Health and Safety Regulations and Legislation Assignment Sample

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Introduction to Health and Social Care Assignment

Health inequalities are explicated as disparities in health across different groups and communities, a topic frequently examined in academic resources such as Online Assignment Help in UK. They are recognised in the context of addressing health issues and the distribution of health resources and services for different groups within society. Social factors such as lifestyle choices, age, birthplace, education, and other domains are at the forefront of health inequality (Antal, 2023). These inequalities arise from the direct and indirect influence of stress stemming from socioeconomic hierarchy, highlighting the psychosocial components that contribute to unequal health outcomes.

Furthermore, intergenerational transmission of health inequalities consistently increasing health disparities for lower-socioeconomic communities. These differences create devasting situation for underprivileged groups and negatively impacts their over-all wellbeing. In order to address health inequalities, there are varied policies implemented that specifically focuses on people who are facing differences. The effectiveness of policy can be assessed by observing the status of health inequality as it depicts whether the policy has reduced health disparities or not. The current essay will be based on critically apprising a health and social care policy “Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives” in terms of its implication and use for health creation approaches and tackling social inequality in the health. In the essay the name of policy will be referred as “Tackling Obesity”.

Main Body

Overview of the policy initiative including the health issue and target population

Obesity refers to the excessive and abnormal accumulation of fat in the body; statistical information has revealed that 25.9% of adults and 15% of children are struggling with obesity (Obesity statistics in UK, 2023). This is developing higher risk for developing serious complication such as Type 2 Diabetes, Heart disease, stroke, Cancer and other serious disease. Managing obesity is considered as one of the foremost challenges in the UK. The assessment by Public Health England depicted that cases of obesity are increasing and impacting the well-being of individuals specifically after COVID-19 (Backholer et al, 2012). The cases of obesity are majorly witnessed in the social deprivation areas due to lack of access towards healthcare services and lack of education regarding self-management strategies of obesity. Therefore, Tackling Obesity was introduced by government in year 2020 this was specifically for underprivileged group in the UK. This policy was associated with varied strategies such as introduction of new campaigns in social deprived areas, expanding weight management services in NHS, publishing the 4-nation public consultation, introduction of legislation for good businesses, calories labelling and banning advertisement of the HFSS products on TV (Tackling obesity, 2023).

Health and Safety Regulations and Legislation Assignment Sample

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The targeted population for current context aligns with individuals [male and females] aged from 11-30 years living in UK rural areas and belongs from low-income communities. In this particular age group cases of obesity are found to be high and therefore, this groups have been selected. In this community majority of people does not have regular income. However, in context of children the income is signified by their parent’s income (Bouchard and Pérusse, 2020). This socially deprived areas face varied issues related to health inequality, unemployment, housing, social discrimination and no many aspects. These groups are further unaware about the policies and benefits introduced by government as they are not educated enough and therefore, their health status keeps decreasing (Tackling obesity, 2023). There is no doubt in stating that, this particular groups faces major issues when it comes to receiving quality healthcare. Fluctuation in dietary habits and physical activities develops an environment in which individuals are predisposed for weight gaining (Bouchard, 2020). Poor people do not have enough money and therefore, they prefer processed, fried foods and sugary drinks which are of low cost and this results in increasing the cases of obesity.

