Decision details

Jon Hobday Public Health Consultant presented to members an overview of the Tobacco control delivery plan. 

Tobacco is the biggest cause of preventable death in the UK today, and a key cause of inequalities in Bury. The ambition is to inspire a smoke-free generation and improve the health and wellbeing of all Bury residents. Reducing smoking prevalence in Bury is a key action in the Locality Plan, and a stated ambition in the Primary Care Health and Wellbeing strategy.

The Tobacco Control Delivery Plan outlines how – with a strategic, partnership-based approach – how key stakeholders can effectively impact tobacco use across the Borough: reducing ill-health and early deaths in the population and improving lives of Bury residents.

Questions were invited from those present and the following issues were raised:

The Director of Public Health reported that it is essential that support to stop smoking is embedded across partner organisations, from the acute sector to primary care and including the integrated neighbourhood teams.  In order to reduce smoking prevalence it is essential that there is systematic support to help people stop and targeted work is undertaken to tackle the illicit tobacco trade.

Members discussed e-cigarettes.  The Public Health Consultant reported that the recently undertaken child survey has provided interesting data in respect of teen smoking; 9% of children have tried cigarettes, 14% have tried e-cigarettes, 2% would consider themselves to be regular smokers and 4% would smoke e-cigarettes regularly.

Responding to a Member’s question, the Public Health Consultant reported that the target to reduce smoking in pregnancy from 11.6% to 6% is an ambitious target.  Every pregnant woman will be offered support across multiple formats. The Director of Public reported that historically engagement with maternity services has been problematic, the issues is now been driven at a wider GM level and as such there seems to be wider ownership of the issue.

It was agreed:

The Board approves the Tobacco Control Delivery Plan.