A vision for population health: Towards a healthier future

A policy briefing is available for LKS staff to share in their organisations.  Produced by the JET Library at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  Feel free to reproduce it (with acknowledgement).

What does this mean for libraries? 

• Monitor where accountability lies and new roles in managing population health so that library services can be directed appropriately.
• Library staff may need to work with various health and care services to provide evidence.
• Capture and share information from other countries e.g. Scotland and Wales who have successfully tackled health inequalities.

Source: The King’s Fund

Link to main document

Date of publication: November 2018

Summary of driver: England lags behind many other countries on key health outcomes, life expectancy improvements have stalled and health inequalities widen. Population health aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes, promote wellbeing and reduce health inequalities across an entire population. This report outlines The King’s Fund’s vision for population health, their reasoning and the steps to achieve it.

Due north report: PHE response

Title of driver: This collection of documents outlined Public Health England Response to: Due North: The Report of the Inquiry on health equity for the north 

Source: Public Health England

Link to main document 

Publication format: Web page which lists a collection of relevant pdfs

Date of publication: Latest report published in July 2015

Summary of driver: These documents describe the actions Public Health England (PHE) is taking to improve health equity and outlines their plans to address the issues highlighted in Due North: The Report of the Inquiry on health equity for the north .

Key features of driver: The July 2015 document discusses the following key areas and provides examples of best practice for each:

Economic development and living conditions

• Leading evidence-informed debate on living standards and health inequalities
• Supporting local partnerships working for economic growth
• Promoting health at work
• Working with the housing sector

Early childhood as a critical period

• Promoting healthy development in early childhood
• Giving every child the best start in life is a priority

Devolution: having the power to make a difference at the right spatial scale

• Sharing power and resources and securing community engagement on the
  determinants of health

The vital role of the health sector

• Strengthening the role of the health sector in promoting health equity

Primary audience: Public Health Staff

Impact on library policy/practice: Library teams supporting public health staff could incorporate these themes into current awareness services.

Date last updated: 19th February 2016

Due for review: 19th February 2017

Group member responsible: Tracey Pratchett

Due North: The report of the Inquiry on Health Equity for the North

Source: Report prepared by the Inquiry Panel on Health Equity for the North of England

Link to main document 

Publication format: pdf

Date of publication: September 2014

Summary of driver: This inquiry was commissioned by Public Health England in February 2014, to examine Health Inequalities affecting the North of England. It was led by an independent Review Panel of academics, policy makers and practitioners from the North of England. It  is part of ‘Health Equity North’  created to address health inequalities. It intends to make recommendations to address the social inequalities in health in the North of England compared to the rest of the country.

Key features of driver: The document is split into a number of chapters which cover:

1. Principles and processes of the Inquiry
2. Current policy context
3. Evidence
4. Making the following recommendations:

• Tackle poverty and economic equality
• Promote healthy development in early childhood
• Increase the influence of the public in allocation of health resources
• Strengthen the role of the health sector in promoting health equity

Primary audience: Public Health Teams

Impact on library policy/practice: Provide evidence and current awareness services linked to the 4 recommendations

Date last updated: 19th February 2016

Due for review: 19th February 2016

Group member responsible: Tracey Pratchett

Local action on health inequalities: evidence papers

Title of driver: Local action on health inequalities: evidence papers

Source: Commissioned by Public Health England and prepared by UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE)

Link to main document 

Publication format: Webpage with links to eight individual evidence reviews and 14 briefing papers

Date of publication: September 2014

Summary of driver: The evidence reviews provide evidence for interventions on social issues that lead to poor health, as well as practical advice in dealing with these issues, and local examples.

Action to reduce health inequalities is central to the work of Public Health England, and health inequalities are a longstanding challenge. Local authority public health teams wanted evidence to support implementation of practical action on health inequalities

The topics covered relate to some of the policy objectives in the Marmot Review and are intended to provide a useful local focus for action.

Key features of driver: The evidence reviews provide useful background information on public health issues, including the impact on measures such as life expectancy, morbidity, or impact on hospital admissions. They also provide case studies of actual interventions, areas where further research is required, and an extensive reference list.

Primary audience: Local authority staff, particularly public health teams and health and wellbeing boards

Impact on library policy/practice: No direct impacts identified

Date last updated: March 2015

Due for review: March 2016

Group member responsible: JC