The wider public health workforce is now a key solution to improving lifestyle health problems affecting a huge percentage of the UK population, according to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the Professional Standards Authority.
The RSPH has been pushing for increased referral to registered supportive therapies – including complementary health, sports massage, sports rehabilitation, talking therapies, foot health and play therapy, amongst others.
Registered practitioners have many skills and span many disciplines and are assessed and registered by the Professional Standards Authority.
Their services are predominantly accessed privately, funded by the patient, representing an access problem to those with lower incomes, says the Royal Society for Public Health.
Nevertheless, with approximately one in four of the general UK population already accessing the services of Accredited Register practitioners at some point, this workforce has ‘huge potential’ to support the public’s health issues.
A recent report recommends that the NHS signposts registered public health practitioners going forwards to help improve issues such as weight problems, fitness issues, child wellbeing, nutrition, food hygiene, mental health, gambling and lack of mobility.