The motive of tackling obesity is to empowering children and adults for maintaining a healthy behavioural pattern that concerned with healthy diet and routine. However, people from socially deprived areas cannot access quality food which signifies about health disparity. Tackling obesity has further focused on providing free quality meal to children and adults who belongs from under-privileged groups (Bray and Bouchard, 2023). The policy provides a health message that tackling obesity becomes possible only when there is individual and collective efforts will be undertaken. This initiative was specifically set for creating awareness in people so they can prefer healthy food. On a contrary note, individuals from deprived areas needs financial support so they can maintain a healthy diet and routine which ultimately lead to managing obesity (Chavez‐Ugalde et al, 2021). There are varied strategies undertaken in tackling obesity policy but the major focus was established on self-management strategies. The policy emphasised on implying strict legislation on food organisations so they cannot promote their food items by selling it for free. The restrictions are implied on advertisement as well, consultancy team has been opened so people can take guidance. All of these initiatives prove to be significant for those families and individuals that belongs from middle-high income age group. The implementation of campaign in socially deprived areas can be considered as foremost initiative for socially deprived areas. In this campaign free food was delivered to individuals and they were made aware about the weight management services that can receive from NHS. Furthermore, free meals to children at schools were given and they were guided about physical exercise as well.

Considering above analysis, this can be said that the aim of tackling obesity is to encourage children and young people so they can undertake certain lifestyle changes. For lower-socio-economic groups, campaigns were opened up so that support can be provided to them and they were made aware about the consultancy and services they can receive free of cost. The social factors act as a barrier in reducing the health differences and therefore, it is important to target these social determinants for improving health outcomes of individuals.

Perceive needs of relevant workforce, health inequalities and social determinants of health

It is essential to full-fill the requirements of workforce within clinical setting as they are accountable for providing the services to patients. In case, their requirements are not met then, it significantly impacts the health status of people. The barriers in this context aligns with poor working condition, less salary, work pressure, stress, job insecurity and temporary employment (Danielli et al, 2021). For example- in order to organise obesity campaign in socially deprived areas, Multidisciplinary teams are needed which is consist of adult nurse, physician, dietitian, bariatric and other health professionals who can look upon patient from targeted group.

However, the frontline workers such as nurse faces extreme work pressure at the setting due to which they are not able to perform their practices in effective manner. From the findings it has been analysed that NHS faces significant shortage of staff in varied department and obesity is one of them (Ding et al, 2020). The shortage of healthcare professionals creates extreme pressure on existing workers and as a result, there is increase in the workload, burnout and turnover rate. This further impacting the patient care and implementation of policies such as tackling obesity in socially deprived areas as there is shortage of staff. However, the government has emphasised on increasing weight management services in NHS but there is need to increase the retention rate as well (EDITION, 2022). Therefore, government focused on setting MDTs and tasks are allocated accordingly and it has supported in the management of work pressure.

Social Determinants of Health [SDOH] are delineated as non-medical components that specifically influence health of people. These determinants are responsible for increasing health disparities. The SDOH such as socioeconomic status, education, physical environment, employment, social support networks and lack of access towards healthcare services are increasing the cases of obesity in selected group and further rising the health differences. People from socially deprived areas does not have secure employment due to which they are financially unstable (Evans et al, 2021). As a result, they cannot afford healthy meals and quality healthcare services for their children.

Environment plays vital role in increasing the cases of obesity as people adopts the behavioural pattern from their parents and surrounded ones. In lower-socioeconomic groups no healthy behavioural pattern is followed by people as they are not aware about this which contributes in obesity. They do not have social support and they are unable toa cess the quality services because of the distance from urban areas (Evans et al, 2021). Moreover, lack of education is the persisting cause behind obesity in socially deprived areas, people are not aware about the services and benefits introduced by government. Tackling obesity policy developed campaigns at rural areas for creating awareness regarding the support individuals can receive. However, still the SDOH has not been addressed completely due to lack of consistency. There is need to make consistent coordination and every determinant is linked with each other therefore, root cause needs to be identified so that corrective measures can be taken.

