As predicted in the February issue of OH, healthcare has played a central role in the election campaign. Some of the fiercest arguments over the last four weeks have revolved around health issues
Despite their differences, the political parties seem to agree on one thing: maintaining the optimum health of the working population is the key to sustaining the economy and the NHS.
So, it’s appropriate that health promotion and health literacy campaigns are highlighted in this issue.
From June, the British Dietetic Association will launch a campaign focused specifically at encouraging healthier eating among the workforce. The article on page 12 outlines the research behind this move, and provides a wealth of resources available to OH departments that would like to become involved.
On page 20, the government-sponsored body the DPP (Developing Patient Partnerships) outlines its policies for improving the health literacy of the working population. And, unlike government initiatives that seem to demand that OH practitioners take on more work to fulfil the objectives of the latest White Paper, the good news is that the DPP aims to free-up OH staff by offering them a host of free health literacy materials. The article contains loads of tips, campaign news and sources of further material, so you can take your pick.
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Our cover story looks at a rather misunderstood sector of society – transgender and transsexual people.
Since the 1990s, they have been campaigning for their rights to respect and equality, and from 4 April 2005, now have specific protection under the law (see page 10). A crucial piece of information for those in OH, is the news that a transgender person can determine whether they disclose their status or not, meaning confidentiality issues must remain central to your department’s policies and procedures.
