View this email in your browser ([link removed])
** 2 February 2023
------------------------------------------------------------
** UK
------------------------------------------------------------
** Lucky Strike maker BAT signals possible job cuts amid latest restructure (#1)
------------------------------------------------------------
** NHS set to miss cancer backlog target three years running, NHSE plans reveal (#2)
------------------------------------------------------------
** International
------------------------------------------------------------
** Atlantic City casino smoking ban bill to get Feb. 13 hearing (#3)
------------------------------------------------------------
** Parliamentary activity
------------------------------------------------------------
** Health and Social Care Committee on the Work of the Department (#4)
------------------------------------------------------------
**
------------------------------------------------------------
** UK
------------------------------------------------------------
** Lucky Strike maker BAT signals possible job cuts amid latest restructure
Lucky Strike and Camel cigarette maker British American Tobacco has warned of possible job losses as it revealed an overhaul of its regional structure and business divisions.
The group said the plans will see the number of regions cut from four to three – merging the European business with the Americas division – while it will reduce its business units from 16 to 12, with changes taking effect from April.
It is currently consulting with affected staff and said there may be job losses as a result of the restructure, but declined to give more details.
BAT also said it would ramp up the company’s ongoing “market exit plans” under the restructure, signalling further moves to pull out of certain countries, having already halted operations in Myanmar, Iran and Russia in recent years.
The firm is revamping the business as it switches away from cigarettes and invests heavily in alternatives, such as vaping and nicotine pouches.
It said in December that the group now has 21.5 million customers using its new category products, including Vuse vape pens and Glo heated tobacco.
Source: The Independent, 1 January 2023
Editor’s note: Despite investing in alternatives, non-combustibles make up only 12% of the group’s revenue as of December 2021 meaning the majority of their revenue is still derived from smoked tobacco.
Source: BAT- press release ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])
** NHS set to miss cancer backlog target three years running, NHSE plans reveal
NHS England has effectively admitted the backlog of cancer long-waiters will still be higher in March 2024 than before covid hit, in a document seen by HSJ.
The consultation document, detailing trajectories for reducing numbers waiting 62 days or more from referral, shows the expected national total in March 2024 is 18,755.
NHS England previously committed to reducing this to pre-pandemic levels (14,226) by March 2022, then delayed the target until March this year.
The document seen by HSJ reveals that even under proposed recovery plans, it would again be missed by a margin of around 4,000 (32 per cent) in March 2023. The figure at the start of December was 27,463.
Initially, in July 2021, the service set a target to reach its pre-pandemic level by March 2022. Officials cited the omicron covid variant in early 2022 as a blocker to this.
There has since been a large increase in referrals, and ongoing problems ramping up activity. The document shows proposed 62-day recovery trajectories for each trust.
NHSE told HSJ it was working with the trusts with the biggest backlogs and had already seen some success in reducing them
A spokesperson said: “The number of people waiting longer than 62 days following an urgent GP referral has fallen even as the NHS continues to refer patients in record numbers, with 264,391 people checked following an urgent GP referral in November – the highest for any month on record.”
NHS Providers director of policy and strategy Miriam Deakin said: “Cancer is a key priority for trusts. They understand the risk to patients who have to wait. The pandemic left people waiting longer than NHS trusts wanted for diagnosis or to start treatment, with some people not coming forward, but now urgent referrals for suspected cancer are far higher than pre-pandemic.”
Deakin went on to say: “Severe workforce shortages affect cancer services too, in common with the rest of the overstretched NHS. Trusts need more staff to be able to reduce delays and to treat patients as quickly as possible.”
Source: HSJ, 1 January 2023
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])
** International
------------------------------------------------------------
** Atlantic City casino smoking ban bill to get Feb. 13 hearing
New Jersey lawmakers will soon discuss a proposed law that would ban smoking in Atlantic City's casinos, the first action in nearly three years on an emotional issue that is dividing casino patrons and sickening some workers.
The state Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee will hold a hearing Feb. 13 in Trenton to discuss the bill, but does not plan to vote on it that day, according to Sen. Joseph Vitale, one of the measure's sponsors.
The bill would close a loophole in New Jersey's 2006 indoor smoking law that exempts casinos. Currently, smoking is allowed on up to 25% of the casino floor.
Similar pushes to end casino smoking are being waged by employees in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Many casino workers have been pushing for years for a total ban on casino smoking, saying the secondhand smoke is making them ill.
“This hearing means that Atlantic City casino workers are one step closer to not having to choose between their health and a paycheck," said Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights. “It’s a historic moment in the fight to protect the health of thousands of New Jersey workers. Dealers bear the brunt of the dangerous secondhand smoke more harshly than anyone else working in casinos, and their voices must carry the most weight.”
Vitale said the hearing is intended to foster “a thorough discussion with the committee on how this bill will affect casino employees, customers and the gaming industry."
Source: The Independent, 2 January 2023
------------------------------------------------------------
Read Here ([link removed])
** Parliamentary activity
------------------------------------------------------------
** Health and Social Care Committee on the Work of the department
Chair of the health select committee, Steve Brine, questions Secretary of State for Health and Social care Steve Barclay. On prevention, the Secretary of State said that:
------------------------------------------------------------
*
** Prevention has been identified as a key issue in the Department and as such has been ringfenced.
------------------------------------------------------------
*
** Told the committee he would work closely with them on their inquiry into prevention and that more can be done with social prescribing.
------------------------------------------------------------
*
** Regarding an increased budget towards prevention, whether the health disparities White Paper will be published or had it been scrapped and what is happening with the public health grant the Minister responded that there is a long-term debate about one-year budgets, and in terms of prevention, more can be done in innovations.
------------------------------------------------------------
**
Source: Parliament Live TV, 31 January 2023
------------------------------------------------------------
Watch Here ([link removed])
Have you been forwarded this email? Subscribe to ASH Daily News here. ([link removed])
For more information email
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected]) or visit www.ash.org.uk
@ASHorguk ([link removed])
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.
============================================================
Our mailing address is:
Action on Smoking and Health
Unit 2.9, The Foundry
17 Oval Way
London
SE11 5RR
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
