Public health

• UK youth ‘let down’ on long-term health issues

  Youth in the UK are being ‘let down’ when it comes to treating long-term illnesses such as asthma, according to an independent health think tank.

  

• Health experts warn about impact of toxic air on children

  Nearly nine out of ten child health experts are warning air pollution is already having a negative impact on children's health in their region.

  

• Whitehall commits to reaching zero HIV transmissions by 2030

  Council chiefs have welcomed Whitehall’s announcement that it is committed to reaching zero HIV transmissions by 2030, but they urged the Government to reverse public health cuts ‘as a matter of urgency’.

  

• Councils chosen to develop childhood obesity plans

  Practical plans to tackle childhood obesity are to be developed by 13 councils after they received funding from the government’s Trailblazer programme.

  

• Investment in cycling could prevent 34,000 life-threatening illnesses, report finds

  Thousands of life-threatening illnesses could be prevented if major cities increased cycling rates to those seen in London since the turn of the millennium.

  

• Council chiefs welcome decision to expand PrEP trial

  Local authority leaders have said they are ‘pleased’ with NHS England’s decision to expand the trial of a drug that could ‘significantly’ reduce levels of HIV.

  

• NHS to fund council ‘drunk tanks’ over Christmas

  The NHS has announced it will be funding council ‘drunk tanks’ over the Christmas period to ease the pressure on local hospitals.

  

• Councils warn of impact of public health funding cuts

  Councils have reacted angrily to ‘short-sighted’ cuts to public health funding next year by the Government.

  

• Council call for action over number of operations to remove rotten teeth in children

  Council leaders have called for immediate action to tackle sugar consumption after new figures showed more than 45,000 teenagers and children had teeth extracted in hospital last year.

  

• Council chiefs call for funding to ‘step up’ fight against HIV

  Local authority leaders are urging the Government to reverse the £600m of cuts to public health grants to help them ‘step up’ the fight against HIV.