25th September 2015

• RCS calls for return to negotiating table on the Junior Doctors' Contract
• PHE research shows wide variation in children's oral health attending special support schools
• Unhealthy lifestyles risk progress on rising life expectancy in Europe
• Norman Lamb sets out Lib Dem NHS tax policy

RCS calls for return to negotiating table on the Junior Doctors’ Contract

The RCS has written a joint letter with the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to surgical trainee representative bodies regarding the Junior Doctors’ contracts.

The letter, addressed to the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) and the British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA), follow their position statements on the new contract and makes the following points:

• Recognising the fundamental contribution of our trainees in delivering a safe and high quality NHS.
• Commenting on specific aspects of terms and conditions is not appropriate for the Colleges.
• Any contract should support education and training, service provision and recruitment across all surgical specialities.
• An imposed settlement is the wrong way to bring about contractual changes and NHS Employers and the Junior Doctors Committee should be encouraged to return to the negotiating table.

Further information on the College’s position is available on our website.
 

PHE research shows wide variation in children’s oral health attending special support schools

Public Health England (PHE) released their first report on the oral health of children aged between five and twelve attending special support schools for 2013-14. The report finds that the overall severity and prevalence of dental decay was slightly lower than for children attending mainstream schools. However, the five-year-old children participating in the study were twice as likely to have had one or more teeth extracted than their mainstream-educated peers. 

There were wide regional variations found in the study. The North West had the highest prevalence and severity of dental decay of any region in England, with 33% prevalence and 1.49 severity in five-year-olds, and 41% prevalence and 1.04 severity in twelve-year-olds. In the five-year-old age group, the South West had the lowest prevalence (10%) and severity (0.33), and in the twelve-year-old age group, the South East had the lowest prevalence (22%) and London had the lowest severity (0.47).

The Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Professor Nigel Hunt, said in a statement: “It is concerning that children in special support schools have poorer oral hygiene and are more likely to have teeth extracted than other children. Tooth decay is almost entirely preventable in all children through cutting back on sugary foods and drinks, brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and visiting the dentist regularly”.
 

Unhealthy lifestyles risk progress on rising life expectancy in Europe

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe has published its latest European health report, which shows that Europeans are living longer, but also warns that the trend of falling premature mortality rates could reverse if tobacco and alcohol consumption continue at current levels.

Currently, the number of people whose lives end prematurely due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus and chronic respiratory diseases is steadily declining. The 2015 report measures current trends against the WHO Health 2020 targets, which include: 

• Reducing premature mortality 
• Increasing life expectancy
• Reducing inequities across Europe
• Enhancing the wellbeing of populations
• Universal healthcare coverage
• National targets set by member states

WHO finds that Europe is progressing to meet the aim of countries to experience a relative reduction in mortality of 1.5% annually until 2020. However, the report warns that smoking, alcohol consumption, and rising obesity levels remain significant public health concerns. Levels of tobacco and alcohol intake in Europe are the highest in the world, and evidence shows almost all of the 53 member countries in the WHO European area report a rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2010 and 2014. The report highlights the importance of public policy interventions to reduce public health risk factors and work towards the Health 2020 goals, noting that in 2013, half of the member countries had implemented policy plans in line with the WHO health goals.
 

Norman Lamb sets out Lib Dem NHS tax policy

At the Liberal Democrat annual conference this week, health spokesperson and former Coalition Government Health Minister, Norman Lamb MP, set out his party’s health policies following its severe election defeat in May.

The headline policy announcement was to consider introducing a distinct tax to ensure adequate funding for the NHS. Mr Lamb said that unless further funding is made available to the NHS under the new government, the ‘system will crash’. The NHS and care contribution would be separate from general taxation, and appear as such on employees’ pay slips. Mr Lamb also suggested a policy of giving local authorities the right to raise additional funds for local NHS services to address specific issues in different areas.

Mr Lamb advocated for an upfront fund to be made available to NHS England to drive forward a programme of linking GP practices to their local hospital, ambulance service, and patients, and to give patients control over their medical records. He announced the launch of a national conversation exercise to be undertaken by the party, including consultation with patients, carers, local authorities, charities, health leaders and clinicians, focusing on the need for more resources for and change in the care system.