Health Promotion Argumentative Essay Example

Health Initiative and how the LAS link in with this There has recently been an outbreak of a new strain of influenza, Swine Flu H1N1.

It started in Mexico in April 2009 and has since become a pandemic. It is called swine flu as it is thought it originated in pigs though this is not certain www. nhs. uk. According to flucount.

org the UK has seen 28456 reported cases and 392 deaths since the outbreak. The Department of Health (DOH 2009) introduced a vaccine programme on 21st October 2009 and this initially has been offered to high risk groups. This includes people with chronic medical conditions, and neurological disease, immonosuppressed, diabetes, asthma sufferers, pregnant women, children under 5 and those over 65 years. This has also been offered to staff who actually work for the NHS as they are dealing with the public who are potentially ill.

This helps us to maintain our own health and protect us from a severe case of swine flu. Prior to the vaccine being introduced the London Ambulance Service was inundated with calls regarding potential swine flu patients from all walks of life. They were panicking thinking they had swine flu as they were showing some symptoms of the infection.

Page 2 Anonymity number 0233 When attending a potential swine flu patient, we would use facemasks and aprons as well as the universal precautions, as the guidelines state in the Flowchart for management of patients with flu-like illnesses (London Ambulance Service NHS Trust,2009) After completing a clinical assessment, if the patient was showing signs of infection the patient will also be asked to wear a mask.

This is

to prevent spread of potential infection. Patients will be triaged by the ambulance service on the bases of their underlying medical conditions for example if the patient had no history of medical conditions and wasn’t presenting any immediate life threatening conditions the patient would be treated at home with advice from their G. P or local medical centre. As Antiviral medical had stopped routinely being prescribed we would advise the patient to take paracetamol and drink plenty of fluids.

The patient would also be advised to isolate themselves while the infection is treated making sure they wash their hands after blowing their nose as supported by UK Government advert campaign.

Swine flu information (catch it, bin it, kill it 2009) If a patient has an underlying health condition for example suffers with chronic heart disease or Diabetes or had any life threatening symptoms we would transport them to the nearest A&E department to be treated adhering to the protocol on the flowchart.