| But far from being a depressing read, Dr Drew Walker’s latest annual report is upbeat and full of ways the health service is trying to tackle ill health in Dundee and beyond.
In his ninth year as director of public health, Dr Walker makes clear he and his colleagues have never been in a better position to have a positive influence on health improvement.
His top three priorities of tackling obesity, alcohol and smoking now have a huge public profile and have attracted specific funding.
Dr Walker described the year 2007/08 as memorable.
“The Directorate of Public Health has never been busier, had more opportunities, had more challenges, or had a greater impact on the health of the public in Tayside than in the past year,” stated Dr Walker.
“This has been in part due to the efforts of my own colleagues, but we have also benefited from the significantly greater profile being given to public health, health improvement and tackling health inequalities at a national level.”
He said improving health and tackling inequalities were now “explicit public sector priorities”, reflected in Scottish Government policy documents.
Dr Walker said there remained “significant room for improvement” in overall health in Tayside.
Many of the initiatives set up to tackle health inequalities are targeted at people in Dundee where there are the greatest number of people living in deprived circumstances that impact on their health. Dr Walker has previously spoken about the clear links between poverty and ill health.
Despite the plethora of problems being faced, he remains upbeat and ultimately hopeful.
“The scope of the report is immense, ranging from sexual health to smoking cessation, from illicit drug and alcohol misuse to oral health and from CPR training to action on obesity, to name but a few,” states Dr Walker. “We have had successes on all of these fronts, and on many more. But the reports on all of these include recommendations for further action, focus and investment, and reinforce the pressing need for targeted activity to narrow the unacceptable health divide between rich and poor and between advantaged and relatively disadvantaged communities.
“The political environment and organisational cultures in which we work make that more possible than ever before.” |
