Public Health: Costs
(asked on 31st October 2017) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government has taken to assess the (a) cost and (b) economic productivity to the public purse of (i) alcohol misuse, (ii) obesity and (iii) viral hepatitis.
The Government wants everyone to be able to make healthier choices, regardless of their circumstances, and to minimise the risk and impact of illness. A range of action is being taken to do this and in particular on the three areas identified:
- To tackle alcohol misuse we are preventing below cost selling, tightening the rules on irresponsible promotions and introducing new powers to deal with anti-social behaviour. Local authorities are supported by Public Health England in the commissioning of high quality, evidence based treatment services for their local population’s needs.
- In addition, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers have produced new low risk drinking guidelines which provide the public with the latest information about the health risks of different levels and patterns of drinking. The guidelines enable people to make informed choices about their drinking.
- Tackling childhood obesity is a priority for this Government. We launched “Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action” in August 2016. Our world-leading plan will help children and families to recognise and make healthier choices and be more active. Many of the key commitments in our plan will have an impact on tackling obesity across all age groups. These include the soft drinks industry levy and sugar reduction programme, which will reduce the amount of sugar we all consume.
- A copy of “Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action” is available at:
- The National Strategic Group on Viral Hepatitis is a Public Health England supported, cross-agency expert group on viral hepatitis with external membership from academia, NHS England, local government, clinical commissioning groups, patient representative groups and other organisations, to provide strategic direction and advice around viral hepatitis. The strategy group aims to help reduce the incidence, prevalence and consequences of infection from the viral hepatitis in England.