The need to develop healthy public policy

Essay by kyaHigh School, 11th gradeA+, December 2004

download word file, 6 pages 3.7

The new public health approach is trying to involve the public and set the health agenda for the future. This enables the people to express their views on key health issues, and what relationship they feel Government should have to society and personal responsibility. There are two main objectives that the new public health is trying to achieve by involving the public.

Empowering people

Choosing Health identifies how people can be empowered to make healthy choices. It sets out how health can be supported and improved in key environments such as retail outlets, local communities and the workplace. It equally, states where it is necessary for Government to intervene. For example, the health of children is something that families, schools, carers and Government have special responsibility for. So in addition to better information and support, there will be new standards for food across the school day, more to promote physical activity and more education on nutrition.

The new public health approach is trying to modernise existing health improvement and sickness prevention services .

Priorities

Choosing Health reflects the public's health concerns. It respects how people want support, where they want to make their own informed choices, and where they want Government to intervene. When consulted, people said they wanted action to:

reduce the numbers of people who smoke. Smoking can lead to heart disease, cancer and other diseases, and is a choice that affects the health of other people

reduce obesity, as action on diet will help to prevent a range of chronic health conditions becoming more prevalent

increase exercise, as rates of physical activity have fallen dramatically in the last 25 years

encourage sensible drinking, to reduce the health problems associated with alcohol

improve sexual health, as sexually transmitted infections are on the increase

improve mental health, to reduce...