Neighbourhood health services welcomed

Alice Wiseman, ADPH Vice President, has welcomed the news that the Government are taking the first steps to implement its plans for neighbourhood health services.

Ms Wiseman, who is Director of Public Health for Gateshead and Newcastle, said:

“It makes absolute sense that NHS care should be delivered in communities, and it is very positive to see the Government’s recognition that working in partnership at a local level is key to helping deliver on their ambitions.

“As with all the commitments in the plan though, the devil will be in the detail and it is important to get that right, right from the start. For Directors of Public Health, that means ensuring that the wide range of programmes and services we provide are considered alongside more accessible NHS treatment, as well as alongside other services that contribute to people’s health and wellbeing.

“This is very much an opportunity to place prevention and reducing health inequalities at the heart of everyone’s work, but it will need to be done by harnessing local knowledge and expertise so that the needs of each local community are being met effectively.”