People-centred public health

This book examines the public can be involved in delivering health improvement as volunteers or lay health workers. It draws on a major study of lay engagement in public health and uses case studies and real life examples to provide an overview of policy, practice and research in this area. The authors challenge old orthodoxies in public health and build an argument for radical change in the way public agencies support lay action. Contents include: the policy context; lay health workers in practice; the lay perspective; walking for health - a case study; sexual health outreach - a case study; community health educators - a case study; commissioning and delivery; future directions.