoking, obesity and lack of exercise (Department of Health, 2010).

The strategy aims to focus on the population at key points in their lives:

Improving the health of pregnant women and new mums to give children a better start in life. Measures would focus on reducing obesity and smoking in pregnancy, post natal depression, encouraging breastfeeding and early years development.

Supporting child and young adult development to reduce childhood obesity, road accidents and risky behaviour whilst encouraging healthy lifestyles and positive mental well-being.

Improving lifestyles and preventing diseases amongst adults through stopping smoking, improving diet and increasing physical activity. Preventing mental ill health and supporting carers.

Reducing working age ill-health by encouraging people back into work and reducing sickness absence in the working population.

A radical new approach

This new approach will both tackle the causes of poor ill health such as unemployment and the environment, and encourage people to take responsibility for their own health. The government will take action to protect the population from health threats such as infectious diseases, promote healthy lifestyles and make healthy choices easier to make. There should be a partnership between individuals, communities, the voluntary sector, the NHS and local government so people can make informed decisions about keeping healthy, preventing disease and receiving health and social care. Employers too have a responsibility to look after the health of their staff (Department of Health, 2010).

This approach should be:

Responsive - owned by communities, local government and the NHS at a local level, free to decide what actions to take locally.

Resourced - with new freedoms and funding for public health in local government.

Rigorous - based on evidence of what works.

Resilient - strengthening protection against threats to health and using different approaches to promote healthy lifestyles.

Health and wellbeing through life

The focus will be on giving communities the power to improve health through people's lives, reduce inequalities and focus on the ...