Royal Society for Public Health

Brits don't want to talk about their health, right? Wrong! Our new report has found that the majority of UK adults want people working in public facing roles to be trained to have conversations about physical and mental health. 💬 Whether at work, in your local gym, or at your child's school, millions of conversations happen everyday that could have an impact on your health. From encouraging exercise to signposting to mental health support, these conversations are key to influencing positive behaviour changes. 📣 We're calling for the widespread roll out of our Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach across everyday settings, which trains staff to integrate conversations about health into their routine practice. By encouraging small behaviour changes at an individual level, we can have an impact on the overall health of the UK and reduce pressure on the NHS. 👉 Read the report and find out how you can take our new MECC eLearning yourself: https://ow.ly/t2kC50V1YuA

April marks Stress Awareness Month. Understanding what mental wellbeing looks like and the effects it has on individuals and communities is crucial to better mental health. Our Level 2 Award in Mental Wellbeing offers an understanding of attitudes and beliefs about mental wellbeing, enabling learners with the skills they need to improve and promote their own mental wellbeing, and that of the people around them. 🏫 Find a centre offering this qualification: https://ow.ly/5M1g50Vs5ZS

Today we were joined by Dr Pedro Beltran-Alvarez for a webinar on how climate opportunities are public health opportunities. 🌍 From how water pollutants can affect our skin, to how heatwaves are impacting evolution, the webinar discussed the many ways in which climate change is affecting our health – and what we can do about it. 👀 Missed the webinar? Don't worry – RSPH Members can access webinars on demand. Join now at https://ow.ly/PPyA50VtPRw

With the passing of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, it is crucial that the Government does not see smoking as 'job done'. This new report from the APPG on Smoking and Health shows how we can cut smoking, reduce harm and close health gaps – if there’s a plan in place. 🗺️ 💷 Smoking costs England £43.7 billion annually. It’s time to invest in prevention, protect health, and make tobacco companies pay. 👉 Read more: https://ow.ly/CKkE50VsVTN

Poor quality housing and financial instability can have a devastating impact on our health. 🏘️   We know that 3 million people live in homes they say are bad for their health, and a new report from Crisis has revealed that only 2.5% of private rentals in England are affordable on housing benefits.   We all deserve a place to thrive. People shouldn't have to choose between making ends meet and their health.   This report highlights that, for many, this is still the case.   ➡️ We need to build health into the places we spend our time. Without healthy places, we can't improve health outcomes.

Today's announcement that a new funding settlement has been reached with Community Pharmacy England is an important step in the right direction.   The trusted role that the community pharmacy workforce plays in communities across the country puts them in a unique position to achieve a range of positive health outcomes.   Meeting the public where they are is a key part of prevention. It is vital that the skillset of this workforce is utilised and further developed so that it can continue to play an even bigger role in preventing ill health. More 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejamCYqv

The pest control workforce plays a vital role in preventing illness and disease. Like many other parts of the wider public health workforce, they face the challenge of attracting people into the industry. Creating accessible routes into the industry is key to ensuring that we have a workforce fit for the future, equipped to prevent public health issues related to pests 🦠 It’s great to see this partnership between Syngenta and the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) to encourage and develop the professional careers of young people starting out in pest control 🤝 Programme participants will receive mentoring and practical advice from experienced industry leaders. It will culminate in learners sitting our Level 2 Award in Pest Management 📜 Find out more about the partnership here 👉https://ow.ly/6uOf50VpBEe.

To celebrate Women's History Month, we asked our staff which women from across history inspire them. 👩⚕️👩🎓👩🚀 From physicians and nurses to balloonists and singers, their choices highlight some of the most fascinating and important women across history. 💭 You can read the full list of women here: https://ow.ly/HaIy50VpwZ9

Vaccines are crucial to keeping our communities healthy. But vaccine uptake is falling. 📉 We must ensure that the healthy choice is always the easiest choice, and that people have the information they need to make a decision about vaccinations. Today, alongside the British Society for Immunology, we #CelebrateVaccines and the important work that they do in protecting us and the people around us. 👉 Find out more about our work on vaccines: https://lnkd.in/etytu3BX

How can we develop solutions to improve workplace health? How can social prescribing tackle health inequalities? What can we do to get people talking about their health more? 📰 In the first edition of Public Health News, we round up the latest news, stories and insights from public health this month. Check out the latest edition and subscribe to stay up-to-date 👇