Families across the UK are being asked to comment on their walk to school throughout October’s International Walk to School Month to help build up a picture of our streets. Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, hopes to use the month to identify the barriers which prevent families from walking to school, with the help of their ‘Rate Your Walk’ online tool. Continue reading October is International Walk to School Month
Karate is fastest growing sport for girls
The five fastest growing sports for girls in Scotland have been revealed in new statistics to mark the start of Women and Girls in Sport Week. Continue reading Minister encourages girls: get into sport
Alcohol-related sexual harrassment has become a normalised part of a night out, a new Drinkaware/YouGov survey has revealed. Almost three quarters (71%) of 18-24 year old men and women who drink in bars, clubs or pubs surveyed said that they had seen sexual harassment on a night out. Continue reading Almost three quarters of young Scots have witnessed sexual harassment while out drinking
Scottish Gas is working with Alzheimer Scotland and the Alzheimer’s Society to encourage families, friends and carers of customers living with dementia across Scotland to contact their energy company if they are concerned about the energy account of their loved ones this winter. Continue reading Scottish Gas ready to help customers living with dementia this winter
“If we want our most vulnerable citizens to be treated as well as they deserve, the Scottish Government and the council have to face facts: good care costs money.” – Kirsten Hey, UNISON
UNISON City of Edinburgh is relieved that the difficulties in social care which we have raised for so long are finally making the news headlines, and we welcome Michelle Miller’s recent statement that social care services are under-funded. We do not like to use the word “crisis” as it can cause great anxiety for vulnerable people and their families, but at this time it is apt. Continue reading Social care in crisis: UNISON calls for fully funded services
College students demonstrated their sporting prowess at the inaugural College Sports Festival held at Edinburgh College, aimed at encouraging college students to participate in sport during their studies. The event, hosted by Scottish Student Sport (SSS), saw around 250 students taking part in a variety of sports including football, basketball, touch rugby, touchtennis, volleyball and ultimate frisbee. Continue reading College Sports Festival encourages students into sport
One Spa, part of the 5* Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh, has launched a Cancer Touch Therapy treatment in partnership with Made for Life Organics for those currently living with and recovering from cancer. Continue reading One Spa Edinburgh introduces Cancer Touch Therapy
Workplaces encouraged to sign up for the Daily Mile
Scotland’s children have inspired one of the biggest energy firms in the UK to help make their staff healthier, happier and more productive. ScottishPower has become the first company to sign up to “The Daily Mile”™ – the free initiative credited with making primary school pupils fitter, more resilient and more focused in lessons. Continue reading Scotland takes another step towards becoming the world’s first Daily Mile nation
A new report published by the Stroke Association reveals that over 110,000 people could be saved from having a stroke by 2035 if research into the latest stroke prevention procedures were properly funded. Continue reading Change the Story: Charity calls for investment in stroke prevention research
“From children growing up in poverty to families struggling to heat their house in the winter because their benefits have been cut, inequality affects every aspect of people’s lives – and that has a direct impact on their health and wellbeing”
The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) today call on the Scottish Government to increase action to tackle the ‘bleak reality’ of health inequalities facing local communities across Scotland and invite the people of Scotland to support a stronger national focus on people’s health.
‘Healthy Lives, Fairer Futures’, published by the Faculty of Public Health in Scotland sets out eight priorities for the Scottish Government to act on so that everyone has an equal chance of a long and healthy life, including:
This call to action was written following an extensive consultation with the 350 FPH members who are public health experts living and working in Scotland to improve the health and wellbeing of local populations.
FPH members in Scotland, who work in a variety of roles advising, leading and coordinating public health work in the NHS, local councils and charities at a local, regional and national level were invited to identify threats to public health where more action could lead to a significant improvement. Inequalities in health were identified as a very significant threat to health; a stark example of this is in Glasgow where people in the most deprived areas have a life expectancy 15 years less than those living in the wealthiest areas.
FPH Advocacy Lead in Scotland, Josie Murray, said: “Every day I speak to public health professionals who are challenged to improve health in the face of the significant health inequalities in Scotland.
“From children growing up in poverty to families struggling to heat their house in the winter because their benefits have been cut, inequality affects every aspect of people’s lives – and that has a direct impact on their health and wellbeing.
“We’re looking forward to working in closer partnership with other charities and organisations and together, fight for a fairer Scotland because we believe that every person deserves the best chance of a healthy life. That’s why we’re calling on the Scottish Government to make sure that any new laws impact positively on people’s health or wellbeing, and to deliver on their manifesto commitment to make a greater impact in tackling health inequalities.”
Convenor of FPH in Scotland, Dr Julie Cavanagh, said: “Inequalities in health are not inevitable; changes are required across many areas of society and we are asking the Scottish people to support government action to take these changes.”