Concept of health creation and critiquing approaches and effectiveness

Health creation approach is based on implementing collaboration and coordination among health professionals through which communities and individuals engages in sustaining changes and improving the well-being of individuals. It transcends traditional healthcare models for enhancing the disease prevention procedure and treatment. Further, concept of health creation focuses on empowering individuals and fosters the sense of agency along with utilising the community resources and assets for promote healthier lifestyle (Griffin et al, 2021). Tackling obesity initiative is focusing on addressing obesity among the individuals who are living in socially deprived areas can be determined as implication of social prescribing. This approach signifies that health of an individuals is not merely get influenced due to clinical and biological domains. However, other factors such as social, economic and environmental determinants play important role in impacting health of individual and health creation concept focuses on these factors for tackling the conditions. Social prescribing facilitates interaction between the healthcare providers and community resources that enables patient for accessing opportunities related to nutrition education and physical exercise. There are varied initiatives under tackling obesity policy has been undertaken however, for targeted group public campaigns [part of social prescribing approach] has worked effectively (Haase et al, 2021). Tackling obesity has mainly used the social prescribing approach and accordingly interaction with the community organisations has been made for providing support to the individuals in socially deprived areas. Due to this approach, patient become able to improve their health and well-being and they have further received the support from healthcare settings.

Findings have shown that social prescribing enhances health outcomes of individual by encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyle and healthy behaviour pattern. Tackling obesity policy concerned with the motive of fostering healthy habits in individuals which is similar to social prescribing (Hopkins and Edge, 2022). This approach proves to be effective significantly in community-based settings and tackling obesity has been implemented for specific community and therefore, it can be said that social prescribing approach proves to be effectual in context of current intervention (Hill et al, 2020). The social prescribing assures varied advantages and it has supported in decreasing the extent of health inequality. The succeeding rate of social prescribing relies on accessibility of community resources. In socially deprived areas, individuals are not able to access the resources and as a result, social prescribing inadvertently reinforcing existing inequalities instead of diminishing them (Tackling obesity, 2023). For instance- if community fails in providing adequate recreational facilities and affordable healthy food options then, in such situation social prescribing becomes constrained and it does not facilitate change in the society.

In social prescribing one of the major complexities aligns with patient engagement and this is persisting issue in current policy as well. Public campaign has been set up for individuals so they can get aware regarding the ways in which healthy lifestyle can be managed. However, the targeted group [11-30] consist of mostly children and teenagers who are not interested in such kind of campaigns (Lonnie et al, 2023). Therefore, their parents are approached and discussion was undertaken with them. Nevertheless, people from lower socio-economic background are not interested as they think that such type of campaigns charges cost and they already suffer from financial instability. The initiative is specifically set up for community. However, lack of engagement impacting the whole procedure in negative manner.

The Asset-Based psychological approach enriched with discourse on interventions that aims to promoting health creation and combating obesity. This model is focusing on leveraging the capacities of communities and individuals rather than focusing on their deficits. Community engagement initiative results in supporting the development of local assets such as support networks. Such initiatives have been proven beneficial in empowering individuals so they can take ownership of their health (Nutter et al, 2024). This model is adhered with social cohesion and similarly, tackling obesity is focusing on this aspect. From the findings it has been analysed that asset-based approaches to health creation proves to be promotion as it facilitates community-led nutrition program and physical exercise program (Tackling obesity, 2023). These programs can help in enhancing the health outcomes of children and adults living in deprived areas (Nutter et al, 2024). However, effectiveness of the Asset-based approaches is hindered due to existing health disparities. The underprivileged group in the rural areas are not aware about these programs even after organisation of campaigns in the pursuit of tackling obesity policy. This signifies that the health inequalities are yet to be reduced, there is need to take more initiatives in this area.

Considering the above analysis this can be said that social prescribing approach supports in undertaking community engagement. It is improving the quality of life by measuring disease specific outcome. The government of UK increased weight management services in NHS so that cases of obesity can be tackled. However, the policy is implemented for different communities in which emphasis was made on lower socio-economic groups (Tackling obesity, 2023). Accordingly, campaigns were organised participants and their families were approached and health check ups was undertaken. MDTs were involved in the procedure and collaboration among healthcare professionals has been implied (Oshan et al, 2020). In this manner concept of health creation has been followed and focus implied on enhancing the health outcomes of people. On a contrary note, social prescribing approach comes up with certain complexities such as lack of patient engagement and lack of interest. These loopholes are witnessed in current case as individuals from social deprived areas does not focus on these aspects and they are less interested in such type of intervention (Patel and Badiani, 2020). This led to create negative impact on the whole procedure. However, this approach proves to be effective in gaining the attention of people along with creating motivation in them so they can adopt healthy lifestyle pattern and cases of obesity can be tackled.

