Category: News Item

On 28 May 2019, Joe FitzPatrick MSP, the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, and Councillor Stuart Currie, Health and Social Care spokesperson for COSLA, launched "A consultation on the new National Public Health Body 'Public Health Scotland'".

The consultation closed on 8 July 2019 and the analysis of the responses is now available here.

At national level, it was proposed that a new Special Health Board (to be called Public Health Scotland) would provide professional and strategic leadership in relation to the public's health and wellbeing in Scotland.

To create a culture for health in Scotland, Public Health Scotland will need to take a whole system approach – providing leadership, supporting and collaborating with partners across sectors who impact directly on the public's health and wellbeing. 

The body will support local authorities, the NHS, third sector and other partners to work ever more closely together to address the social determinants of health, improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of individuals and the communities in which they live.

Under the new model, the existing bodies Health Protection Scotland (a division of NHS National Services Scotland), Information Services Division (also a division of NSS) and NHSHealth Scotland (a Special Health Board) will cease to exist. Public Health Scotland will take over the relevant functions and services from 1 April 2020.

The consultation sought views on the role, structure and expected functions of Public Health Scotland, with some discussion of its interface with other bodies, partnerships and statutory frameworks.

By and large, respondents have expressed broad support for the establishment of the new body and the proposals contained within this consultation. 

Clarity has also been sought on a number of key areas presented in the consultation, including on the specific functions of PHS and the detail of its anticipated relationship with other bodies and partnerships.

Public Health Scotland has taken a major step forward with the first Chief Executive being appointed. 

Shadow Chair of Public Health Scotland, Professor Jim McGoldrick has confirmed that Angela Leitch, currently Chief Executive of East Lothian Council, will lead the new national public health body which aims to reset how Scotland thinks about health and wellbeing.

Professor Jim McGoldrick said:

 “We want Scotland to be a place where everybody thrives. Public Health Scotland will be at the forefront of the collaborative effort to improve the nation’s health and wellbeing and Angela’s extensive senior leadership experience in local government and her deep knowledge of how local communities and the wider public sector can work effectively together will be a significant asset to the new organisation.

Our ambition is for Public Health Scotland to support real, measurable and sustained improvement in the nation’s health and wellbeing and I’m looking forward to working closely with Angela to make it possible for all citizens to take positive decisions about their own health and be supported to do so.’’

Angela brings significant experience to the role having held the position of Chief Executive of East Lothian Council since September 2011, previously holding the same post in Clackmannanshire Council from February 2009.

Angela Leitch, Chief Executive of East Lothian Council said:

"It is an honour and privilege to be appointed Public Health Scotland’s first Chief Executive and to be given this opportunity to direct the new organisation towards a renewed effort to improve Scotland’s health and wellbeing.

Across national and local government, Public Health Scotland will support a data and intelligence-driven shift in how we plan and deliver public health services that strengthen communities, prevent poor health and deliver real and sustainable improvements.

I am determined that Public Health Scotland will have a clear focus on supporting local partnerships in tackling Scotland’s health challenges, particularly in improving the life circumstances for our most vulnerable citizens.’’

Prior to becoming Chief Executive of Clackmannanshire, Angela was Head of Service with the City of Edinburgh Council, responsible for city-wide services and the development of innovative new neighbourhood management and governance arrangements.

Angela joined Edinburgh from West Lothian Council where she headed up their corporate support services and change management programmes, developing new models of service delivery in conjunction with partners from across the public and private sector.

With over 25 years’ experience of working in local government, Angela started her career in human resource management and has previously chaired the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) in Scotland. More recently, as the organisations strategic lead for children and young people, Angela has also played an important role at a national level in a range of reforms including early learning and childcare and children’s mental health. 

The establishment of Public Health Scotland is the cornerstone of a wider reform programme being led by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to strengthen the public health function in Scotland.

Public Health Scotland will be Scotland’s lead national agency for improving and protecting health and wellbeing and brings together health improvement, health protection and health care public health functions with leadership roles in research, innovation and developing the public health workforce.

Public Health Scotland will be fully established by April 2020. Read more about Public Health Scotland here.

Aberdeenshire Council has welcomed the sentence imposed on a Peterhead man who kept a number of livestock in an unsuitable environment and caused unnecessary suffering to a pig.

Gary Stevens, of Hallmoss Farm, appeared at Peterhead Sherriff Court on 10 September for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on the August 9, 2019, to three of eight criminal charges raised against him by the Procurator Fiscal under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.  

