Health protection

Health Protection aims to protect the population’s health from communicable diseases and other threats, while reducing health inequalities. This includes radiation protection, vaccination, immunisation and screening.

What do we know?

Providing timely support for children, young people and families is vital. Identifying and addressing a child or family's needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child's life (Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), 2021). Screening is described as the process of identifying apparently healthy people who may have an increased chance of a disease or condition (UK National Screening Committee, 2023). The screening provider then offers information, further tests and treatment. Some AHPs engage in screening of the population eg newborn screening. Other AHPs may support others in the workforce to screen or identify concerns early so they can be addressed.

How can AHPs contribute to this aspect of public health?

• Provide training/support to wider workforce to identify needs early, or undertake screening
• Develop the use of screening tools/approaches that enhance early identification of needs in the population
• Highlight risk factors which make children more vulnerable to poorer outcomes
• Engage in screening processes where appropriate
• Use opportunities to promote immunisation where appropriate
• Consider adherence to infection prevention and control
• Provide training/support to wider workforce to track progress on children’s developmental outcomes
• Support parents/carers/children in understanding benefits/risks of radiation exposure

Examples:

See4Schools Programme – Orthoptics pre-school vision screening undertaken in NHS Tayside: Fife Loves Life - Dietitians in NHS Fife developed a toolkit and training programme to undertake nutritional screening to support raising the issue of child healthy weight.

Raising Attainment for All – Speech and Language Therapists in NHS Lanarkshire developed checklists to support education staff to identify children requiring support, to monitor progress with speech, language and communication and identify what supports to put in place. Following testing within schools with the highest levels of deprivation, these were then also made available to all primary schools in North Lanarkshire.

Healthy Feet – MSK Podiatrists in NHS Ayrshire & Arran work directly with health visitors and families on early screening, prevention and interventions around MSK foot and ankle health and early gait patterns with a focus on social participation, structure/function, activity / independence and wellbeing.

Health Visitor Training – Physiotherapists in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde deliver online sessions for Health Visitors as part of the 13-15 month and 27-30 month pathway in order to provide advice and support on developmental milestones and early intervention and prevention of needs.

Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) resource for Health Visitors – NHS Education for Scotland worked alongside Speech and Language Therapists to develop a SLC supporting resource for Health Visitors to promote early identification of children with speech, language and communication needs and best practice in early intervention at each stage of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway.

Reflection points

1. What aspects of screening do you currently engage with?
2. How do you promote early identification of needs in the wider population you work with?
3. Who are the key partners you could collaborate with?