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Improving public health
14/11/2007
Minister for Public Health Shona Robison today highlighted the work that has been done over the first six months by the Scottish Government to improve the public health of Scotland and what her future priorities are.
- Actions which have already been taken include:
- Raising the age of cigarette sales from 16 to 18
- Staging Scotland's first alcohol awareness week
- Announcing our intention to bring about a phased abolition of prescription charges
- Confirmation of an immunisation programme for human papilloma virus, which can lead to cervical cancer
- Starting a free school meals pilot
- Introducing a Public Health Bill
- Setting up a Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities
Speaking ahead of the Scottish Affairs Committee Annual Public Health Conference she is attending tomorrow, Ms Robison said:
"I am delighted to have this opportunity to set out the Scottish Government's key priorities for improving public health, and to reflect on what has been achieved over the past six months.
"Sustaining and improving good health is essential in order for Scotland to achieve its full potential - inequalities are an obstacle to achieving that potential.
"To have a healthy Scotland, we must support people to live longer, healthier lives.
"Since June, we have taken forward a number of initiatives which I have no doubt will improve public health for all, but over the coming months there is even more that we need to do.
"We know that tackling alcohol misuse is the top priority for improving public health.
"We must also have all NHS staff doing more to improve patients' health, increase access to smoking cessation services, increase physical activity and take forward our work on improving Scotland's mental health.
"All our work is underpinned by Better Health, Better Care, our discussion document on the future of the NHS in Scotland. This will help us formulate the Action Plan on Health and Wellbeing which we will publish next month.
"We recognise that there are no quick fixes - improving public health is a long-term problem that requires long-term solutions.
"Over the coming months, I look forward to taking forward an even greater range of initiatives to improve public health for all, and especially for those at greatest risk of poor health through poverty and other causes of inequalities."