Latest news with #PopulationHealthFramework
Scotsman
18-07-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
‘Scotland's new Health Framework Plan overlooks simple ways to reduce alcohol consumption,' says expert
The preventative healthcare measures recommended in the Scotland's Population Health Framework 2025-2035 plan have been welcomed by a leading health expert. However, Sinclair Method UK's Dr Seth Rankin says it misses the chance to increase awareness of proven and long-established ways to help Scots reduce their drinking. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland's Population Health Framework 2025-2035 plan has been welcomed by a leading health expert, who praises its switch of emphasis from traditional NHS treatments to preventative measures. Dr Seth Rankin, MBChB MRCGP, CEO of Sinclair Method UK, says: 'The Framework announces the intention to publish an Alcohol and Drugs Plan, building on progress made by the National Mission on Drugs, showing how the Scottish Government and partners will reduce alcohol and drug related harms and deaths. This is extremely welcome news. Particularly exiting is the fact it will include developing preventative action to reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol and delivering high quality and accessible treatments and care. This looks to be doing more than England's 'rival' Fit for the Future 10 year plan, published this month, to tackle alcohol misuse. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, there are some proven treatments Scotland's Health Framework has overlooked which it would be encouraging to see appear in the new Alcohol and Drugs Plan, as they could help stop health problems developing before symptoms even appear. Health expert Dr Seth Rankin has welcomed the preventative action to reduce alcohol consumption revealed in Scotland's new Health Framework plan, but says it currently overlooks effective, proven treatments. 'One of these key treatments encourages people to reduce their consumption of alcohol to recommended levels. I'm sure that during the recent heatwave many of us drank rather more than we intended. Yet that can be the edge of a slippery slope. Over-consumption of alcohol can lead to liver and heart problems, strokes, cancer and other conditions. Recent research from The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) has revealed alcohol harm costs the NHS £4.9bn a year. Yet there are simple, proven treatments that can help prevent alcohol misuse and aid us all in reducing our drinking to a moderate level. 'The new report has some excellent plans for encouraging more moderate drinking. Yet it does not include a method of reducing alcohol consumption using a pill with an 80% success rate in curbing problem drinking. This decades-old treatment method – known as The Sinclair Method (TSM) – continues to fly under the radar, yet it could help slash £4.9bn from the NHS budget. The new plan can be seen as a missed opportunity to introduce such treatments. 'The Sinclair Method combines a well-established medication, naltrexone (an opioid-blocking medication), with guided coaching. Research suggests it can help around four out of five people with alcohol dependence dramatically reduce their drinking or quit entirely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Patients simply take an oral dose of naltrexone one hour before they drink alcohol. Naltrexone is already commonly prescribed by the NHS for people who have already stopped drinking to prevent relapse, so is a safe and evidence-based drug. The key to TSM is timing: by taking naltrexone before drinking, it blunts the pleasurable effects of alcohol and over time effectively 're-wires' the brain's reward system. 'It's a treatment that's been around for decades. Back in the 1990s the pioneering researcher Dr. David Sinclair hypothesized that if the endorphin 'buzz' of alcohol could be pharmacologically blocked each time someone had an alcoholic drink, the brain would 'unlearn' the addictive behaviour through a process known as 'extinction'. His clinical study in 2001 showed remarkable results: 78% of participants who consistently took naltrexone before drinking experienced a significant reduction in craving and achieved long-term control over their alcohol use. In practical terms, many previously dependent drinkers were able to enjoy one or two drinks and stop – or even lose interest in alcohol altogether. 'So why isn't this treatment a part of the preventative measures discussed in the report? First, awareness is low – even many front-line NHS practitioners and clinics simply aren't familiar with the Sinclair Method, since it's not yet embedded in standard training or guidelines. Second, the traditional treatment culture has favoured total abstinence; until recently, suggesting a patient continue drinking (even with safeguards) was almost taboo. That conservative mindset is beginning to shift as evidence mounts that pharmacological approaches can work. However it's true that treatments based on pill power, not will power, are not universally welcomed by health professionals. The idea of an Ozempic for drinkers is rather frowned on by some practitioners. Yet things are changing. The new weight management medication 'Tirzepatide' (brand name Mounjaro) is shortly being made available to NHS patients to support weight loss. Naltrexone would offer very similar treatment methods to patents wanting to reduce their alcohol intake. 'It's regrettable that Scotland's new plan, for all its bold ambitions, contains no mention of the Sinclair Method or any new pharmacological interventions for alcohol use. If rolled out broadly, imagine the impact? Fewer alcohol-related hospital admissions, fewer liver transplants, reduced A&E attendances. We could save lives and money.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Sinclair Method UK treatment includes one-to-one guidance with a private GP. This may include consultation by phone or video call and follow up meetings for the first three months, plus a prescription for the relevant tablets.
