With local authority and NHS budgets under unprecedented financial pressure, ensuring the delivery of effective, evidence-based public health services is vital to improving the health of the nation.
That’s why Public Health England has launched a new multimedia resource called Health Matters, which brings together important facts, figures and evidence of effective, and cost-effective, interventions to tackle major public health problems.
The resource includes local and national data, policy and programme expertise, as well as campaigning and social marketing resources such as infographics, videos and podcasts. These will help make the case for effective public health interventions at a local level.
It’s at the local level where we want people to share the Health Matters content with their colleagues and stakeholders. Each edition of Health Matters includes a package of downloadable content, such as slide sets for presentations and infographics for use on social media.
Feedback so far on the first two editions of Health Matters – on smoking cessation and tackling antibiotic resistance through responsible prescribing – has been very positive.
Now we are turning our attention to the considerable challenge posed by harmful drinking and alcohol dependence. It’s a timely topic as cutting back on alcohol is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions.
Around 10 million adults in England are drinking at levels that pose some risk to their health. An estimated 1.6 million adults may have some level of alcohol dependence. A proportion of them will require treatment and they are the focus of the next edition of Health Matters.
Being dependent on alcohol means you feel you’re not able to function without it. Drinking becomes an important, and sometimes the most important, factor in your life despite the damage it may be causing.
What’s more, harmful drinking and alcohol dependence affect the most vulnerable groups in society: those in the lowest income bracket and those experiencing the highest levels of deprivation.
The effects of harmful drinking are, however, felt by all of us. Its impact on individuals, their families and communities is wide-ranging and the annual cost to society is £21bn. This is made up of £11bn from alcohol-related crime, £7bn from lost productivity through unemployment and sickness, and a cost of £3.5bn to the NHS.
The alcohol edition of Health Matters sets out effective ways for local authorities and the NHS to invest with confidence in treatment interventions to address harmful drinking and alcohol dependence in adults.
This includes advice for councils on using local data on alcohol harm and alcohol treatment and help with commissioning both hospital services and community alcohol treatment services.
Health Matters will also highlight the key components required for an effective alcohol treatment service. This includes ensuring treatment addresses the needs of those with severe and multiple needs, such as homelessness, mental health and offending behaviour.
Future editions of Health Matters will cover the remaining key priorities for Public Health England – dementia, obesity, tuberculosis and early years – before we turn our attention to addressing some of the other pressing public health issues such as cancer and diabetes.
Visit the Health Matters page for more information and to sign up to receive our bulletin.
Content on this page is produced and paid for by Skills for Health
