According to the World Health Organization, chronic illness is projected to be the leading cause of disability by and if not successfully prevented or managed these illnesses will become the most expensive problems faced by our healthcare systems. In recent decades the focus of medicine has shifted from acute care, or treatment of an illness, to prevention. It is a well-known fact that early detection saves lives.
You are unique and your situation in life is personal and known best by you. You and your doctor can then work together to develop a personalized healthcare plan that fits your needs. Using preventive care instead of waiting until you have a problem to try to cure it is a much more effective way to handle your personal health.
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Vascular Inflammation Test. Lipoprotein a Health Test. Haptoglobin Genetic Test. About Us. Activate Kit sign in. Vitamin D. Increasing rates of alcohol and drugs-related deaths and hospitalisations, STIs, and obesity and a shift in the pattern of ill health towards multiple health conditions are also indicative of the need for action.
Nursing is essentially about providing quality evidence-based care and support to individuals and populations to improve health and well-being throughout life. In the past, public health has been seen as a niche specialty far removed from the typical image of nursing and only practiced by those with very specific qualifications. All nursing and midwifery staff are well placed to do this and need to embrace the contribution they can make to prevention. The ongoing challenge is having enough staff with the skills and time to make this essential contribution.
The RCN have been campaigning for many years for a greater focus on prevention with adequate funding. This is particularly pertinent in England, following the transfer of funding for public health to local authorities in and thereafter significant year on year cuts to local authority budgets and to the public health grant. The RCN welcomed the announcement in the recent spending review of a real terms increase to the public health grant, which we see as a step in the right direction.
However, indications are that the increase will likely fall short of the amount needed to offset the years of cuts and is not based on an assessment of population need.
Improving public health and preventing ill health is about more than health services; and requires action to address the wider determinants of health, for example, education, transport and employment, which need to be addressed alongside health services in a more systematic way and with cross-government action and investment.
We are calling for a long term sustainable investment in public health and prevention, which is based on assessment of population need and an understanding of health inequalities. The RCN has key alliances with a number of organisations to support lobbying on public health.
Also the Obesity Health Alliance and as such we have helped strengthen the case for stronger legislation on unhealthy foods. See also: Prevention is better than cure.
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