Commenting on the publication of Scotland’s Public Health Priorities the President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Professor Derek Bell OBE said:

“The College are encouraged that the Scottish Government’s Public Health Priorities tackle some of the big issues head on, just as our dedicated health professionals are doing every day.  

“In particular, we welcome the Scottish Government’s recognition that wellbeing cannot be created and sustained by the NHS alone. Health and wellbeing starts at home and in the workplace, and whilst clinical services must always be given full government backing and financial support, we must ensure that as a society we are making healthy choices. Conditions such as obesity, diabetes and harm linked to smoking and alcohol mean that we have to be more mindful of what we consume, and how we exercise – healthy living will be the key to our success.”

“Ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, we called for the reduction of food portion and pack sizes, and while we would like to see this included in any future strategies, we welcome the commitment made on measures to limit the marketing of products high in fat, sugar and salt, along with the priority given to the commitment to unify national alcohol and drug strategies to form a single strategy on treatment and recovery.

“Public health challenges are by their nature complicated, and measures such as tackling the gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived parts of Scotland are a step forward. To improve public health across the board, attention must also be paid to education, activity levels, access to sports facilities and healthy and affordable alternatives to junk food. But identifying these problems is the easy part, and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government and local government, where appropriate, to ensure that the broader aspects of public health are not lost, and that clear actions are put in place to address these challenges.”

Notes: 

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was founded in 1681. We support and educate doctors in the hospital sector throughout the UK and the world with over 12,000 Fellows and Members in 91 countries, covering 30 medical specialties.

The Scottish Government’s Public Health Priorities were published this morning (14th June) and can be viewed here.

Keith Small

Contact: Keith Small k.small@rcpe.ac.uk 0131 247 3688