The National
16-07-2025
- Health
- The National
England can learn from Scotland's population health plan
The King's Fund has said the framework from the Scottish Government and Cosla will be an 'important guiding light' in recognising what determines Scotland's population health and wellbeing 'is more than health care'. The think tank has been advocating for a stronger focus on population health in England for several years. It insists Scotland's plan is a 'major step forward' and England 'would do well to draw inspiration from its neighbour'. 'The framework will be an important guiding light over the next 10 years in recognising that what determines the Scottish population's health and wellbeing is more than health care: that sectors and approaches need to work together to improve health (working well in their own silos is not enough), and that living a good life matters as well as length of life,' said David Buck from the King's Fund. READ MORE: UK ministers told to increase Scottish Government borrowing limits The headline aim of the framework by 2035 is 'to improve Scottish life expectancy whilst reducing the life expectancy gap between the most deprived 20% of local areas and the national average'. Buck said it is important over time that the life expectancy aim does not 'crowd out' wider government action on quality of life, but added: 'So, yes, more to do but Scotland does now have a population framework to help cohere the national approach to population health – this is a major step forward. 'Despite the now released Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan, England has nothing equivalent. 'Although there is interest and action on population health, including in many places and systems that have used or adapted The King's Fund framework, there is nothing that people can look to that provides coherence at national level to support the delivery of the government's stated goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. 'England would do well to draw inspiration from its neighbour.' Scotland's Population Health Framework sets out Scottish Government's and Cosla's long-term collective approach to improving Scotland's health and reducing health inequalities for the next decade and was published last month. It sets out how national and local government will work with public sector partners, community organisations and business to tackle the root causes of ill health. The framework says after many decades of improvement in life expectancy, progress has stalled with the health of the population being eroded by 'UK government austerity, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis'. READ MORE: SNP ministers call in Glasgow Sauchiehall Street O2 ABC plans The plan says it represents 'a shift in culture, from treating illness to prevention and a more whole system approach to improving health. It is the beginning of a live programme of change and improvement, with clear initial actions across the drivers of health and further actions to come over the ten-year period.' Actions laid out in the framework include ensuring digital opportunities are maximised to improve the prevention of poor health and taking action to reduce the proportion of children with developmental concerns at 27 to 30 months including reducing inequalities. It also aims to advance community wealth building in Scotland 'to address economic and wealth inequality by supporting the generation, circulation and retention of more wealth in communities'.
The Herald Scotland
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
We need a different approach to the delivery of public services
Chief among them was Scotland's Public Services Reform Strategy – Delivering for Scotland. In his foreword to it, Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance, acknowledges that Campbell Christie's vision has not been delivered to its full potential. Some might argue that those words underplay the scale of the deficit. Whatever the truth, it is unarguable that nowhere is the gap between ambition and progress more acutely felt than in relation to health inequalities. In its 2023 report, Leave No One Behind, the Health Foundation asserted that the persistence of health inequalities in Scotland over the previous decade was related to three underlying factors – the accumulation of severe multiple disadvantage, a stagnation in living standards and, tellingly, the fragility of public services in the wake of austerity. It is welcome therefore that the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework and the Population Health Framework were also published as the recess approached. While the former is concerned with health and social care delivery, the latter recognises that progress on improving health and reducing inequalities requires action beyond those services. In doing so it echoes Leave No One Behind's focus on the socio-economic determinants of health – income, housing, education, employment. While early health interventions matter, it is prevention which will determine whether Scotland can reverse the tide of worsening health inequalities – among the worst in western Europe – over the next decade. But in their response to the Population Health Framework, analysts at the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit, funded by the Health Foundation, have questioned how far its specific actions reach beyond health and social care. While welcoming the framework's focus on prevention, they point out that actions in crucial areas such as housing are more limited. They call for a broader range of cross-government actions, clearer implementation plans and robust monitoring and evaluation. However, they also recognise that the Public Services Reform Strategy shines a light on the very things which need to happen to ensure intention is met with action – clearer leadership, greater accountability and, critically, budget processes that enable the long overdue shift to preventative spend. Despite fiscal challenges, funding can and must be reshaped to support a different approach to the delivery of hard-pressed public services. Campbell Christie died just four months after his landmark report was published. For those living in Scotland's most deprived communities, where the gap in healthy life expectancy compared to those in the least deprived reaches 25 years, the changes he called for cannot come a moment too soon. Chris Creegan is Director of the Health Foundation's Improving Health and Reducing Inequalities in Scotland Programme Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Welcome end in sight to two-child cap that's affected almost a thousand West Lothian families