Stevens received a custodial sentence amounting to 14 months across the three charges, along with a lifetime ban from keeping animals. 

Aberdeenshire Council’s Animal Health and Welfare Service seized all the livestock including one cow, two sheep, four goats and six pigs from Stevens’ farm last August following a series of visits by inspectors, prompted by public concerns. 

A vet deemed it necessary for the animals to be removed due to concerns over their poor condition, lack of veterinary treatment and the dreadful conditions in which they were kept.

The pig was euthanised to end its suffering and the remaining livestock were taken to a place where they could be restored to health. Aberdeenshire Council subsequently sought a disposal order at Peterhead Sheriff Court which was granted in February 2019 allowing the animals to be sold. 

Senior Animal Health & Welfare Inspector Pauline Anderson said: “We welcome the strong sentence that has been imposed in what was a very distressing case. 

“As well as the wholesale suffering of the animals, the poor conditions at the farm meant there was a risk of disease spreading outwith the premises. 

“The animals were kept in shocking conditions and we would like to thank Police Scotland and the Animal and Plant Health Agency for their support to allow us to remove them from the site.”

A £7.5 million project between the public and private sectors has been established to deliver more electric vehicle charging points across the north of Scotland.

As part of the project, SSEN will examine what electricity network infrastructure will be required to support the increasing number of people travelling to the north of Scotland by electric vehicles. Infrastructure needs for new charging points along the route of the Electric A9 will be also be identified and mapped.

In central and southern Scotland, SP Energy Networks will deliver additional public electric vehicle chargers integrated with the electricity network. The pilot project will develop a model to increase the pace, accessibility and efficiency of the deployment of public chargers.

Speaking during a visit to University of Strathclyde Power Networks Demonstration Centre, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This partnership highlights the critical role that electricity networks have to play in delivering a zero carbon energy system, and in facilitating an electric vehicle revolution and the provision of clean energy for transport.

“This project will develop a new model for delivering both EV charging and electricity network infrastructure which can more effectively satisfy Scotland’s ambitions, including delivering inclusive universal access to the benefits of the decarbonisation of transport.

“We have invested over £30 million since 2011 to establish one of the most comprehensive electric vehicle charging networks in Europe. There are now over 1,000 points across the country as part of our commitment to help people make the move to low and zero carbon vehicles.”

Frank Mitchell, CEO SP Energy Networks said: “As Scotland drives towards net-zero emissions, decarbonising transport will be essential. This ground breaking pilot project will support the shift to electric vehicles we need to make sure that every community has equal access to charging points which are connected into Scotland’s electricity networks.

“This Strategic partnership will allow us to efficiently join the dots between renewable electricity generation, the distribution network, and public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to make sure all drivers across Scotland have equal access to our electric future.”

SSEN Managing Director Colin Nicol said: “Government and industry have a shared determination to deliver net zero and it’s only by working together that we’ll realise this goal.

“When it comes to Scotland’s low carbon ambitions, no community should be left behind, and this partnership is exactly the joined-up approach needed to deliver investment in key EV infrastructure for our towns, cities and rural areas.”

Scotland is performing well on air quality by both EU and global standards, an independent review has found.

The report, published by the Scottish Government, is a review of the 2015 Cleaner Air for Scotland Strategy. It was produced by a national cross-government steering group of 10 experts, chaired by Professor Campbell Gemmell, with contributions from representatives from REHIS.

The report assess progress against the Strategy and also made recommendations on how to maintain this.

It found that concentrations and emissions of most major pollutants continue to fall as a result of action taken to date.

Moving forward, the report recommends a precautionary public health approach to air pollution reduction and that further consideration be given to the impact of new building developments on air quality levels.

The review also noted that continued robust environmental regulation will be needed, including to tackle under-regulated areas such as ammonia emissions from agriculture, which have not fallen, and the growing impact of domestic wood-burning stoves and gas heating.

Further emphasis if also to be given to the shift towards more sustainable transport modes, including clean buses, electric vehicles, alternative freight approaches, effective Low Emission Zones, as well as support and effective planning for active travel.

Commenting on the report’s recommendations, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said:

“With Scotland performing well by global standards, it is clear that our current strategy has had a positive impact by raising the profile of air pollution and helping to facilitate constructive stakeholder engagement. So while I welcome this report, I am under no illusions that there is still more to be done as we progress towards our 2020 targets.

