MEMORANDUM BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUBLIC
HEALTH (PH1) (contd.)
12. ALTERNATIVE
MODELS OF
PUBLIC HEALTH
PROVISION AND
INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC
HEALTH
12.1 In developing the public health strategy
set out in Saving Lives, the Government looked at
models of public health provision in other countries. The recent
WHO report, Health Systems: Improving Performance, looked
at the performance of health systems around the world and ranks
191 countries on various measures. The UK as 18th overall; in
the top 10 per cent on overall health system performance, alongside
the Netherlands and ahead of the USA; and 2nd in terms of fighting
child mortality. We welcome the WHO report and its innovative
approach.
12.2 The methodology used by WHO is quite
complex and needs interpreting with care, but its innovative approach
to measuring performance on health is helpful, and we have the
modernisation plans already in hand through the new National Plan
to tackle deficits in the UK system. Further details on the Report
(and other relevant information) are at Annex I.
12.3 We also can learn from involvement
in international fora. The UK aims to approach the international
public health agenda in a positive and proactive way by, for example,
supporting and participating in European Union activity in many
areas which have an impact on public health such as tobacco, and
communicable disease control. The UK is also the fifth largest
donor to the WHO regular programme budget and contributes a significant
proportion of voluntary contributions to specific programmes through
the Department for International Development.
12.4 A number of NGOs are affiliated to
the World Health Organisation. That entitles them to attend World
Health Assemblies as observers and, depending on the ruling of
the Chairman, to participate in those meetings. Two examples of
European networks of NGOs concerned with public health are: the
European Network of Health Promotion Agencies (ENHPA), and the
European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) with members from over
75 local, regional, national, European and international non-governmental
and other not-for-profit organisations. In this country a National
Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations has recently been set
up. Its terms of reference are at Annex J.
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