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** 19 October 2021
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** UK
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** IPPR makes a call for well-being budgets (#1)
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** The LGA’s spending review asks (#2)
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** Smoking is one of the biggest factors in the high rate of stillbirth in Bradford (#3)
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** International
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** Italy could become the first European country to ban smoking while driving (#4)
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** Italy regulator ends probe into BAT after company promises to disclose sponsored content (#5)
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** UK
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** A think-tank has urged that the government introduce “well-being budgets” that look beyond gross domestic product (GDP) to reduce regional health inequalities. A new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called for a £35 billion public health budget after publishing a new analysis of health inequalities in England, which revealed life expectancy gaps of up to 14 years between different towns and cities.
The report warned devolution, and the new integrated care systems will have little impact on these inequalities without fundamental reform and investment. It said this should include building policy around the Office for National Statistics’ health index – as well as GDP.
The report pointed to the introduction of a “well-being budget” in New Zealand, which commits 5% of public spending to a broadly defined public health drive. This includes vocational training to improve employment opportunities and an emphasis on better housing, alongside conventional public health metrics such as mental health and children’s well-being. According to the IPPR, a similar 5% figure would release £35 billion in England for investment in programmes that recognise the impact of education, training, and employment.
Chairman of the Local Government Association’s community well-being board, Councillor David Fothergill, said: “It is vital we act now and drive forward programmes that prevent people becoming ill […] including investing in various council services such as tackling unemployment, providing better housing and promoting access to green space. The upcoming Spending Review is an opportunity to realise this shared ambition with government, to level up the future health chances of our communities and build back better from the pandemic.”
Source: Local Gov, 18 October 2021
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** See also: IPPR - The disease of disparity: A blueprint to make progress on health inequalities in England ([link removed] )
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Rishi Sunak has been urged to address the growing pressure on councils’ budgets in his spending review, which will be unveiled on 27 October. The Local Government Association’s (LGA) submission to the chancellor calls for action to address a shortfall of nearly £8 billion required to keep services running at the same level as today.
James Jamieson, chair of the LGA, said: “If we are to come out of this pandemic with a society that is truly levelled up, the vital services councils provide must be at the heart of it. Councils need certainty over their medium-term finances, adequate funding to tackle day-to-day pressures and long-term investment in people and transforming places.”
Source: LGC, 18 October 2021
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** Women smoking while pregnant has been raised as one of the biggest issues which is causing Bradford’s rate of stillbirths to remain far higher than the national average. The rate of stillborn babies in the district in 2020 was 6.3 per 1,000 births, way above the national average of 3.8 and the highest rate in West Yorkshire.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals said that “every stillbirth is a tragedy”, and it has several programmes in operation to try and bring the number down. This includes trying to stop smokers from continuing to smoke while pregnant, which is the biggest issue affecting stillbirths in the Bradford district.
A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The reduction of stillbirths is one of the Trust’s key priorities. “Although the rate remains above the national average, the service has seen a reduction in numbers over the last few years in line with the national ‘halve it’ campaign.
“One example of how this has been achieved is through the implementation of national tools including the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which has prompted changes to the scan pathways for women who are at increased risk of stillbirth.
“Women who continue to smoke during pregnancy are offered support to stop and we are currently reviewing how we can improve this offer, as this is the single modifiable factor which can prevent a stillbirth in this group.”
Source: Telegraph and Argus, 19 October 2021
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** International
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** A complete ban on smoking while driving is being considered this week as Italy’s parliament debates changes to the Highway Code. Tougher penalties for using smartphones while driving, regulations on the use of e-scooters, increased speed limits on some motorways, and incentives for taking a taxi to work are also among the proposed law changes put forward by parties within Italy’s coalition government this week.
The potential new rules have not yet been approved and will be evaluated by the Environment and Transport Committee today (19 October) before being debated in parliament later this week. While some measures such as curbs on e-scooters are expected to win unanimous approval, it is unclear how much support there would be for a ban on smoking while driving in Italy.
According to the World Health Organization, almost one quarter (23%) of the Italian adult population smoke, slightly above the EU average. A blanket ban would mean Italy had the toughest rules on smoking while driving a private vehicle of any European nation.
Source: The Local Italy, 18 October 2021
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Italy’s antitrust regulator said on Monday (18 October) it had closed a probe into undeclared sponsored social media content by the Italian unit of British America Tobacco (BAT) without any penalties.
The regulator in May opened the probe after three influencers who had commercial agreements with BAT invited their Instagram followers to publish content about BAT’s tobacco heating product Glo Hyper without specifying it was advertising.
The watchdog said in a statement that the company and the influencers committed to providing remedies that ensure “complete and accurate information about the nature of their communications.”
Source: Reuters, 18 October 2021
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