On Thursday, the government has raised its concerns over the proposed plans for public health policy. It has come to light that the new public health policy will be replacing the Health Protection Agency in April 2013. As per the new health policy, the local authorities will have greater responsibility and authority.
GPS and the BMA has expressed that the new policy instead of improving the services of the hospital will bring confusion. There is also a possibility that the government might be pushed to delegate its crucial responsibilities of mental health and obesity to local authorities.It has been reported that the NHS will have certain responsibilities of immunization, screening and health visiting for kids up to the age of five. However, the local authorities will be given the responsibility of dealing with mental health, sexual health and obesity control programs.
The BMA has recommended government to give high priority to obesity, alcohol misuse and sexual transmitted infection. It has also raised its doubts over the capability of the local authorities in dealing with theses complex and growing problems. The Co-chair of the BMA's Public Health Medicine Committee, Dr. Keith Reid, said, “We do not want a situation where local authorities are handed the keys to public health, only to find that the engine has gone”.
As reported in: http://newstonight.net/content/confusion-over-new-public-health-policy