Healthy nation focuses on behavioural changes
08/07/2010
In his first speech on Public Health, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley spoke at the UK Faculty of Public Health's annual conference this morning on his vision for a new service. His plans for a healthy nation focuses on behavioural changes "and which goes beyond constraining the supply of illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and begins to understand and influence the drivers of demand." The framework of empowerment includes:
- * A new responsibility deal between Government and business built on shared social responsibility and not state regulation;
- * A new ring-fenced public health budget;
- * A new 'Health Premium' to target public health resources towards the areas with the poorest health;
- * Clear outcomes and measures to judge progress alongside NHS and social care outcomes;
- * An enhanced role for Public Health Directors so they have the resources and authority to improve the health of their communities; and
- * A new Cabinet Sub-Committee on Public Health, chaired by the Health Secretary, to tackle the drivers of demand on the NHS.
A White Paper, to be published later this year, will set out in more detail how the Public Health Service will work. http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=414297&SubjectId=2
