Lesson 15 Learning Intentions (After this lesson pupils should be able to): Describe the UK and Scottish Governments’ attempts to reduce health inequalities through: - promoting better health - reducing poverty - improving male health

Promoting Better Health (Improving lifestyles choices) Main Scottish policy: ‘Better Health, Better Care’ (2007) Smoking - Ban on smoking in enclosed public places (2006); raise age to 18 for purchase; display ban; tougher fines for those selling to youngsters; vending machine ban (2009/10); clearer health warnings; targets for smoking reductions; poster campaigns: ‘A Breath of Fresh Air for Scotland’. In Dundee, a trial programme paying pregnant mothers to stop smoking. Drug abuse – 52,000 drug abusers in Scotland. 420 drug deaths in Cost £2.6bn. ¾ of all crimes linked to drugs. National Drugs (Road to Recovery’) strategy adopted Greater emphasis on prevention and support.

Promoting Better Health Alcohol Misuse – Bigger problem in Scotland than in rest of UK and Europe. Cost to Scottish economy around £3b in Almost 3,000 people died early in 2010 with alcohol- related condition. New SP legislation 2010: crackdown on drinks promotions; tougher penalties for illegal sales; greater requirement to check proof of age. Government also providing more resources for education; targets for reductions.New SP legislation 2010

Promoting Better Health Exercise - ‘Let’s Make Scotland more active’ campaign. ‘Healthy Promoting Schools’ (school sports co-ordinator; target of two hours PE per pupil per week); Healthy Living Initiatives. Diet (Obesity seen as major health challenge for future) James Report. ‘Hungry For Success’ Health Initiative in schools; free fruit in schools; ad. campaigns; breakfast clubs; ban on fizzy drinks and sweets in schools; attempts to reduce junk food advertising on early evening TV when children are watching. Increase in provision of free school meals. Extension to parents receiving Child and Working Families tax credits. All P1-P3 nutritious free school meal by August 2010.

Promoting Better Health - Health Promoting Schools 1. HPV immunisation programme - cervical cancer and HPV immunisation programme. 2. Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 places a duty on local authorities to ensure that all of their schools are health promoting environments. Health promotion in schools is not just about encouraging children and young people to eat well and to exercise; it encompasses a much broader holistic approach. This approach is called the 'whole school approach', which includes promoting the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional wellbeing of all pupils and staff.

Promoting Better Health - Others Educational / advertising campaigns / laws to: Promote breast-feeding (2004 law passed to make illegal to prevent women breastfeeding in public). Improve access to health services for minority groups. Calls for more information on Scotland’s ethnic minority groups. Improve dental health (£12m ‘Childsmile’ campaign promotes good oral health and provide treatment to reduce tooth decay). Healthy Living Awards – Catering businesses gain recognition for promoting healthier eating. Reduce sexually transmitted diseases. Reduce teenage pregnancies. National and Regional Health Authority targets have been set e.g. Tayside Health Inequalities Strategy (2003) and Dundee: Joint Health Improvement Plan

Reallocating Resources / Increasing Uptake of Services Creation of ‘Health Inequalities Task Force’ (‘Equally Well’) to co-ordinate government activities to help reduce health inequalities. Development of community-based services in deprived areas promoting better health. ‘Keep Well’ (formerly known as ‘The Prevention 2010’ initiative) will involve extra resources for check-ups, screening, vaccinations, etc. in the most deprived areas of Scotland. ‘Fair Shares for All’ – Policy of spending more resources in the poorest areas (Arbuthnott formula).

Reducing Gender Inequalities Focus on health promotion: -Well Man Clinics check general fitness and welfare of men and provide information and support. -Over 40s (men and women) given legal right to ‘health MOT’ in England and Wales. Note: There are voluntary organisations, such as Male Health Scotland and the Male Health Forum Scotland, which promote men’s health. Men’s Health is UK’s biggest selling male magazine.

Reducing Poverty (Reminder: reducing social class / geographic inequalities. See earlier notes) Jobcentre Plus to reduce unemployment (‘work is way out of poverty’). New Deal and National Minimum Wage. Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Investment in social housing; Scottish Government to end sale of council housing (‘Right to Buy’). Improved benefits/support to families with children (Sure Start/Child Trust Fund) and pensioners (Winter Fuel Payment). Scottish Government to abolish prescription in charges 2011.

Scottish and UK Government Policies to Reduce Health Inequalities 1. Describe the ways that the UK Government and Scottish Governments are attempting to reduce health inequalities in each of the following areas: -Through health promotion - Gender specific policies - Reducing poverty 2. Do you think the UK and Scottish Governments will be successful in reducing health inequalities? Explain your answer. Reading: “Modern UK Social Issues” pages