Health services needed closer to home

Health minister Lord Ara Darzi's review said health professionals who work in the community must use their expertise to develop innovative ways to deliver services for patients.

High Quality Care for All, NHS Next Stage Review Final Report said nurses, midwives and health visitors working in community settings have a crucial role to play in providing some of the most personalised care, particularly for children and families.

The report, published this week, also set out plans for pilots of more integrated services that would bring together health and social care professionals.

In addition, it outlined six key health goals for the NHS in England: tackling obesity; reducing harm from alcohol; treating drug addiction; reducing smoking; improving sexual health; and better mental health care.

The review builds on plans in the national obesity strategy, Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, for the Coalition for Better Health programme, that focus on obesity through voluntary agreements between the government, private sector and voluntary-sector organisations. The agreements will encourage people to exercise and eat heathier food.

Dr Colin Waine, chair of the National Obesity Forum, said: "It will be useful to try to secure links and collaborate between what the Darzi report is saying and what came out earlier in the obesity strategy so that there is a fully joined up and co-ordinated approach."

Julie Bentley, chief executive of sexual health charity fpa, added: "Making sexual health a priority will make it much easier for people to get the services they need. The public health agenda is about improving health and sexual health is part of that whether it's about contraception, pregnancy or sexual education."

Each strategic health authority has published its own plans for reforming NHS services (CYP Now, 11-17 June). Darzi said the common themes for children's health were designing services around the family and delivering them outside health settings.

- www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.