In Focus

Public Health

Wednesday, 14 Nov 2007 15:27

Public Health

Weighing up public health policy

politics.co.uk is debating the key issues affecting public health. Politicians, opinion formers and leading experts will discuss topics including obesity, binge drinking, STDs, smoking and drug abuse – as well as how the government can combat them.

New features will be added throughout, as well as regular opportunities for readers to contribute to the debate.

Responses

Will a new generation die of ignorance?
Pointing to rising HIV rates, the politics.co.uk editor asks whether the "don't die of ignorance" message has been forgotten, with the government under pressure to refocus on HIV education. More...
How far can governments go to promote good health?
Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary, argues it is possible for government's to take the lead in promoting public health without telling people how to live their lives.More...
How paternalistic can liberals be in promoting health?
Norman Lamb, Lib Dem health spokesman, argues the NHS must shift its emphasis to promoting wellness rather than curing sickness. More...
Fat is a government issue
Obesity is now firmly a matter for public policy, with the government citing the strain on the NHS to justify a raft of targets for a slimmer nation. More...
Two years on: The jury's still out on 24-hour licensing
When 24-hour drinking came into force in 2005 it was touted as a solution to rising levels of alcohol-related crime. Now, Gordon Brown is actively considering abandoning it. More...

Responses

How to avoid damaging people
We ignore the givens of human nature at our peril. As with any venture, if the innate physical and emotional needs of everyone involved are not factored in, policies will fail and contribute to the rise in rates of mental illness.More...
Alcohol treatment budgets need ring fencing
Srabani Sen, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, calls for the development of a stable funding platform for alcohol treatment services.More...
Why not make late abortions illegal?
Marie Stopes International (MSI) puts forward the case for why late abortions should not be made illegal.More...

Govt 'too quick' to blame GPs
Writing for politics.co.uk Colin Cooper, editor in chief of GP magazine, outlines the barriers to improving access to primary care.More...
Drugs: Our say – the next ten-year national strategy
Deirdre Boyd, editor of the journal Addiction Today and CEO of the Addiction Recovery Foundation, outlines where the government's drugs strategy needs to go next. More...

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