What does the future hold for public health provision? And what role can local government expect to play?
Amid the ongoing pandemic, these questions are more pertinent than ever.
Councils have been at the forefront of the public health response to COVID-19. Over the past six months we’ve demonstrated the immense value of local authorities, with our unrivalled ability to harness local knowledge and to co-ordinate services for the benefit of our communities.
The pressures on all parts of the health and care system have been – and continue to be – enormous. But whether through securing personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, communicating advice to residents, or responding quickly in a fast-developing situation, local government has proved itself a resolute and reliable partner.
In this period of change, there are opportunities as well as challenges. London boroughs believe there is a clear case for bringing powers and resources to a local level, so that we can do more to boost public health in our communities.
An inescapable lesson of COVID-19 is that poor health leaves people vulnerable and undermines our collective resilience. This is why it’s so crucial to have well-funded public health services proactively tackling the causes of ill health and helping people to make healthier choices.
I was extremely pleased when the Prime Minister launched in July a new national strategy on reducing obesity, which is such a pivotal public health challenge.
The emerging evidence linking obesity to COVID-19 mortality rates is the clearest possible prompt for renewed action. London has among the highest obesity rates in the country and the capital has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19 deaths.
Another longstanding public health concern is smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death. Smoking damages the heart and lungs, putting smokers at greater risk of life-threatening complications if they get COVID-19.
In London there are around 900,000 smokers – accounting for almost 15% of all smokers in England. Together with our health partners, boroughs are committed to getting these numbers down, especially as winter approaches and levels of demand on NHS services will only increase.
London faces a particular problem with illegal tobacco, with criminals raking in over £100 million a year from trade in the capital while undermining Londoners’ stop smoking efforts. Boroughs are therefore making the most of our local leadership role, bringing together trading standards and public health teams to raise awareness and to take enforcement action.
Local authorities must be at the heart of a new, reinvigorated national push on improving public health provision, with future spending decisions reflecting the benefits of preventing ill health for our residents and the NHS.
As the comprehensive spending review approaches, London boroughs are therefore making the case for councils’ public health funding to rise in line with the NHS budget. Giving local authorities assured, long-term increases in public health resources would provide a real boost to our ability to plan service provision and make an impact on health and wellbeing.
COVID-19 is acting as a catalyst for all sorts of changes across our society, economy, and politics. The government now has the chance to shift its priorities towards prevention and supporting people to stay healthy.
Councils have a unique, irreplaceable role in promoting this agenda. We are certainly keen to work with ministers on our shared ambitions and to secure the local public health resources we need to make the most difference in our communities.
Cllr Sir Ray Puddifoot is London Councils’ executive member for health & care