Role of GP and GP Practice in Public Health: Best Practices and Partners for Improving Accessibility and Availability of Public Health Information

This report discusses the role of GP practice in public health England, opportunities to enhance availability and utility of public health information, how public health England is addressing health gaps using behavioural science, inequalities, cost effectiveness, and partners contributing in improving public health. It also explores which organisation should provide voluntary regulation to public health specialists.

HEALTH CARE POLICY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Role of GP and GP practice in public health...............................................................................3
Best practices to develop and improve the accessibility, utility and availability of public health
information...................................................................................................................................4
Public health England addressing current gaps by using behavioural science, cost effectiveness
or handling inequalities................................................................................................................6
Partners nationally and locally contributing to improve public health........................................7
According to Dr Gabriel Scally's report how to pursue voluntary registration and provide
system of voluntary regulation for public health.........................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Health care is the need and right of every human. Every human can take treatment in the
condition of illness and injuries. Health care policies are require because it is helpful in shaping
health care system for both the parties which is care giver and care provider. Doctors and nurses
plays important role in implementing health policies in the society. This report will discuss about
role of GP practice in public health England. Report will analyses opportunities to enhance
availability and utility of public health information. Further will evaluate how public health
England is addressing health gaps using behavioural science, inequalities, cost effectiveness etc.
this report will also discuss partners contributing in improving public health and which
organisation should provide voluntary regulation to public health specialists.
MAIN BODY
Role of GP and GP practice in public health
General practice or GP have vital role in public health England. It is associated with both
individual health and also with general public. It works on public health issues at community,
local, national and global level. Healthcare is considered as an important thing in modern general
practice. General practitioners are those health workers which give treatment to common medical
issues. They also refer patients for specialist treatment if needed (Kojima, Liljas and Iliffe,
2019). They concentrate on the health of person as a whole which includes psychological, social
or physical factors of care. From traditional time only general practitioners provide primary care
to the patients which comes with various illness. They focus on the issues of patients and give
treatment so that they feel better. Public health focus on whole population. They provide
treatment to whole nation and to each and every people. Focusing on individual health is
important likewise focusing on entire population health is also very important. General
practitioner plays vital role in enhancing child immunisation rate. So it can be said that they have
contributed in protecting population against infectious diseases.
There are various opportunities for GP by which they can contribute in public health by
providing their regular practice like cancer screening programs, notification of infectious
diseases etc. in their lifetime they mostly provide one on one healthcare. They treat individual

and did not give attention on the fact that health of an individual is also dependent on the society
health. It is often seen that general practitioners are mostly treating individual patients. The
institution of NHSCB and public health England is working continuously together in order to
enhance GP consortia to increase their influence of improvising health of the population and
decreasing health inequalities if have any. So that every citizen in England can get equal
services. As per the health policy 'healthy lives, healthy people, 2011' it explains that it is the
time when action has to be taken on obesity. So local government is also supporting people to
bring healthy weight by taking care of their lifestyle. In London Borough of barking and
Dagenham obesity has became one of the biggest challenges which is affecting individual's well-
being.
As per the report it can be said that obesity is the issue which is spreading rapidly in
London communities and is the disease which is making healthcare of the society worse. If an
individual have excess weight then he or she is prone to various health issues and that can
increase social and health care costs. People can chose GP practice which is based on their
performance. Public health England is increasing transparency in the effectiveness of various GP
practices (Mazorra and et.al., 2020). Public health England is challenging GP's so that their
performance can get improved. Public health England should increase their concentration on
public health issues by giving knowledge and training to general practitioner as the workforce
strategy. So central government should have help local government so that they can bring best
practices in order to reduce health illness and can brought such lifestyle which help people to
prevent diseases.
Best practices to develop and improve the accessibility, utility and availability of public health
information.
It is important that local and national authorities should work together through the
available scientific evidence. Central government should have constantly support local
authorities in order to bring health care changes (O’Donnell and et.al., 2018). Central
government are responsible for bringing development and solving various public health
problems. It also requires role of research councils to be included in the process of collecting
evidence base and also require third party role like charity organisation so that consistent
evidence should be provided to public. Central electronic management system can get installed
so that health professionals can be used them for getting latest information. Public health

