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Patients must look after themselves to stop NHS being overwhelmed says Labour health advisor
A key Labour health adviser, Paul Corrigan, has warned that the NHS will be overwhelmed in the coming years by an ageing and sicker population unless patients take more responsibility for managing their own health. In his first public appearance since being appointed to help develop a 10-year NHS reform plan, Corrigan argued that the current model of the NHS cannot sustain the increasing demand for care. He stressed the importance of empowering patients, particularly those with long-term conditions, to use technology and take a more active role in managing their health.
Corrigan noted that past efforts to move care closer to home and prevent illness have not been successful, and that persuading both NHS staff and patients to adopt new ways of managing health is crucial for change. He emphasised that technology, like smartphones, will play a key role in providing patients with more control over their health, making consultations more personalised and involving patients in their own care.
Additionally, he proposed strengthening financial incentives within the NHS, such as paying GPs to prevent hospital admissions, as a way to improve care. Corrigan's vision focuses on shifting the responsibility for health management from the NHS to patients, with the aim of making the system more sustainable in the face of rising demand.
Source: The Times, 18 November 2024
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Pub campaigns to raise awareness for environmental damage of cigarettes
A Twickenham pub, "The White Swan," has temporarily renamed itself "The Poisoned Swan" as part of a campaign to raise awareness about the environmental impact of improper cigarette butt disposal. Research commissioned by Keep Britain Tidy found that 30% of smokers wrongly believe cigarette butts are biodegradable, with 38% admitting to discarding butts down drains, thinking it’s an acceptable disposal method. The study also revealed that many smokers are unaware of the severe environmental consequences, as cigarette butts contain plastic and toxins that can contaminate water and harm wildlife.
The campaign highlights how cigarette butts, made of plastic, never biodegrade and can leach harmful chemicals into the environment, with a single butt capable of polluting up to 1,000 litres of water. Keep Britain Tidy's efforts, including placing signage and bins near pubs, aim to reduce cigarette litter, which is the most widespread form of litter in the UK. The initiative has already reduced cigarette litter in drains by 57%.
Source: Twickenham Nub News, 18 November 2024
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Lincolnshire police and trading standards officers confiscate 15,000 illegal vapes
Three stores in Lincolnshire have been temporarily closed for three months following raids that uncovered the sale of illegal cigarettes and vapes. The seizures were part of a multi-agency operation involving local police and trading standards officers.
Andy Wright, principal trading standards officer, explained that the closures were based on a history of criminal activity at the stores, particularly the sale of counterfeit products that hadn't been subject to UK duties. The illegal items had been sold to both adults and children, prompting concerns from parents and legitimate local businesses unable to compete with the lower prices of the counterfeit goods.
Source: Talking Retail, 18 November 2024
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Australia: New South Wales cracks down on illegal vapes
The New South Wales (NSW) government is ramping up its crackdown on illegal vapes, introducing tougher penalties for vendors selling nicotine-laden products. Health Minister Ryan Park presented a bill that significantly increases fines and prison sentences for suppliers. The maximum fine will rise from $1,650 to around $1.54 million, and prison sentences could extend from six months to seven years. The government aims to target suppliers rather than individual users, as illegal vaping, particularly among young people, has become a major public health concern.
Over the past year, NSW authorities have seized more than 300,000 illegal vapes, with 42,000 taken between July and September. In line with federal legislation passed in October, which restricts vaping sales to pharmacies, the new state laws also include increased enforcement efforts and a doubling of penalties for illicit tobacco and vape sales.
Source: Daily Mail, 18 November 2024
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Written questions
Asked by Mary Kelly Foy, Labour, City of Durham
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, last updated on 8 November 2023, reflects his Department's current policy.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care), Labour, Gorton and Denton
The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced into Parliament on 5 November and will be the single biggest public health intervention since the banning of smoking in indoor public spaces. This bill goes further than ever before. It will create the first smoke-free generation, gradually phasing out the sale of tobacco products across the country, enable the Government to strengthen the existing ban on smoking in public places to reduce the harms of passive smoking in certain outdoor settings, ban vapes and nicotine products from being promoted and advertised to children, and introduce tougher enforcement measures, including through providing powers to introduce a retail licensing scheme for tobacco and vapes.This bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom, and forms part of our Health Mission to shift the health system from treatment to prevention.
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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