Press Release

Tuesday 24 June 2008

New Health Profiles Useful Tool for Planning Services Says Faculty of Public Health

The Faculty of Public Health welcomes the publication today of the National Health Profiles for 2008, in particular new information on children's health.

"Good information is vital for local decision makers" says Faculty of Public Health President, Prof Alan Maryon-Davis. "The Health Profiles provide a handy temperature check for the nation's health."

The Health Profiles provide a broad picture of public health across England They are a useful tool for local decision makers in planning the services they provide for local people. With these profiles, they can see where they are in the national picture and can plot their progress.

Whilst we are healthier and living longer, the profiles show big gaps between affluent and deprived areas. "But the results show that where you have local enthusiasm, clear priorities and sustained investment you can make a difference, even in the most deprived areas", says Prof Maryon-Davis. "An example of this is the great take up of breast feeding in the London Borough of Lambeth, which is one of the worst areas for child poverty."

 

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) is the leading professional body for public health specialists in the UK. It aims to promote and protect the health of the population, and improve health services, by maintaining professional and educational standards, advocating on key public health issues, and providing practical information and guidance for public health professionals.
  2. Public health is about improving and protecting the health of groups of people, rather than about treating individual patients. Public health professionals must look at the bigger picture and then take action to promote health lifestyles, prevent disease, protect and improve general health, and improve healthcare services. The ‘population' they are working for could be a rural community, an entire city, or the global population, but the principles remain the same.


 

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