England helps individuals, organisation and community in order to prevent them from disability,
diseases and mortality using prevention methods and supporting healthy lifestyle. They also
bring protection strategies in order to safe lives. Utility of public health information is important
as it improves nation's health. Public health information and intelligence is used to identify that
which kind of diseases is prevailing and what is their nature (Kaeberlein, 2018).
Example there are non communicable diseases like diabetes which has became concern
nowadays. It is found that ill health is the result of following unhealthy lifestyle and also
consumption of alcohol or smoking. Social inequalities can also bring ill health. But through
social habits and education it can be removed. Availability and utility of public health
information is also done so that can be prepare for emergency. Government of barking and
Dagenham will provide leadership where it is needed but will keep all major power and decisions
with themselves only. As central leadership is also important. Information and intelligence are
used in order to prepare and protect population in such situations in which they are not able to
protect themselves. So this is the care role which government have to perform. By using health
information public health England has prepared them in the situation of emergency and
resilience. So new health system has been implemented by the secretary state for health which
take care of organisations health functions.
Public health information is used by the institutions in order to promote, prevent and
protect health diseases (Edwards95 and Reid, 2018). Government of barking and Dagenham
spread awareness by organising campaign that what health is important and also how ill health
can be prevented. Public health emergency can bring emergency and protection planning by
using health information only. Without using health information proper protection policies
cannot be made. Public health information also given ideas that what disease majority of people
are facing and what measures are to be taken so that people can be protected form such diseases.
As per health and the care act, 2012, joint health efforts is made by London Borough of barking
and Dagenham to improve health of whole population. This is the wellbeing strategy which focus
on health related issues. In order to promote public well being first of all healthy lifestyle is very
important. If an individual will maintain healthy lifestyle then automatically he or she will not
get prone to any disease.

Public health England addressing current gaps by using behavioural science, cost effectiveness or
handling inequalities
Public health England is protecting health and well-being of the country so that health
inequalities can be reduced (Healthy Lives, Healthy People. 2021). This can be done with the
help of intelligence, behavioural science, advocacy, delivery, partnerships etc. by applying
behavioural and social sciences population health in England is improving. This institution also
provide support to local government, industry, NHS, public professional etc. behaviour have
major impact on the health of people. Problems like no exercise, poor lifestyle, sexual risk,
smoking etc can be the cause of diseases. It is also observed that behaviour of people is depended
on their cultural and circumstances. So by using behavioural sciences, behavioural gaps can be
covered. This is the time when the whole population is facing various health related issues and
well being challenges. It can be due to environmental, social, or biological causes. Challenges
related to healthcare inequalities is continuously rising for the complete public health system. So
in order to handle this institution has to observe behavioural or cultural factors of health and the
determinants at population level. Behavioural science can be said as public health future. It is the
responsibility of central government to do something on public health issues. Government should
provide funding for the research so that understanding can be developed for ill health causes,
strategies to impact behavioural change and mechanisms. Department of health and food industry
is helping to reduce public health diet challenges like food safety, obesity, nutritional
requirements etc.
People should have ask to follow easy ways so that their behaviour can be changed is the
most effective way to deal with current gaps. It can quitting smoke, taking regular check ups,
increase healthy food intake, decreasing inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions etc. this can bring
behaviour change which can helps in bringing health lifestyle and prevent diseases and also
minimise health inequalities. Public health England can address health gaps to develop practice
of improving cost effectiveness of interventions. Focusing on behaviour and practice can help in
understanding issues. Public health England is working is narrowing the health gap. As it
observed that from the long time people are living with poor health (Iliffe, 2020). As minority
communities are also not getting equal health treatments and hence resulting poor health issues.
So that is why institution is tackling with inequalities so that everyone can get equal health care
facilities. Good health is very important for the economy. So that is why public health is

