ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the prime minister's announcement that a large-scale screening programme will be introduced in England to help create a more preventative health service.

Comment from:

• Unite
• Help the Aged
• IDDT
• NHS Confederation
• Eye Health Alliance

Stakeholder response: Unite

To send a comment to Unite, click here

Roger Jeary, director of research, said: "Unite believes that the NHS was established to be a health service and not simply a sickness service. That is why we have championed the cause of public health and opposed the swingeing cuts that have been made to PCTs - resulting in one of the largest surpluses in NHS history.

"Promoting holistic public health should be restored as a key element of the government's reform programme, encompassing all sections of the community. As a first step, this initiative is to be welcomed if it refocuses the NHS on the benefits of preventative public health and leads to an evaluation of other controversial public health policies which have focused on involving the private sector in community care".

Stakeholder response: Help the Aged

To send a comment to Help the Aged clickhere

Paul Cann, director of policy and external relations, said: "The prime minister's emphasis on prevention through measures such as screening for conditions like stroke or heart disease during mid-life is welcome.

"However, Help the Aged believes that far more should be done for the current older age group. Screening is a key tool of public health and prevention and should not be limited by age unless it is proven from clinical research that this is justified.

"In addition, given the demographic make-up of the country, Help the Aged wants to see greater focus on certain conditions which devastate the lives of older people but which can be prevented.

"Falls are a prime example - over half of hospital admissions for accidental injury result from a fall and half of those who suffer a hip fracture never regain their former level of function.

"Incontinence is a further example of where greater work and provision is urgently needed. Around one-in-ten of the population will suffer from continence issues at some point in our lives, with risk increasing as we get older. While this debilitating condition can be treated, many cases go undiagnosed and can cause real misery for many people.

"With issues such as these at front of mind, what is needed from the prime minister therefore is enhanced commitment to tackling a range of public health issues. Doing so will result in a more rounded and effective public health drive which benefits the whole population."

Stakeholder response: Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust

To send a comment to IDDT clickhere

Jenny Hirst, co-chair, said: "While we welcome Gordon Brown's proposal for screening for early signs of common diseases, including diabetes, we have concerns that the results of the screening programmes will be affordable and equal across the country.

"Many people with already diagnosed diabetes are facing a reduction in the number of times they see their doctor. They are having difficulty obtaining the number of blood glucose test strips they require to manage their diabetes; there is a lack of education programmes to help them self-manage their diabetes; and the services for children with diabetes are suboptimal.

"This is due to insufficient resources for which the government blames the spending decisions of the primary care trusts and as a result of these decisions, the postcode lottery of care for people with diabetes is greater than it used to be.

"Screening the population for diabetes will have two effects. Firstly, it will mean an increase in the numbers of people diagnosed with diabetes who will require treatment and care.

"Secondly, screening will detect people who are at risk of diabetes and if screening is to succeed in preventing this developing into diabetes, then education programmes and monitoring systems for this group of people will have to be in place.

"Before greeting such screening programmes with open arms, we need to be assured that not only is the necessary funding in place for the screening itself but that additional funding and resources will be in place to provide treatment, services and education for the people the screening detects. We also need to be assured that the existing services for people already diagnosed do not suffer even further."

Stakeholder response: The NHS Confederation

To send a comment to NHS Confederation click here

Nigel Edwards, director of policy, said: "The first health speech from a new prime minister always provides a crucial insight into the tone and direction for future health policy. Gordon Brown's agenda is ambitious and will be welcomed by NHS staff.

"There is increasing consensus across the NHS and the political world about the direction of policy and the ways of enabling a technological revolution in health along with real patient empowerment. We are keen to work with the prime minister on realising his vision.

"Key to success will be true local autonomy and accountability for the NHS. We therefore welcome the prime minister's commitment to a more local control over services.

"We urge him to trust local professionals and leaders to know best how to improve their services for local people. The prime minister must trust managers and clinicians to set local priorities and resist calls to impose top down targets."

David Worskett, director of NHS Partners Network, said: "We welcome the government's continued commitment to involve the independent sector in public health provision and to extend choice. As patients gain greater access to information they will increasingly want to exercise choice; this makes widening the range of providers ever more important."

Sue Slipman, director of the Foundation Trust Network, said: "The new freedoms to provide primary care are very welcome and foundation trusts will be enthusiastic about using their expertise in this arena.

"Foundation trusts are working hard to increase membership numbers. Ensuring accountability is of course not merely a matter of numbers: membership must also be representative and engaged and foundation trusts are already using innovative ways of involving their local populations.

"Foundation trusts will be interested in helping to turn around the performance of failing hospitals, but they are independent organisations and their boards will have to be confident that in doing so they are not putting the foundation trust at undue risk."

Steve Barnett, director of NHS Employers said: "The wellbeing of staff is a priority for NHS employers and we would welcome any initiative which would enable them to help their staff to lead healthier lives.

"The NHS has many examples of trusts which are pioneering initiatives to improve the health of their workforce, such as offering discounted swimming sessions and lunchtime walks. We are sharing these good examples in the hope that we can encourage others to follow suit."

Stakeholder response: Eye Health Alliance



To send a comment to the Eye Health Alliance click here

Heather Marshall, public affairs adviser, said, "We welcome this shift to a greater focus on preventative health measures. With an ageing population the number of people who will have an eye condition or visual impairment is set to increase, placing a greater demand not only on eye care services but on rehabilitative social services and other health services.

"Early detection of conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration through regular eye tests will be crucial to reduce the number of people with avoidable sight loss and to reduce the burdens on the NHS.

"Improving the sight of older people can not only improve their quality of life, help people stay in their own homes for longer and cut the incidence of accidents such as falls – but will make huge savings for the NHS.

"It is also important to ensure vulnerable groups such as the housebound have access to eye care services. Further promotion of domiciliary services, such as the domiciliary eye care service where optometrists carry out eye tests in a patients’ own home, is needed.

"We also welcome the proposal for screening for diabetes. People with diabetes are at risk of loosing their sight due to a condition called diabetic retinopathy so it is vital that they have regular screening for this condition. There may not be any symptoms and the patient may not realise that there is something wrong with their eye sight. Regular screening will ensure it is picked up early so that treatment can prevent any sight loss."