The new public health structures: Opportunities for tobacco advocacy
Author(s)
Luke Akehurst and Martin Dockrell
Presenter(s)
Martin Dockrell Director, Policy and Research, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
Luke Akehurst Chair of Health & Scrutiny Committee, London Borough of Hackney
Abstract
• How can you influence local public health policy
• Where are the key points of influence are in the new local public health service
• When is the best time to start to influence the new system
Participants will leave with a handy guide to tobacco advocacy in the new public health system.
Summary:
How much influence will Health and Wellbeing Boards have? What will be the role for Health Scrutiny Committees? How independent will Director’s of Public Health be? What we know for sure is the new public health system is rapidly taking shape and 90% of council’s in England are set to establish Health and Wellbeing Boards before the end of 2011.
The emphases on local decision making and democratic accountability within the new public health structure offer unprecedented opportunities for local tobacco advocacy. This workshop explores the new structures and how to influence them. It will also explore the local agenda that springs from the tobacco control plan for England. Specifically the workshop will address:
• engaging in local advocacy: Influencing decision makers and opinion formers
• engaging in national advocacy: the Smokefree Action Coalition
• shaping the agenda: participating in consultations and budget submissions.
Source of funding: The preparation of this workshop was funded entirely from ASH resources