encouraging people to live long and healthy. If government will put efforts in securing health of
people today then it can considered as an investment for the future economy. Behavioural
sciences are applied in order to improve public health.
They are also encouraging public health professionals that they should apply methods,
understanding and knowledge of behavioural science so that health of the people can be
protected or improved. Healthy nation will contribute in enhancing economic growth. So by
considering various health related factors like lifestyle, eating unhealthy, lack of exercise,
depression can disturb health of an individual. So by knowing such factors which is affecting
health public health can come up with solution in order to deal with health related gaps. Handling
wider determinants of health like lifestyle and food choices can provide support to various
policies. Example changing in food pattern can help an individual to decrease the fear of chronic
disease or risk related to obesity.
Partners nationally and locally contributing to improve public health
Local government which involves country or district councils is contributing in
improving health of the societies by doing various activities like planning, environmental health,
housing, transport etc. local councils are doing their health related duties as per the control
diseases act, 1984 (Aiken and et.al., 2021). local councils appoint officers for the health care
work. They has to check health of people and have to make report on health care issues so that
local authority can identify issues and also can come with solutions and all of these activities are
funded by local government. Local leadership which has became main thing for new public
health system. It has brought freedoms, new budgets and responsibilities to local government so
that they can improve health of the people and minimise inequalities. Government has made
health and social care bill and will give it is local authorities so that they can work on areas so
that health of people can be improved. If local government will take care of local health needs
then they can provide local solutions to them. Along with that local government also works on
other approaches like children's services, environmental health, transport etc. and local
government does this with the partners like NHS, early years services, voluntary organisation
etc. national government also put efforts to improvise public health.
As they make several policies which helps in enhancing well being of people. Public
health act, 1936 which is made by national government of the country. Under this act byelaws
are included so that amendments can be made as per public health and local acts are also made

which is followed by local councils and authorities. Government of England has made upper tier
councils as well as unitary authority which can monitor local public health. Local government
has been given budget from national government so that they can fulfil their public health roles
(Hunter and et.al., 2020). Under the framework national government checks the performance of
their partners in terms of health reports and their partners are local government, local councils
and authorities etc. department of health has made proposal in which all the partners have come
together which are public health leaders, local council and NHS. Wellbeing board would develop
local view in regards of community needs so that local people health needs can be fulfilled. So it
can be said that in London government authorities are working together in order to fulfil health
care needs of the people. National and local partners are creating awareness so that public health
can be improved. If an individual is aware of the problem then they can take essential precaution
to prevent them. Health care partners are also providing protection to local people and giving
them guidance so that they can be safeguard from diseases. Partners should take efforts and
should make sure that public information on health should be published so that confusion can be
avoided.
According to Dr Gabriel Scally's report how to pursue voluntary registration and provide system
of voluntary regulation for public health.
Dr Gabriel Scally's report tell about the health professionals which are involved and are
giving public health services like dietitians, nutritionists etc. in order to provide public health
nutrition services local authorities should have employed registered, knowledgeable and trained
nutritionists or dietitians. And dietitians are already registered with health profession councils.
But nutritionists have not got voluntary registration. People who comes under nutritionists are
not getting scientific training which is required for association for nutrition (AFN) registration
and this condition should have communicated on wider level (Tedstone, Duval and Peacock,
2020). Healthy life, healthy people act concentrating on improvising quality of life of people
who are working. It is working on professional approach of safety and health so that can support
recovery and economic growth.
CONCLUSION
Through this report it can be concluded that general practitioner plays important role in
public health England. They do check up of people and provide them treatment so that they can

get recovered from disease. Availability of public health information is important so that local
and national authority can come to know about health issues and bring about measures to solve
it. Report has also discussed current gaps and how it has controlled by cost effectiveness,
behavioural science etc. national and local government can improve public health by spreading
awareness and also suggesting ways through which people can improve their health. Health can
be improved by following good lifestyle, eating healthy, regular exercise etc. nutritionists should
provided voluntary regulation for public health England.

REFERENCES
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Online
Healthy Lives, Healthy People. 2021. [online]. Available through:
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