Experts welcome plan for people to take control
Dec 1 2010 by Helen Rae, The Journal
HEALTH experts in the North East have welcomed Government plans to get people to take more responsibility for their own health and well being.
The public health White Paper released yesterday focuses on issues including smoking, obesity, alcohol and exercise.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley yesterday set out proposals to tackle causes of premature death and illness with the development of a new body – Public Health England – to give more power to local people.
Medical chiefs last night said they were pleased the document, Healthy Lives, Healthy People, was focused on reducing health inequalities but stressed more detail was needed.
The strategy will raise awareness of alcohol-related problems and councils will be given further powers to refuse licences to pubs and clubs that have a problem with drunkenness. Colin Shevills, director of the North East alcohol office, Balance, said: “We need to take measures which ensure alcohol is not treated like any other commodity, like a tin of beans or a loaf of bread. That means restricting when and where it’s available and making sure it can’t be sold at pocket money prices.”
Smoking remains the leading cause of ill-health and premature death in the country and a national plan on tobacco will be launched in the New Year.
The Government is currently examining the question of plain packaging cigarettes, which is an important measure to reduce the visibility and the initiation of smoking, particularly among young people.
Ailsa Rutter, director of anti-smoking body Fresh North East said: “It is essential that a priority of the new public health service is to do more to reduce the appalling burden that tobacco places on our communities. Despite the North East having had the biggest drops in smoking in the country, it still remains the key cause of premature death in our region.”
Health union Unison has reacted with caution, saying the plans could hit the buffers as local authorities struggle to cope with budget cuts.
Gill Hale, North East regional secretary at Unison, said: “Government must take a holistic approach and look at the effect of their spending cuts on public health.
“Transferring public health services to local authorities may sound good in theory but, even with a ring-fenced budget, councils will be struggling to cope.
“The Government has a silo mentality and is ignoring the link between poverty and poor health and failing to acknowledge that cuts are having a damaging impact on the nation’s health.”
Dr George Rae, chairman of the North Eastern British Medical Association said: “In the North East there are particular health needs that need addressed and I welcome the fact local authorities can proactively tackle these issues.
“However, they will have to look at how to work with medical professionals, particularly public health specialist doctors, so that we can achieve the right benefits to patients in the North East.”
