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** 26 November 2020
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** UK
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** Directors of Public Health ‘kicked in teeth’ by Sunak’s funding freeze (#1)
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** Bolton: Sniffer dog Ricco uncovers thousands of packets of illegal cigarettes at a shop in a series of raids (#2)
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** Parliamentary activity
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** Spending review 2020: ASH summary (#3)
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** UK
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** Rishi Sunak’s decision not to increase local public health spending has been branded “incomprehensible” by the most senior director of public health, who pointed out the pandemic demonstrated the sector's "knowledge, expertise, and skills".
The chancellor’s spending review, published yesterday afternoon, said that “local authority spending through the public health grant will… continue to be maintained and the government will set out further significant action that it is taking to improve the population’s health in the coming months”. The decision not to increase funding comes despite the country’s reliance on local public health expertise and the dedication of directors of public health becoming apparent over the course of Covid-19.
Ian Hudspeth (Con), chairman of the Local Government Association community wellbeing board, said: “No new public health funding, despite this incredibly challenging period... runs contrary to addressing the stark health inequalities exposed by Covid-19 and levelling up our communities. Keeping people healthy and well throughout their lives reduces pressure on the NHS and social care.”
Jeanelle de Gruchy, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “Covid-19 has shone a light on the knowledge, expertise and skills of directors of public health and their teams. “In the current circumstances, and following years of cuts to local public health, it is completely incomprehensible that the government is not increasing the public health grant.
“During 2021-22, local public health teams will continue to have a key role in the management of Covid-19 – and being prepared for any future epidemics. In addition, if we are serious about learning the lessons of how existing health inequalities have driven and exacerbated the impact of Covid-19, we must address the socio-economic determinants of health and invest in local public health teams.”
Source: Local Government Chronicle (subscription only), 25 November 2020
HM Treasury: Spending review 2020 ([link removed])
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Read Article ([link removed])
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** Ricco, a specially trained sniffer dog uncovered 40,000 packets of illicit cigarettes which had been carefully concealed inside a secret compartment at a shop in Bolton. A simultaneous raid by Salford police and trading standards officers on a house in Salford, which was linked to the Bolton newsagent, netted more than 60,000 packets of illicit cigarettes.
Local police and trading standards have joined forces to crackdown on the sale of illegal tobacco in Bolton. Ricco was deployed to sniff out the illegal goods which are often carefully hidden from view. They seized tens of thousands of packets of illegal cigarettes in a series of raids on shops and homes.
There were more than 200 reports of illegal tobacco being sold in Greater Manchester between March and October 2020, according to the Keep it Out campaign which was set up to tackle the illegal trade. In the same period, over 1.7million illegal cigarettes and more than 100kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco were seized by Trading Standards officers in Greater Manchester.
Keep it Out launched a three-week campaign across Greater Manchester on November 9 aimed at raising awareness of the harm caused by illicit tobacco sales.
For more information head to: www.keep-it-out.co.uk
Source: The Bolton News, 24 November 2020
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** Parliamentary activity
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**
Local Government
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** The public health grant will continue to be maintained at the current rate of £3.2bn for 2021-22, approximately a fifth less than it was in 2015-16. The government will set out further significant action that it is taking to improve the population’s health in the coming months.
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** The rollout of Business Rates Retention will be further delayed, with no changes in 2021-22. 100% business rates pilots will be held in a later year.
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NHS
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** The NHS budget is set to be £148.5 billion in 2023-24, with an increase of £6.3 billion in 2021-22.
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** The NHS will receive £4.2 billion in 2021-22 for operational capital investment to allow hospitals to refurbish and maintain their infrastructure.
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** Health Education England will receive £260 million to continue to grow the NHS workforce and support commitments made in the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes training more new nurses and doctors, delivering some of the biggest undergraduate intakes ever, and funding to increase the mental health workforce and deliver training to NHS staff.
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** The NHS will receive £9.4 million to improve maternity safety, including through pilots aimed at reducing incidence of birth-related brain injuries. To continue to improve patient safety and tackle the rising costs of clinical negligence, the government will publish a consultation next year.
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Tax
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** Tobacco duty will continue to increase at 2% above inflation (RPI+2%) on all categories plus an additional 4% (RPI+6%) increase on hand rolled tobacco.
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International development
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** UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending will decline from 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) to 0.5% in 2021, equating to £10 billion of ODA in 2021-22.
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HM Treasury: Spending review 2020 ([link removed])
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