Persistent and future challenges in public health

Health care professionals need to be more ready and proactive in the assessment of patients' level of alcohol consumption and signposting to specialist services that are able to assess in more depth and discuss strategies for cutting down. There are many health professionals whose prime role is that of health protection environmental health officers who monitor, improve and enforce regulations relating to food safety, pollution levels and housing conditions, to give just some examples. Increasing resistance to antibiotics makes it essential for health promoters to encourage safe sex and condom use, which will prevent Sexually transmitted diseases from being transmitted throughout populations. Alcoholic liver disease is slow in onset and symptomless in the early stages, but persistent heavy drinking leads to an increase in fat within the liver and a decrease in function. Health protection services also provide screening for new entrants to the UK and support to the immigration services, advising on the health status of potential migrants.