HC Deb 21 July 1997 vol 298 cc408-9W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the public health initiatives planned by his Department(a) in Stoke-on-Trent, North and (b) nationally. [8877]

Ms Jowell

In Stoke-on-Trent, North, the health authority has established a locality approach to developing healthy communities through involving a wide range of statutory and local community organisations. The report of the director of public health this year will focus on "determinants of health". A wide range of public health initiatives is already under way in North Staffordshire, and many more have been identified as priorities by the health authority for 1997–98.

Key priorities include: Implementation of the coronary heart disease strategy—a priority for 1997–98 as identified in the Health Authority's health strategy and investment plan; Continuation of the Aspirin project, to reduce stroke and heart attacks, in primary care—which has already achieved 60 per cent. coverage of eligible practice populations in 1996–97; Strategy for healthy eating—December 1997; Review of existing initiatives aimed at helping people to stop/not take up smoking, and identifying action to meet any "gaps"; Development and implementation of a stroke action plan to be based on GRIP kits—getting research into practice—to provide cost-effective care and to maximise clinical effectiveness, planned for autumn 1997; Strategy for promotion of physical exercise; Action plan to develop drug and alcohol services—review and agree action to co-ordinate use of HIV and substance misuse funds; Multi-agency action plan to promote sexual health, especially for young people; Multi-agency accident prevention steering group which is developing a strategy—autumn 1997.

Additional points include: The appointment of a healthy cities co-ordinator—a joint appointment between the health and local authority through their "healthy alliances" links—who will look at public health initiatives across the board; Single regeneration bid-funded initiatives—for instance, in 1997–98: community development worker for Biddulph, citizens advice bureau youth advice worker for Bentilee and Berryhill, urban villages community partnership based at Newcastle under Lyme.

Nationally, the Government will be taking forward the public health agenda across a broad front. I outlined the scope of our new health strategy "Our Healthier Nation" on 7 July; copies of my speech are available in the Library. In the autumn, we shall publish a Green Paper setting out the strategy in detail. Many Government policies will contribute to improving public health, such as welfare to work, education policies and the integrated transport strategy. The Department of Health is working closely with the other Departments involved, as it is in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on developing the food standards agency. In the autumn, we shall publish a White Paper on measures to reduce smoking and draft Bill to ban tobacco advertising. Healthy living centres and health action zones will also address public health issues.