Agenda item

To give an update on Northumberland’s collaborative approach to Tobacco Control and the development of the Northumberland Tobacco Control Partnership during 2023.  The report will be presented by Kerry Lynch, Senior Public Health Manager.

Members received an update on Northumberland’s collaborative approach to Tobacco Control and the development of the Northumberland Tobacco Control Partnership during 2023.  The report was presented by Kerry Lynch, Senior Public Health Manager.  (A copy of the report and presentation is filed with the signed minutes.)

The following key points were raised:-

•       Smoking remained the biggest preventable cause of death and illness in Northumberland, the North East and England.  It put a huge pressure on the NHS with hospital admissions and GP appointments.  There was no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke including second hand smoke.  It was important to continue to drive to action at all levels and use political and organisational influence to achieve a tobacco free generation.

•       Smoking prevalence in Northumberland was 9.6% but there were higher levels amongst those in routine and manual works and people with mental illness.

•       The shared vision of the Health and Wellbeing Board and local partnership was

“Northumberland children born today will live a smoke free life.  We aspire to reach a Smoke Free 2030, where adult smoking prevalence is 5% or lower by 2030.  We shall work in partnership using an evidence-based approach.”

•       National Measures – new measures had been announced which proposed legislation to make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products in England.  Additional funding of £366,000 would be made available to the Council for stop smoking services.  Funding would also be available to improve enforcement to prevent illegal tobacco and vaping.  It was expected that these measures would lead to up to 1.7 million fewer people smoking by 2075.  A consultation process was currently live and members were urged to respond.

•       Priority populations were

•       Young people

•       Smoking in pregnancy

•       Routine and manual occupations

•       Mental health conditions

•       Smoking Related Health Inequalities

•       Social Housing – Continue with bespoke support model and offer of free vape starter kits to smokers living in social housing, part of the nation Pathfinder opportunity.

•       Illicit Tobacco – Trading Standards and Public Health were working together to augment illicit tobacco and alcohol work and engage in prevention.

•       Action planning and next steps

•       Finalising JSNAA chapter with recommendations

•       Action plan to developing actions further and address identified gaps in knowledge of community assets.

•       Local advocacy of national measures and participation in consultations

A number of comments were made, including:

•       Vapes as part of the ‘Swap to Stop’ scheme would only be offered to adult current smokers and were not for use by non-smokers or children.

•       It was not advisable to compare the effects of smoking with use of alcohol or obesity as all are major public health factors.  In terms of preventable deaths, smoking deaths were higher.

•       Additional resources were being made available for border controls to deal with the importing of cheap tobacco from abroad.

•       Some people turned down intervention from a pharmacist but were often more receptive to a joint approach from a social prescriber and a pharmacist.  There had been conversations with CAB around debt and the link with smoking.  There was a stigma for someone struggling with their finances and for there to be a conversation about smoking in that context.  This needed to be well thought out.  Links were being made with housing and the voluntary sector.

•       It was confirmed that support could be offered for completion of the consultation.  The first four questions of the consultation related to the raising of the age of sale and were the most crucial. 

•       A representative from the voluntary sector would be welcome to attend meetings of the Northumberland Tobacco Control Partnership.

•       With regard to mental health, there was a robust service for in patients, however, further effort and focus was needed within community teams.  Particularly for those who worked into primary care more actively and there needed to be more focus and a commitment to take away to look at what the organisation was doing for the county and more broadly within the community teams.

•       Was MECC (Making Every Contact Count) embedded in the policies of partner organisations and if so, how was it delivered?  There was a need to ensure that it made sense to the operational staff who were in and out of people’s homes. 

RESOLVED that the development and progress of the Northumberland Tobacco Control Partnership during 2023 be noted.