Introduction from our Director of Public Health

Earlier this year the Government’s white paper 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' set out plans to gradually shift the emphasis of health and social care towards a more community-based approach, with less dependence on hospitals for diagnosis, assessment and treatment.

A key theme of the white paper was prevention – preventing ill-health in the first place, preventing diseases and disorders from recurring or getting worse, and preventing the distress and debility that so often accompany chronic illness.

The White Paper also crystallised the emerging role of practice-based commissioning in procuring health and social care services, including preventive services, for local communities.

This year’s annual public health report captures the two themes of prevention and localities. It looks at some of the socio-demographic and health needs at locality level, and the progress being made around preventive approaches to meet them. In particular it focuses on eight key local health issues:

1. Alcohol
2. Blood pressure 
3. Immunisation
4. Mental health 
5. Obesity and diabetes
6. Sexual health
7. Screening
8. Smoking 

The report comes in two parts:

• a magazine-style leaflet aimed at the general public, sent to every household alongside the council’s free magazine Southwark Life and intended to signpost people to preventive services
• this web version, intended to help point the way towards more effective planning, commissioning and delivering of preventive services for the four localities of Southwark.

I hope you find both parts useful and would welcome any comments you might have.

 
Dr Alan Maryon Davis
Director of Public Health for Southwark