With the demise of Public Health England, we see the emergence of two separate bodies: the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), which will focus on improving health and preventing health inequalities; and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which will focus on health protection. OHID aims to ‘co-ordinate an ambitious programme across central and local government, the NHS and wider society, drawing on expert advice, analysis and evidence, to drive improvements in the public's health.’
This is greatly needed. Statistics show that men in the most deprived areas in England are expected to live nearly 10 years fewer than those in the least deprived. Women in the same areas can expect to live 7 years fewer. A recent report in The Guardian suggested that child obesity is linked to health disparities, and the number of overweight or obese children in England could be reduced by hundreds of thousands if health outcomes were levelled up to the areas of the country where they are best (Gregory, 2021). Diabetes UK have been warning that their analysis shows that 1 in 10 adults could be living with type 2 diabetes by 2030 if no action is taken (Diabetes UK, 2021).
Public Health England had a huge remit, and it is hoped that by splitting the health protection and health improvement arms we will see improved results. The OHID hopes to prevent health conditions before they develop, and therefore reduce the burden on healthcare services. It is clear they have a mammoth task ahead of them. Tobacco, obesity, alcohol and recreational drugs are areas that OHID will focus on.
The government says evidence suggests that financial incentives can improve rates of physical activity and inspire healthier eating, so news of a pilot scheme, run by OHID, of an app that will give users rewards for healthy behaviours sounds interesting. From January 2022, the pilot will see users wear wrist-worn devices that can generate personalised health recommendations, such as increasing their step count, eating more fruit and vegetables and decreasing portion size. Users will collect points for these healthy behaviours which will unlock rewards, which could include gym passes, clothes or food vouchers and discounts for shops, cinema or theme park tickets. While nudges towards healthy behaviour may help some people, for many there are deep-seated economic, social and personal reasons as to why they partake in unhealthy behaviours. I suspect that, while well-meaning, truly turning around public health in the UK will require a systemic change rather than an app or two.
What simple things could OHID do to improve public health? Let us know at pn@markallengroup.com
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