The government are encouraging and supporting sensible drinking, a misuse of alcohol is associated with deaths from liver disease, stokes, cancer, suicide etc because it places a burden on the NHS.
Improving sexual health is key as the risk of sexual behaviour is increasing the risk of STI's like HIV, Chlamydia, genital warts etc. Sexual transmitted diseases can lead to cancer, infertility and death.
Mental health issues are being improved because mental wellbeing is crucial to good physical health and making healthy choices. Stress is the most common cause of all health sickness, also leading to suicide.
This document aims to make lifestyle changes for people so they eat healthier, exercise more, smoke and drink sensibly to improve sexual health and mental well-being.
Priority A: Tackling health inequalities
What is the government planning to do about tackling health inequalities?
1 They are reducing smoking, especially in disadvantaged groups and among pregnant women.
2 Targeting disadvantaged groups.
3 Improving access to primary care especially for secondary prevention and care especially for advantaged groups by making services accessible and responsive, reducing waiting times to visit GP's, minimising cancer and respiratory disease taking action on smoking and identifying and treating those OAPS who are at a higher risk of catching diseases.
4 using health equity audit and ethnic monitoring tools to help identify and reduce access to services.
5 Responsive accessible services and advice adapting information and advice to suit peoples needs providing services in community environment supporting people who have complex health issues.
6 High quality family and early years support housing assistance, more accessible and reducing teenage pregnancies increasing uptake and duration of breastfeeding.
7 Achieving health inequalities nationally as smoking is the single most preventable cause of death.
8 Especially pregnant women and lone parents high levels of smoking and ethnic groups.
"An apple a day"
This article is about what schools are doing to promote 'five a day' and what the primary school children think of this idea most of the feedback is positive. It is a very short article and reassures parents that the school is continuously promoting healthy eating.
Priority B: Reducing the number of people who smoke
Smoking is the greatest cause of premature death.
What the government is doing to reduce the number of people who smoke:
1 Support for smoking cessation availability of nicotine replacement therapy especially to manual workers use of new technology.
2 Reducing exposure to second-hand smoke putting an end to smoking in public places NHS and voluntary agreements.
3 Reducing tobacco advertising and promotion enforcing existing and new legislation banning or to restrict advertising and promotion mandatory picture warnings.
4 National smoking communications campaigns and education. Second hand smoke and health risks of products containing tobacco increase motivation in people who want to quit.
"Get active get sum"
This article was about losing weight and how Amanda was 13st 13lbs and seeked help from her GP who helped her get into a healthy lifestyle; she is now down to 8st 11lbs. The format is easy to read including before and after a picture which gives a good visual, bold titles and the text is written in columns like a newspaper. This article is aimed at middle aged people maybe with busy jobs. I believe this article is effective as by hearing a real person's lifestyle change motivates others to change their live for the better.
Priority C: Tackling Obesity
What the government is doing to tackle obesity:
* Simple labelling of packaged food clear and simple set of food labels developed with the FSA, retailers and industry reduce fat, salt and sugar in foods and reduce portion sizes.
* National obesity awareness campaign encouraging parents to make healthy choices for their families raising awareness through their early years.
* Helping people who want to lose weight giving them practical advice and support promoting healthy lifestyles, use of dietetic programmes and surgical interventions.
* Food promotion to children reduces advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt and promoting five a day etc.
* Healthy Schools
Helping children and young people to lead healthy lives.
* Encouraging activity hence promoting physical activity like sports, cycling etc. After school and lunch time clubs and walking to school.
* High quality family and early years support.
"How exercise can get your health moving"
This article is in a question and answer format and therefore enables you to pick out relevant questions which you may be wondering too. This article is about exercising and how it should be adapted as part of a daily routine and encourages healthy eating and regular exercise. This article is aimed at the 40+ age group as they have shown an image of an old man taking his regular run. Personally, I think that this article is an effective because it clearly states what activities are the best and where to seek redress.
Priority D: Improving sexual health
What the government is doing to improve sexual health:
1. A new national media campaign targeting younger men and women ensuring they are fully aware of the risks of unprotected sex and the benefits of using condoms, having the support of local stakeholders and industry.
2. Teenage pregnancy strategy targeting vulnerable groups and under 18s with high rates of conception as part of the broader programme.
3. Modernised sexual health services make more contraception more accessible and effective, abortions and STIs.
4. Faster access to services annual targets appointments offered within 48 hours.
5. Advice and contraceptive services for young people programmes through children's trusts.
6. Sexual assault referral centres including services for children and adolescents.
"Five sexual health myths exploded"
This article is basically about STIs and five questions from people who have written in and had to share their concerns. It was in a question and answer format and was very easily accessible. The article is short and to the point and highlights different aspects.
Priority E: Improving mental health and well-being
What the government is doing to improve mental health and well-being:
* One in six people suffers a mental disorder at one point in their lives.
1. Expanding help for people with mental illness improving access, well-being support programmes, promoting physical and mental health hence preventing illnesses.
2. Targeted action to improve the quality of patient experience like black and ethnic minority communities and being victims of domestic violence.
3. Extended coverage of child and adolescent mental health services, working closer between health, education and social care.
4. New services to improve mental and emotional well-being supporting parents, carers and improving parent-child relationships, engaging all communities.
5. A healthy workplace programme encouraging employers to adopt policies and guidelines to help to promote better mental health issues, tackle stress and support all staff experiencing distress.
6. NHS health trainers
"We're on the road...to a better diet"
This article is explaining to us how a family in Surrey changed their entire lifestyle to get them on the right path to stay healthy. This article is also easy and enjoyable to read and has a lot of helpful details on what they ate and what exercises they did.
Priority F: Reducing harm and encouraging sensible drinking
What is the government doing to help reduce the harm and encouraging sensible drinking?
* 150,000-22,000deaths and 150,000 hospital admissions each year associated with alcohol misuse.
1. Placing information for the public on alcohol containers and in alcohol retail outlets providing clear and accessible information about drinking sensibly.
2. Raising awareness campaigns in order to reduce binge drinking and providing useful information for the public.
3. Local authority enforcement checking retailers identify and refuse to sell alcohol to under 18s to comply with rules and regulations.
4. Increase access and effectiveness of alcohol treatment training professionals to help identify and target support for binge drinkers.
5. Screening and brief interventions identifying ways to reduce alcohol intake linked to criminal justice settings.
6. Planning local responses involving local authorities and the police etc.
Bibliography
Choosing health helping you make healthy choices magazine published 2004 by the NHS
Government white paper November 2004
Delivering choosing health department of health