Future of public health uncertain, says Forum
pharmafile | November 23, 2011 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Future Forum, NHS, NHS reforms
The Department of Health has been urged to clarify the NHS’s responsibilities in relation to public health.
The independent NHS Future Forum, a group of the country’s top health experts, has set out interim advice on integrated care, patient information and public health after consulting with staff, patients, public and charities.
“We have heard very strongly that there is confusion about what the NHS’s role and responsibilities will be around public health protection,” Professor Steve Field said in a letter to the DH.
“The Department must ensure that its forthcoming publications are clear about who will be responsible for all aspects of public health protection, to maintain safety and quality throughout the transition,” Field insists.
In particular he wants the relationship between the proposed new body Public Health England and the NHS Commissioning Board to be made more explicit, and for details of health and social care services to be transparent and usable for patients.
“Where appropriate, the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health England should be held to account for delivering a shared goal – for instance, reducing avoidable mortality in a specific disease area,” the letter continues.
It is also concerned that innovative NHS services aimed at encouraging healthy behaviour might suffer when commissioning for public health programmes moves from the NHS to local government.
The Forum hopes to influence the NHS Operating Framework and the Public Health Outcomes Framework, both of which are due to be published soon.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley called the views “invaluable” and said the Forum’s thoughts would be taken into consideration.
The Future Forum’s key recommendations include:
- patients must have better online access to services and to health and care records, including use of the Summary Care Record
- the importance of information must be emphasised in the 2012-13 Operating Framework
- incentives such as tariff and other financial flows should be better aligned to promote integrated care
More Future Forum documents can be accessed here. The Forum’s final reports, which will also include recommendations on education and training, will be published towards the end of the year.
Adam Hill
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