There was lack of focus implied on targeting social determinants due to which the policy is not able to eradicating health disparities. People from socially deprived areas needs financial support along with the suggestion (Patterson and Rushton, 2020). The campaigns can help them in terms of suggesting about quality meal and physical exercise. Furthermore, free meals can be provided to them for a certain period of time. But, for long term employment is needed for receiving quality care, different communities have different requirement and people from lower socio-economic groups needs support in terms of education, healthcare access and finance (Patterson and Rushton, 2020). Tackling obesity has been proven an effectual policy for reducing the cases of obesity by prohibiting the higher calories food but at the same time this policy has not completely met the requirements of people belongs from socially deprived areas. This clearly signifies that for underprivileged group a health and social team requires to be set up for 24/7 who can guide them about the support and looks upon their financial constraints as well. In this manner, significant support can be developed for individuals and they further guide about healthy lifestyle (Patterson and Rushton, 2020). Assisting people in terms of making healthy choices when they do not have money cannot bring positive outcomes, such people do not have any other option then, how they can make any choice.

The socio-economic conditions of the people should be focused out and accordingly further actions requires to be taken. The social prescribing approach is an effective domain supporting in health creation concept and implementation of tackling obesity policy. Nevertheless, lack of engagement and inconsistency acting as a major barrier in community-led intervention which is further leading to negative health outcomes (Patterson and Rushton, 2020). Therefore, significant focus requires to be implied on this area so that social determinants of health can be focused out and root cause of the issues can be analysed and accordingly evidence-based actions could be taken.

Conclusion

Conclusively; this can be said that health inequalities in community influencing the health status of people. It is important to undertake focus on these aspect as certain groups in the society facing huge health disparities. Social determinants of health are consistently contributing in increasing the extent of differences for the people living in socially deprived areas. It is important to target these determinants and accordingly policies must be framed. The present essay was based on “Tackling Obesity” policy and in-depth evaluation was undertaken, it has been identified that this policy was introduced with the motive of encouraging healthy behaviour in children and adult. The targeted group for evaluating policy was children and adults aged between 11-30 years and lives in socially deprived areas. From the analysis it has been identified that this policy emphasised on reducing calories and restricting food organisations along with promoting healthy behavioural pattern. However, people from lower-socioeconomic background requires financial support so they can buy quality meal or government should consistently provide them free nutritious meals instead of a specific time period. Public campaign made people aware about the support they can have but this does not solve long-term concern, their socio-economic condition acts as a loophole in enhancing their health outcomes.

