The aim of improving the health of the poorest, fastest is to reduce health inequalities. This lies at the heart of the public health white paper Health Lives, Healthy People (PHWP).1 Health inequalities have been defined as “differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different …
“Health is Global” the United Kingdom’s (UK) Global Health strategy was launched in September 2008 because, in today’s globalised and inter-dependant world, health has become a global issue.1 A recently launched outcomes framework focuses on three areas: global health security; international development; and trade for better health.2 Global health security …
Following the listening exercise carried out by the NHS Future Forum, the government has pledged that the economic regulator, Monitor, will additionally now be required to support the delivery of integrated patient services, rather than solely promoting competition between providers.1 During the listening exercise, a large number of organisations reportedly …
We are all at risk of adverse events when we use healthcare service and we all stand to benefit from preventing them. ‘Never events’ are “serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if the available preventative measures have been implemented by healthcare providers”.1 Eight ‘never events’ were …
Busy roads, lack of open space and where we shop for food are just a few examples of how the built environment influences our physical and mental health. Planning can positively affect the health of residents by managing development and securing investment for the public realm. For example, planning policies …
Supporting People is a programme to deliver housing-related support to vulnerable people, including: • older people with support needs • single homeless people • people with mental health problems • women at risk of domestic violence • young people at risk It is administered through 152 top-tier local authorities and …
Behavioural insight, also known as ‘Nudge’, after the book by Thaler and Sunstein,1 is based on behavioural science and economics. ‘Nudge’ is sometimes called libertarian paternalism. The use of nudge in health is rooted in the idea of influencing our behaviour without compulsion e.g. by using subconscious cues to ‘nudge’ …
Health protection is defined as “public health activities intended to protect individuals, groups, and populations from infectious diseases, environmental hazards such as chemical contamination, and from radiation”.1 Infectious disease accounts for one in every 50 deaths,2 with rates highest in the first two years of life and amongst the elderly.3 …
To improve healthcare quality, performance targets are to be replaced by outcome measures, as detailed in recent government consultations.1,2 Quality of healthcare can be measured in terms of structure, process and outcomes.3 In recent years the NHS has largely relied on setting targets for structural and process measures. Examples of …
The government has proposed to reorganise the way public health services are delivered in England.1 At a National level this will involve the creation of a new body, within the Department of Health, called Public Health England. At a local level, health improvement functions will move into local authorities (LAs) …