Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what national initiatives have been introduced to improve the health of the nation by tackling obesity, improving mental health and promoting physical activity, since the establishment of the Office of Health Promotion.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that prevention will always be better, and cheaper, than a cure. Under our Health Mission, we will take preventative public health measures to tackle the biggest killers and support people to live longer, healthier lives. We have a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history – giving every child a healthy start in life.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) was established as a group within the Department in 2021 following the closure of Public Health England. OHID’s role is to improve the nation’s health so that everyone can expect to live more of life in good health, and to reduce health inequalities.
Policies implemented to tackle obesity include the introduction of calorie labelling in large restaurants, cafes and takeaways, and the restriction on placement of less healthy food and drink in key selling locations in store and online.
To address obesity and promote healthy eating and physical activity, OHID has delivered behaviour change tools such as the NHS Weight Loss Plan app, Couch to 5k, Active 10, 10 Minute Shake Up, Start for Life and Healthy Steps email programmes through “Better Health” Campaigns. OHID delivered the Better Health rewards pilot, in Wolverhampton, to test whether financial incentives can be used to support people to make healthier choices in their diet and increase physical activity. With Sport England, OHID has delivered support and training to equip health care professionals to enable patients to move more to improve their physical and mental health.
National initiatives to improve mental health include the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges across England, and the publication of a new five-year Suicide Prevention Strategy for England in September 2023.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether digital public health schemes have been launched over the last five years to drive improvement in the nation’s health; and, if so, what is their assessment of the success of those schemes.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has launched several digital health schemes over the period requested.
The ‘Better Health’ behavioural support tools, apps, websites, and email programmes are freely available and aligned to policies. They include the NHS Weight Loss Plan, Couch to 5k, Active 10, and NHS Quit Smoking apps, as well as Start for Life, Healthy Steps, and Every Mind Matters email programmes. Data from these tools is routinely analysed and supported by bespoke evaluations, for example an evaluation of the Weight Loss Plan app by Leeds University indicated completers of the twelve-week plan lose an average of 5.8kg.
The Better Health Rewards pilot, which was run in 2023 in Wolverhampton, was designed to test whether financial incentives can be used to support people with their diet and physical activity behaviours. Participants downloaded an app, received a free wearable fitness tracker, and earnt points for completing diet and physical activity challenges which they could redeem for rewards. 28,858 people registered with the app and evaluation is still ongoing.
In April 2021, NHS England launched the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, which is a 12-week behaviour change programme for people living with obesity and hypertension, diabetes, or both. The Programme provides an effective and acceptable delivery method to support weight management on a national scale. Published Year 1 data demonstrates the Programme achieves clinically meaningful weight-loss of almost 4kg for those who complete the Programme. This outcome is not impacted significantly by participants’ socioeconomic status.
The Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is a behaviour change programme that aims to support people identified as being at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Over nine months, participants receive personalised support with practical tools and advice on healthy eating and lifestyle, increasing physical activity and weight management.
Since 2019 individuals referred to the programme choose between a face-to-face group-based service, a digital app-based service, and, if applicable, a tailored remote service for groups that experience health inequalities. Over 1.6 million referrals have been made since the programme started in 2016, and over 700,000 people have been supported on the programme, over 150,000 of which used the digital service. Independent evaluation shows that people who complete the programme reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37%.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a cross-departmental body to ensure improved co-ordination between all departmental providers of (1) sport, (2) health, and (3) wellbeing initiatives; and whether the Department for Health and Social Care intends to lead this initiative.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Government is currently refreshing the School Sport and Activity Action Plan and developing a new cross-government sport strategy. Government Departments are collaborating to embed evidence-based approaches to address inactivity and support health. This includes enabling national and local action to create increase physical activity, supporting health and addressing inequalities. Options for coordination across these strategies are currently being considered by the Departments involved.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Health Promotion Taskforce has had its first meeting; and if so, (1) who chaired it, (2) what items were on the agenda, and (3) what decisions were made.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Heath Promotion Taskforce is a Cabinet Committee. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to complete the interview process for the post to lead the Office for Health Promotion.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We expect to complete recruitment for senior posts in the Office for Health Promotion by this autumn.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure the cross-departmental coordination necessary for the functioning of the Office for Health Promotion; and whether this will involve regular ministerial meetings with all interested departments.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Alongside the creation of the Office for Health Promotion, we will establish a new ministerial board on prevention to co-ordinate cross-Government action to improve accountability on the wider determinants of health.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Health Promotion will be their lead organisation for the promotion of physical activity.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will work with teams across the Department, the health system and wider partners to support action on physical activity. We will present more detail on our plans and ambitions for the OHP in due course.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to appoint external advisors to the Office for Health Promotion.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We expect that the Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will draw on external expertise and advice from a range of sources. We will present more detail on our plans, ambitions and governance arrangements for the OHP in due course.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to offer COVID-19 vaccines for (1) professional sportspeople, and (2) members of the British Olympic and Paralympic Teams for the Games in Tokyo 2021.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) consists of independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccine/s the United Kingdom should use, including prioritisation at a population level. The JCVI has stated that phase one of a COVID-19 vaccine programme will have the prevention of mortality at the forefront of its objectives, as well as the support of the National Health Service and social care system.
For the first phase, the JVCI has advised that the vaccine should be given to care home residents and staff, as well as frontline health and social care workers and the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors. Included are those with underlying health conditions, which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish a White Paper setting out their response to the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983, chaired by Sir Simon Wessely.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We recently announced that the Government will publish a White Paper by the end of the year.
The White Paper will set out the Government’s response, in full, to the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 and will pave the way for new legislation.
We remain committed to reforming mental health law and will develop and bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows.