NHS can be powerful force for regeneration, says the Government
NHS organisations can be a powerful force in regenerating local communities, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt told participants at the UK Public Health Association's annual
public health forum this week.
“In many areas, the NHS is the largest local employer and biggest
customer for local suppliers. Where we locate our hospitals and other
big investments
can be a strong force for regeneration in deprived neighbourhoods,” she
said. She told participants that the NHS should seek to make a real difference
to the local economy and community and help to tackle wider health inequalities
when reconfiguring local services.
“We will be reviewing our guidance to the NHS to ensure that when
a new hospital or health centre is proposed, a key factor in the decision
making
process will be the benefit to the local community in terms of creating
employment, buying goods from local suppliers, designing new buildings
that save energy and are pleasant places to work and visit, and providing
sustainable transport policies.”
Last month, the Department of Health launched a web-based guide for NHS
managers to assess their progress as “good corporate citizens”,
a concept which describes how NHS organisations can embrace sustainable
development and tackle health inequalities through their day-to-day activities.
Mrs Hewitt acknowledged concern that financial difficulties in the NHS
may result in public health being starved of resources. However, she
added: “We need to keep the financial problems in perspective.
Across the NHS as a whole, we are talking about deficits of less than
1 per cent of the total budget.” She said that there will be tough
financial decisions to make over the next year but highlighted that two
of the six clinical priorities named in the NHS operating framework for
2006–07 relate to public health.
News feature p315 |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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