“We will now take the time to consider the review’s recommendations in detail before formally responding following a public consultation to gather wider views. In the meantime, I would like to thank Professor Gemmell and his team for their hard work and look forward to discussing this with him in due course.”

Chair of the review panel Professor Gemmell said:

“This was a big team effort to review a wide range of aspects of air pollution. Good progress has been made but much more is needed. Particulates and NOx from the transport sector as well as agricultural ammonia and domestic heating emissions remain major challenges and need targeted effort. The health impacts of air pollution are potentially severe and we must double down on taking coherent action. The report stresses co-ordinated effort across local and Scottish government to provide leadership and practical support to move us forward to a cleaner, healthier future.”

Cleaner Air for Scotland – The Road to a Healthier Future (CAFS) is Scotland’s first strategy specifically dedicated to tackling the issue in Scotland – previous strategies were conducted on a UK basis – was published in November 2015.

The Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy: independent review can be accessed here.

Resource Efficient Scotland have designed free packs which include a great range of posters, stickers, thermometers and other communication materials to help businesses encourage their staff to become more resource efficient.  

Resource Efficient Scotland already provides lots of free support and funding to help businesses use less energy, water and materials – and save money. 

But did you know that one of the quickest ways for any business to become more resource efficient is to simply motivate staff to adopt better behaviours? 

These materials are now available to order for free from the Resource Efficient Scotland website. There are three packs available:

• Office pack– ideal for any business with office staff.
• Hospitality pack– ideal for engaging guests and staff in small hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation.
• Retail pack– handy for engaging staff in retail outlets.

These materials are available to Scottish SMEs for freewhile stocks last. Order your free pack today

National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures show link between deprivation and health. 

A boy born in 2018 in one of the 10% most deprived areas of Scotland will live for 13 years less than a boy from the most affluent areas. The gap for girls is 9.6 years. 

There is clear evidence in the data tables published by NRS of the reason for this. A boy born in the poorer areas can expect to spend almost a third of his life (29.2%) in poor health.  While, for girls it is 34.5%. 

At the other end of the scale, an affluent baby boy will have ill health for just 13.1% of his life, with a slightly higher figure (14.9%) for girls. 

Women living in the 10% least deprived areas can expect to spend 23 more years in good health than those in the 10% most deprived areas. For men, the difference in healthy life expectancy is 22.5 years.

The figures are a stark reminder that deprivation has a significant effect on life expectancy, and an even greater one on healthy life expectancy.

Life expectancy in Scotland has been the lowest of any UK country since 1982.

NRS Statisticians are now working with NHS Health Scotland to help identify the reasons for stalling life expectancy and ultimately divert resources to help Scots live longer and healthier lives. 

There is good news within the report however. The lowest rates of stillbirths and children dying in their first year.

Glasgow will host a major United Nations climate change summit next year, if a UK bid is successful.

The UK and Italy have lodged a joint bid to host the 26th Conference of the Parties, known as COP26. It has been proposed that the UK would host the main conference, with a preliminary meeting held in Italy.

While Turkey is still in the running for the event, the UK is now seen as the clear favourite.

If that bid is successful, the event would take place at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus (SEC) at the end of 2020 and would be held at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus (SEC) on the banks of the River Clyde.

Up to 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference.

Lasting for two weeks, it would be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted, with up to 200 world leaders expected to attend for the final weekend.

Former energy minister Claire Perry, who is the UK-nominated president for COP26, said: “As one of the UK’s most sustainable cities, with a record for hosting high-profile international events, Glasgow is the right choice to showcase the UK’s commitment to the environment.

“In 2020, world leaders will come together to discuss how to protect our planet and set the direction for the years to come.”

Under UN rules, next year’s COP26 will be held in a European country.

Members of the Scottish Obesity Alliance have written to the First Minister to urge the Scottish Government to restrict price promotions on food and drink products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS).

The letter, calls on the First Minister to take action and commit to legislation to regulate multi-buy price promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt in Scotland in this autumn’s Programme for Government.

The letter notes that “Scotland has some of the highest incidences of obesity across OECD countries”, and goes on to state that 29% of adults and 13% of children aged two to 15 years old are living with obesity, and even more are living with overweight and are at high of risk of being affected by obesity later in life.

The letter also reminds that “whilst the rate of childhood obesity levels has slowed down, it has not stopped or started to decline”, before going on to call the situation a “major public health crisis.”

