All health workers should promote patient health
Released 10/01/2012
Recommendations form the NHS Future Forum suggest that NHS professionals should “promote good health” at any point of contact
The report states that though everyone within the NHS has a responsibility for their own health, the NHS and their staff still have a duty to help people improve their general well-being
Ministers back recommendations that health professionals in England must adapt their roles to promote patient health, based on advice from the second report by the NHS future forum.
The NHS future forum, an independent panel of government advisors, concluded that staff within the NHS should aim to use every opportunity to promote good patient health as part of their day-to-day interaction with patients.
The recommendations have been met with mixed opinions from the medical profession, with critics suggesting that the move could drive some patients away by making them feel uncomfortable as a result of intrusive advice and questioning.
The report states that though everyone within the NHS has a responsibility for their own health, the NHS and their staff still have a duty to help people improve their general well-being.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley praised the recommendations, stating: "The NHS Future Forum has again provided invaluable feedback and advice on what the NHS needs to do to improve results and put the NHS truly on the side of patients.”
“Make every contact count”
Dr Clare Gerada of the Royal College of GPs, disagrees with the proposals, believing that raising related or unrelated lifestyle risks as routine could be counter-productive to healthcare in the long run.
Commenting on the recommendations she stated: "We already look for opportunities to offer advice, but the idea that every consultation will have to address these four concerns may deter patients from coming in the first place.
“The discussion must be based on the patient's agenda, and we should prise open these other issues only if it feels appropriate.”
Director of the NHS Employers, Dean Royles, supported the employer-led sentiment of the new recommendations however: "Throughout the work of the Future Forum, employers have stressed the importance of making sure that the needs of the whole workforce, including those of support staff are considered within the new arrangements,” he said.
“It's a real breakthrough to see specific recommendations to allow national funding to be used to invest in developing all staff. This is essential if we are to create a step change in the way services are delivered.”
The report suggests that health workers should utilise any day-to-day interaction they have with patients to offer health advice, as GPs and practice nurses see over 800,000 people, dentists see over 250,000 NHS patients and pharmacies serve 1.6 million in England every day.
‘There are millions of opportunities every day for the NHS to help to improve people's health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities, but to take this opportunity it needs a different view of how to use its contacts with the public,’ it states.
Chair of the Future Forum, Professor Steve Field, spoke about his panel’s findings: “We are making robust and ambitious recommendations to the NHS and to government,” he said.
“We have heard an enormous amount of support for the shift to patient-centred care but also frustration that this has not yet been achieved. This must now become a reality for patients across England and health and social care professionals must lead the way.”
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