Labour unveil public health plans – including plain packaged cigarettes – designed to make the NHS more sustainable

Labour are launching their proposals for public health today – as part of their wider plan to ensure the NHS remains affordable and sustainable.

In a speech at London-based think tank Demos, Andy Burnham, Shadow Health Secretary, will say Labour’s plan is to introduce a new food policy that will protect children from unhealthy foods. They’ll achieve this by setting maximum limits of fat, salt and sugar in food marketed predominantly to children.

More broadly, Labour are looking into ways to improve labelling on food so it is clearer to people exactly what they are eating – this includes working with the EU to introduce traffic-light labelling.

Labour’s other plans include standardised cigarette planning, outlining a basic minimum amount of physical exercise that everyone who can should try to do and looking into measures that will reduce binge drinking action.

Such proposals are part of a wider effort to improve peoples’ health but also to relieve pressure on the NHS in the long-term.

Consequently, Labour’s new public health approach will also emphasis the importance of community support. For example, they will ensure by the time young people leave school, they will have had access to emergency first aid training including (CPR) and the use of defibrillators.

These proposals include putting Automated External Defibrillators in major public places, such as shopping centres and register that would mean people could find where the nearest AED is.

Burnham will say:

“Labour has traditionally led the way on public health and this new approach will chart a new course towards a healthy nation in the 21st Century.

“In a century of rising demand, helping people take more responsibility for their own health will be essential if we are to ensure the NHS remains affordable and sustainable for the future.

“As part of this, children will need better protection from the pressures of modern living and the harm caused by alcohol, sugar and smoke and Labour will not flinch from taking the action needed to provide it.

“David Cameron and his Government are too close to powerful vested interests to stand up for our children.

“This new positive approach will help give all children a healthy start and help adults to get the most out of life.”