It was announced that it will be removed from March 2 next year Close to 1000 families in West Lothian are set to benefit from the scrapping of the two-child cap. Linlithgow MSP Fiona Hyslop welcomed the Scottish Government's announcement that the cap will be removed from March 2 next year. The two-child cap was introduced by the Tories as part of their programme of austerity and has subsequently become Labour policy, despite Keir Starmer's previous promises to scrap it. Around 950 families in West Lothian have been affected by the two-cap policy. By ending it the Scottish Government is ensuring 20,000 fewer children in Scotland will live in relative poverty next year. Fiona Hyslop said: 'I welcome the news that the Scottish Government is ending the two-child cap in Scotland. 'The UK Government's decision to continue the two-child cap has harmed 950 households in West Lothian but from next year this will end due to action taken by the Scottish Government. 'The Scottish Government has stepped in to mitigate the harm caused by the UK Government and this makes clear John Swinney's commitment to tackling child poverty in Scotland. 'This policy will provide much-needed support to families across West Lothian when the two-child cap ends next March.' The MSP also welcomed a visit by Scotland's Health Secretary to West Lothian on Tuesday on Tuesday, June 17 during the launch of two health related framewoks. She said: 'It was great to see Neil Gray MSP chose to visit Blackburn Partnership Centre to launch Scotland's Population Health Framework and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework. 'These are major national policy frameworks are focused on prevention and joined-up community care to help people lead healthier lives and there is so much happening in Blackburn which already is delivering on this. 'The launch of both of these frameworks shows clear progress towards delivering the Scottish Government's vision for a healthier, fairer and more resilient Scotland. 'I was pleased to see the Cabinet Secretary visit Blackburn Partnership Centre, in my Constituency, as part of this launch.'
The Herald Scotland
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Stark new statistics on Scotland's deepening alcohol problem
This is more than 50% above the Chief Medical Officers' safe drinking guidelines of 14 for both men and women. This latest figures shows that while the volume of alcohol sold is decreasing, it remains higher than the amount sold per adult in England and Wales. The data also reveals stark inequalities between those from the most and least deprived areas in Scotland. People living in Scotland's most deprived areas are six times more likely to be hospitalised or die from causes wholly related to alcohol compared to those in the least deprived communities. READ MORE: Swinney urged to act in bid to reverse near-record alcohol deaths Programme for Government: Alcohol ban on trains to end Scotland's drug and alcohol deaths remain among worst in Europe Dr Tara Shivaji, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at PHS, said: "Today's updates add to the evidence base that as a population, Scotland is consuming too much alcohol. 'If current drinking patterns continue, we project a 21% increase in alcohol-related disease burden by 2043 compared to 2019 levels. This means thousands more individuals and families facing the devastating impacts of alcohol related ill-health such as liver disease, heart disease, stroke and cancer. 'Every week, people across Scotland are drinking well above the recommended 14-unit limit, significantly increasing their risk of these serious health conditions. 'The newly released data provides compelling evidence that despite progress, Scotland's relationship with alcohol remains deeply problematic and requires immediate attention. 'This isn't inevitable," Dr Shivaji added, "With urgent, collective and evidence-based action to tackle harmful alcohol use, we can change Scotland's path. We need to take steps to implement the preventative measures outlined in the Population Health Framework. This means addressing the availability, affordability, and attractiveness of alcohol, as well as providing early intervention and support for people experiencing problems. But that work must start now.' Since Scotland introduced Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in 2018, alcohol deaths have dropped by 13.4%, and overall drinking fell by 3%. However, the number of people in Scotland whose death was caused by alcohol remains high, with the figures for 2023 showing the largest number of deaths in 15 years. Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: 'The Scottish Government is working to reduce alcohol-related harm and deaths. Our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy and the decision to uprate the unit price to 65 pence per unit is a key part of our approach to tackling alcohol harm. 'We want every person experiencing harm from alcohol use to be able access the support they need. That is why we have allocated £112 million to local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for treatment and support services. 'The forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment are anticipated to further support the improvement of alcohol treatment in Scotland. In addition, the recently published Population Health Framework sets out a 10-year plan for population health, including addressing the harms caused by alcohol.'