References

Books and Journals

• Antal, L., 2023. ‘PURE FOOD’IN CATERING FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS: POLICIES AND ASPIRATIONS IN THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND. Pure Food: Theoretical and Cross-Cultural Perspectives.12. p.125.
• Backholer, K., Wong, E., Freak‐Poli, R., Walls, H.L. and Peeters, A., 2012. Increasing body weight and risk of limitations in activities of daily living: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Obesity reviews. 13(5). pp.456-468.
• Bouchard, C. and Pérusse, L., 2020. Genetics of obesity: family studies. In The genetics of obesity (pp. 79-92). CRC press.
• Bouchard, C., 2020. Genetics of obesity: overview and research directions. The genetics of obesity, pp.223-233.
• Bray, G.A. and Bouchard, C. eds., 2023. Handbook of Obesity-Volume 1: Epidemiology, Etiology, and Physiopathology. CRC Press.
• Chavez‐Ugalde, Y., Jago, R., Toumpakari, Z., Egan, M., Cummins, S., White, M., Hulls, P. and De Vocht, F., 2021. Conceptualizing the commercial determinants of dietary behaviors associated with obesity: a systematic review using principles from critical interpretative synthesis. Obesity science & practice. 7(4). pp.473-486.
• Danielli, S., Coffey, T., Ashrafian, H. and Darzi, A., 2021. Systematic review into city interventions to address obesity. EClinicalMedicine.32.
• Ding, W.Y., Kozhuharov, N., Chin, S.H., Shaw, M., Snowdon, R., Lip, G.Y. and Gupta, D., 2020. Feasibility of weight loss in obese atrial fibrillation patients attending a specialist arrhythmia clinic and its impact on ablation outcomes. Journal of arrhythmia. 36(6). pp.984-990.
• EDITION, F., 2022. Clinical Obesity in Adults and Children.
• Evans, R.G., Barer, M.L. and Marmor, T.R. eds., 2021. Why are some people healthy and others not?: The determinants of health of populations. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
• Griffin, N., Phillips, S.M., Hillier-Brown, F., Wistow, J., Fairbrother, H., Holding, E., Powell, K. and Summerbell, C., 2021. A critique of the English national policy from a social determinants of health perspective using a realist and problem representation approach: the ‘Childhood Obesity: a plan for action’(2016, 2018, 2019). BMC Public Health. 21(1). pp.1-10.
• Haase, C.L., Lopes, S., Olsen, A.H., Satylganova, A., Schnecke, V. and McEwan, P., 2021. Weight loss and risk reduction of obesity-related outcomes in 0.5 million people: evidence from a UK primary care database. International Journal of Obesity. 45(6).pp.1249-1258.
• Hill, J.O., Pagliassotti, M.J. and Peters, J.C., 2020. Nongenetic determinants of obesity and body fat topography. In The genetics of obesity (pp. 35-48). CRC Press.
• Hopkins, R. and Edge, S.H., 2022. The Spine, the New HQ for the Royal College of Physicians, Liverpool, UK: A Biophilic Case Study. In Emerging Approaches in Design and New Connections With Nature (pp. 202-224). IGI Global.
• Lonnie, M., Hunter, E., Stone, R.A., Dineva, M., Aggreh, M., Greatwood, H., Johnstone, A.M., FIO Food team, Douglas, F., Gately, P. and Gilthorpe, M., 2023. Food insecurity in people living with obesity: Improving sustainable and healthier food choices in the retail food environment—the FIO Food project. Nutrition bulletin. 48(3). pp.390-399.
• Nutter, S., Eggerichs, L.A., Nagpal, T.S., Ramos Salas, X., Chin Chea, C., Saiful, S., Ralston, J., Barata‐Cavalcanti, O., Batz, C., Baur, L.A. and Birney, S., 2024. Changing the global obesity narrative to recognize and reduce weight stigma: a position statement from the World Obesity Federation. Obesity Reviews.25(1). p.e13642.
• Oshan, T.M., Smith, J.P. and Fotheringham, A.S., 2020. Targeting the spatial context of obesity determinants via multiscale geographically weighted regression. International journal of health geographics. 19(1). pp.1-17.
• Patel, J.A. and Badiani, A.A., 2020. Obesity: A Complex Process Requiring Reframing. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health. 11. p.2150132720979142.
• Patterson, G. and Rushton, J., 2020. Food Access for All: Overcoming Barriers to Food Access in the Liverpool City Region.

Online

• Obesity statistics in UK, 2023. Online. Available through: < https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/key-statistics-and-data/headline-indicators/health-and-wellbeing/>
• Tackling obesity, 2023. Online. Available through: < https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-obesity-government-strategy/tackling-obesity-empowering-adults-and-children-to-live-healthier-lives>