Here is Mr Blair's foreword to the White paper. Don't read this if you have
just eaten.... it may make you feel nauseous

For each of us, one of the most important things in life is our own and our
family’s health. I believe that this concern, and the responsibility that we
each take for our own health, should be the basis for improving the health
of everyone across the nation. ... It aims to inform and encourage people as
individuals, and to help shape the commercial and cultural environment we
live in so that it is easier to choose a healthy lifestyle.

Small changes in the choices people make can make a big difference. Taken
together, these changes can lead to huge improvements in health across
society. But changes need to be based on choices, not direction. We are
clear that
Government cannot – and should not – pretend it can ‘make’ the population
healthy. But it can – and should – support people  in making better choices
for their health and the health of their families. It is for people to make
the healthy
choice if they wish to.

###########
Note that he does not mention the economic or political climate, it is now
just culture and commerce .. interesting! I would suggest that we compliment
the reading of the White paper with a re/reading of Richard Wilkinson's book
on Unhealthy Societies and see what conclusions we distill from it. My own
view is that the White Paper displays in many parts an appauling piece of
victim-blaming (we are primarily responsible for our own health/ill health),
and displays an absurd lack of engagement with the systemic causes of
ill-health (income inequalities, corporate tyrany etc). It looks clear that
the government are wanting to push the individual responsibilty harder than
the corporate responsiblity so we may have to be creative in how we argue
that what we do merits funding under this policy initiative - thankfully the
civil service might offer us a rescue as they re-interpret this policy. You
might also find the following section on mental health issues in the "easy
read summary" of the white paper interesting. I quote it in full and direct
from source:

"We want to help people be healthy mentally. This is because:
- many people living in England now have mental ill health. Mental ill
health is things like being very depressed.
- it is very important to be healthy mentally, as well as having a healthy
body
- mental ill health can lead to people killing themselves"

I promise you, the above is exactly as stated in the 'accessible' version of
the white paper, it actually reads this way ... Oh dear, oh dear, oh
dear....

p

-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of amitchel
Sent: 29 November 2004 22:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] FWD: Public Health White Paper "Choosing
health" & Mental health promotion


>=The attached may be of interest to many of us,
Annie

Annie==== Original Message From "Jean Alger-Green"
<[log in to unmask]> =====
Sent on behalf of Jeremy Voaden
To: Members of NIMHE South-West Mental Health Promotion and Social
Inclusion Networks

Please find attached:
A summary of the mental health promotion content of "Choosing Health",
the recent Public Health White Paper.

"We will ensure that standard one of the NSF for Mental Health which
deals with mental health promotion is fully implemented" (p.131, Ch.6)

This document summarises the mental health promotion opportunities in
the recent White Paper "Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier"
(DoH, 2004)
Each chapter is analysed under the following headings:
-Policy focus/direction
-Initiatives/settings highlighted as good practice
-New initiatives, capacity and resources
-Missed Opportunities

Of particular interest is:
Chapter Three: Children and Young People
Chapter Four: Local Communities-all about social capital
Chapter Five: Health as a way of life-lots of implications for
recovery, self-management etc
Chapter Seven: Work and health

Best wishes
Jeremy
Jeremy Voaden
Public Health & Mental Health Promotion Specialist
NIMHE South-West
Tel: 07747-562437
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

Eastgate House (Ground Floor)
121-131 Eastgate Street
Gloucester GL1 1QB

Jean Alger-Green
Office Manager
NIMHE South West
Ivor House
2 Tower Lane
Taunton
TA1 4AR
Tel; 01823 337879
Fax: 01823 272897
[log in to unmask]

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