The letter is co-signed by 20 leading national health charities, medical royal colleges, campaign groups and professional bodies with an interest in health and public health working in Scotland.

Gordon Matheson, public affairs manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Carrying too much weight is the most common cause of avoidable cancer in Scotland after smoking and is a major public health crisis.

“Scotland cannot afford any delays in bringing forward legislation to tackle the price promotion of junk food. The need for regulation is compelling and the public is supportive. Now is the time for the Scottish Government to act."

You can read the letter here.

Three years after the measles virus was eliminated from the UK, the country has lost its “measles-free” status with the World Health Organization.

The UK initially achieved WHO measles elimination status in 2017, based on data from 2014-2016.

However, in 2018, there was a marked increase in the number of confirmed measles cases, with 991 confirmed cases in England and Wales, compared with 284 cases in 2017.  

Furthermore, the same strain of measles virus (called B3 Dublin) was detected for more than 12 months across 2017 and 2018. Based on this, WHO determined that the UK could no longer be consider as ‘eliminated’ and that transmission of measles had been re-established.

Measles can be prevented through two doses of the MMR vaccine – something that is offered free by the NHS to all young children in the UK.

While coverage of the first dose in the UK has reached the WHO target of 95% for children aged five, coverage of the second dose is at 87.4%. 

A blog published by Public Health England on August 19, 2019, reviewed the reasons for the WHO’s change in the UK’s status, and ongoing efforts to protect the British population from the measles virus.

The NHS Long Term Plan includes a range of measures to maintain and increase uptake of both MMR doses. These include a fundamental review of the GP contract for vaccination and immunisation, and improved local co-ordination to support improving immunisation coverage in each area which can help target those groups who have low uptake. 

The latest annual report issued by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water is high at 99.90%.

In 2018, a total of 319,124 regulatory tests were carried out in on Scotland’s drinking water. Of those taken from samples at consumers’ taps, 99.90% met the required standards, slightly reduced on previous years. Scottish Water take and analyse samples of drinking water from across Scotland 365 days a year.

The report also highlights that the number of water quality incidents requiring detailed investigation by the DWQR has reduced in 2018, suggesting that Scottish Water’s efforts to improve is paying off.

Sue Petch the Drinking Water Quality Regulator said:

“Scotland’s consumers can be reassured that the quality of drinking water supplied to their taps by Scottish Water continues to be high.

“In spite of this, further improvements are still needed. I expect Scottish Water to ensure water quality continues to get better across Scotland.”

A full copy of Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2018 is available at www.dwqr.org.uk

Publicly funded leisure centres in all local authorities in Scotland have now banned the sale of high-energy soft drinks to young people under the age of 16.

The restriction will apply to soft drinks with an added caffeine content of more than 150mg per litre.

Community Leisure UK, the umbrella body for over 85% of Scotland’s publicly funded leisure and cultural facilities, has worked with the Scottish Government to introduce the restriction in the 1,300 facilities they represent.

The seven local authorities not covered by Community Leisure UK have also banned the drinks.

This new ban builds on the Scottish Government’s ban of high-energy drinks to under 16s in hospital retail units, a move that was matched by all NHS-run catering sites.

In addition, many larger retailers and supermarkets have already voluntarily stopped selling energy drinks to under 16s. 

Energy drinks are soft drinks that contain higher levels of caffeine than other soft drinks, and may also contain a lot of sugar. Research by the World Health Organisation suggests that excessive consumption of energy drinks by children is linked to negative health outcomes such as headaches, sleeping problems, irritation and tiredness.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “I welcome the leadership shown by all publicly-funded leisure centres in restricting the sale of energy drinks to young people.

“This builds on our recent ban of energy drinks to under 16s in all hospital retail units and NHS-run catering sites.

“The Scottish Government recognises that consumption of energy drinks is a significant concern to parents, healthcare professionals and young people. This ban delivers on the promise we made in our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan last year and we have committed to a consultation on restricting the sale of energy drinks to under 16s later this year.”

Kirsty Cumming, Community Leisure UK Engagement and Policy Manager for Scotland, said:

"After working closely with both our members and colleagues at Scottish Government, Community Leisure UK is delighted that all members in Scotland have chosen to ban the sale of energy drinks to young people under 16.

“This is an important step in protecting the health of young people across Scotland and we are proud to support the Scottish Government's promise made in the Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan."