8 Stronger policy instruments for public health
Through an improved legal framework and better utilisation of economic instruments, we will contribute to more targeted, systematic and long-term work to promote the health of the population. New public health challenges require that we mobilise a broader set of social resources. We shall build on the opportunities that exist in the various sectors, such as the education sector and the labour market, in order to promote public health.
The government will invite non-governmental organisations, labour market organisations, industry and other sectors of society to become more involved and take greater responsibility.
It is not only national conditions that have an effect on the health of the Norwegian population. We live in an increasingly globalised world, which is having an ever greater impact on national developments. The government will therefore place greater emphasis on international collaboration as a policy instrument for public health, through work within the UN system, the World Health Organization, and international knowledge and research collaborations.
Textbox 8.1 Stronger policy instruments for public health
The government will:
Contribute to the implementation of the Public Health Act at municipal, county, and national levels
Through the provision of advice and guidance to the municipal sector, ensure that health considerations are taken into account in municipal and regional planning
Facilitate a more systematic use of public health economics
Further develop the collaboration with voluntary organisations in order to place participation and social inclusion on the agenda for local public health work
Continue to focus on outdoor activities and recreation programmes under the auspices of the relevant organisations
Collaborate with the municipal sector to strengthen non-governmental organisations as participants in local public health work
Initiate dialogue and mutually binding collaboration with labour market organisations regarding public health work in the workplace
Consider options to more effectively take health considerations into account in procurement processes where this is relevant
Assess how global and national public health challenges can be addressed through dialogue with the food and beverage industry
Follow Denmark’s lead and propose a ban on industrially produced trans fats
Strengthen international collaboration in the field of public health and promote the right to implement national initiatives to strengthen public health within the framework of international trade agreements
Figure 8.1