What does the practice do to promote health and well being?

What does the practice do to promote health and well being? By Drs. H. Jabar and S. Obaseki

Definition • The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health promotion as “the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health” (WHO 1998). • In recent years there has been a considerable shift in UK health policy towards developing an NHS that places a real emphasis on the promotion of health. • Primary care services are key to achieving this aim

RCGP curriculum • Statement 3.01: Healthy people: promoting health and preventing disease. (GP should be able to promote health through a health promotion or disease prevention programmes).

RCGP curriculum on health promotion and preventing disease • GP knowledge • Working in partnership / teamwork • Changing behaviour • Educating patients

So who is involved? • GPs and their practice teams (PHCT) have a crucial role to play in promoting health and preventing disease • General Practitioners • Practice Nurses/Nurse Practitioners/Community Nurses • Health Visitors, Midwives • Healthcare Assistants • Practice manager, receptionists and admin staff • Other healthcare workers • Health promotion has moved from specialist led to multidisciplinary teams.

What does health promotion involve? • The Darzi review states that .....Our efforts must be focused on six key goals: tackling obesity, reducing alcohol harm, treating drug addiction, reducing smoking rates, improving sexual health and improving mental health

Disease prevention • Prevention can be classified into the following • Primary prevention • Secondary prevention • Tertiary prevention

Primary prevention • Activities designed to reduce the instances of an illness in a population and thus to reduce the risk of new cases appearing and to reduce their duration.

Primary prevention E.g. • smoking cessation and weight management programmes • childhood vaccination programme • Travel advice, malaria prophylaxis and travel vaccination • Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination for high risk group • Safe sex advice

Secondary prevention • Activities aimed at detecting and treating pre-symptomatic disease or to prevent recurrence of a disease

Secondary prevention E.g. • Breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programmes • Routine child health surveillance • Retinal screening, Foot check for people with DM

Tertiary prevention • Activities aimed at reducing morbidity from existing conditions

Tertiary prevention E.g. • Glucose regulation, exercise promotion and weight loss for people with DM • Annual epilepsy check • Smoking cessation for people with Asthma or COPD

What does the practice do? • Waiting room/Reception area: Information about healthy lifestyle • Notice board, • TV screen, • Practice leaflets,

What does the practice do? 2. Practice website : • Advice on Diet, alcohol, smoking, exercise, immunisation, blood pressure check and cervical smear). 3. Practice Monthly newsletter.

What does the practice do? 4. Health promotion advice during consultation • Smoking • Alcohol • Weight 5.Speciality and Chronic Disease Management (CDM) clinics • Smoking cessation • Asthma clinic , COPD clinic, weight management

References • The kings Fund - A pro-active approach. Health Promotion and ill-health prevention • RCGP - It’s Your Practice. A patient guide to GP services • RCGP curriculum statement

What does the practice do to promote health and well being?