In a move which will add to and exacerbate our existing problem of obesity, the retailer Debenhams today announces it's intention to sport size 16 female mannequins in its stores. I don't blame them because their business is to sell clothes. The problem here is all to do with where it will all end. Can we reasonably expect a major retailer such as this to display a sense of responsibility?
We can depend on one thing here. Few of the garments being promoted will come with elastictaed waist bands as these can accomodate the growth of a waist line. Thuis could seriously impact on their capacity to make money out of their customers. All the while the NHS remains free at the point of access for every man,woman and child true to its original ideals as laid out in 1948. While it would be easy to lay in to a company apparently catering to the obesity, to do so would be to miss the real source of the problem.
The real challenge remains. Our healthcare system needs to educate people about the perils of eating too much and doing too little. Bans and fines are all very well but education remains the only viable solution. Just as the aeroplanes are building bigger seats and the fashion retailers are making bigger clothes, the hospitals are seing more and more people. As with all bubbles, there will come the day when it bursts....
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
The scary truth!
Sir David Nicholson today takes one last swipe at his detractors by defending the obscenely high salaries of hospital managers in the NHS. His comments demonstrate yet again the full extent of his lack of understanding.
At a time when regional hospitals are being closed, ambulances are being turned away from District General Hospitals, A and E departments are buckling under the strain and a national GP shortage becomes more acute by the day, it's a bit rich to defend the £100,000 plus salaries of hospital managers when a hospital consultant earns less. The disproportionality here is staggering. Nobody decries the importance of the job carried out by hospital managers but salaries such as these are beyond common decency. This is just greed pure and simple. With respect to them ,the Prime Minister has to take on a great deal more responsibility but earns less. That is absurd and indefensible.
The cash shortages within the NHS are being exacerbated by salaries such as these. Sir David's successor has elected to take a £20,000 cut knowing full well that he won't even feel it. Put simply, there comes a point above which earnings become rather meaningless because they are so far in excess of a living wage. These managers also subject hospital consultants to gagging orders for fear their own performance brings their salary entitlement in to question.
After all that went on at Stafford and many other hospitals on his watch, Sir David is quite wrong to make these comments. At best, these comments are ignorant but at worst they extremely divisive and once more illustrate the gulf between the Public Sector and everybody else. This would not be justifiable in the Private Sector because they are performance driven and answerable and accountable to shareholders. Sir David can only make himslef a little more loathed with every comment like this one. The sooner he departs, the better for all of us. It's time we left this culture of entitlement behind us and returned to the core purpose and values of the NHS: patient care!
If we really want to address the growing disillusionment within the health service, we need to remember why it was set up in the first place. It is to provide high quality health care at the point of entry to every man, woman and child. It is not and was never designed to be a gravy train!
At a time when regional hospitals are being closed, ambulances are being turned away from District General Hospitals, A and E departments are buckling under the strain and a national GP shortage becomes more acute by the day, it's a bit rich to defend the £100,000 plus salaries of hospital managers when a hospital consultant earns less. The disproportionality here is staggering. Nobody decries the importance of the job carried out by hospital managers but salaries such as these are beyond common decency. This is just greed pure and simple. With respect to them ,the Prime Minister has to take on a great deal more responsibility but earns less. That is absurd and indefensible.
The cash shortages within the NHS are being exacerbated by salaries such as these. Sir David's successor has elected to take a £20,000 cut knowing full well that he won't even feel it. Put simply, there comes a point above which earnings become rather meaningless because they are so far in excess of a living wage. These managers also subject hospital consultants to gagging orders for fear their own performance brings their salary entitlement in to question.
After all that went on at Stafford and many other hospitals on his watch, Sir David is quite wrong to make these comments. At best, these comments are ignorant but at worst they extremely divisive and once more illustrate the gulf between the Public Sector and everybody else. This would not be justifiable in the Private Sector because they are performance driven and answerable and accountable to shareholders. Sir David can only make himslef a little more loathed with every comment like this one. The sooner he departs, the better for all of us. It's time we left this culture of entitlement behind us and returned to the core purpose and values of the NHS: patient care!
If we really want to address the growing disillusionment within the health service, we need to remember why it was set up in the first place. It is to provide high quality health care at the point of entry to every man, woman and child. It is not and was never designed to be a gravy train!
Carberry not the Root of the problem
In sport, timing is everything. Michael Carberry could scarecely have chosen a better time to stake his claim to partner Alistair Cook at the top of England's order. In the end, England need solidity and reliability ahead of flair and precociousness.
Root is undeniably a great talent and is a more than able opener on the county circuit. Test cricket is a different matter and Ashes cricket is certainly not the place for a dasher at the top of the order. The Ashes of this summer showed us the value of a dependable opening pair. Time after time, the top six looked extremely fragile and this was not helped by a lack of consistency in the opening partnerships. Arguably the greatest opening pair from these shores to tour the Antipodes was that of Hobbs and Sutcliffe in the 1920s. Neither was a dasher as both preferred to go about the business of steady accumulation. Risks were considered a luxury then. Moreover, their performances against the new ball enabled the likes of Hammond to make hay when the opening partnership had done its job.
It's no good having the likes of Pieterson, Bell and Root in your team if they're constantly having to deal with the new ball. I have said all summer that Root was a fish out of water opening for England because his style is too loose. Just once did he make a big score as he flattered to deceive for the majority of the summer. Playing big shots comes with confidence. Confidence comes with experience. Gooch didn't start out as a dasher. He first learned his trade before he gained the experience and confidence to take an attack apart.
It is now all but certain that Carberry will open with Cook. That can only be a good thing since Carberry is an opener in the proper sense who prizes his wicket. Of the next four in the order, it is only the presence of Trott which gives cause for concern. He badly needs to rediscover the steady form of twelve months ago to augment the solid starts which the new partnership can bring. Only then will we start to maximise our returns from Pieterson, Bell and the number 6.
The number six spot is now well and truly up for grabs. It can only be a good thing to have three decent batsmen fighting over one spot. I would go for the one most able to farm the tail and I'm not quite sure if Root is the answer. My inclination would be to go for his Yorkshire team mate Bairstow who adds more to the field and the dressing room. This has been a well thought out selection by England and will have wrong footed the loud mouths like Warne.
Warne's problem is that he can no longer let his cricket do the talking. As frustrating as this must be for him, he would do well to preserve what dignity he has left and adhere to the great adage of Mark Twain: "It's sometimes better to just stand there and look stupid rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt"....
Root is undeniably a great talent and is a more than able opener on the county circuit. Test cricket is a different matter and Ashes cricket is certainly not the place for a dasher at the top of the order. The Ashes of this summer showed us the value of a dependable opening pair. Time after time, the top six looked extremely fragile and this was not helped by a lack of consistency in the opening partnerships. Arguably the greatest opening pair from these shores to tour the Antipodes was that of Hobbs and Sutcliffe in the 1920s. Neither was a dasher as both preferred to go about the business of steady accumulation. Risks were considered a luxury then. Moreover, their performances against the new ball enabled the likes of Hammond to make hay when the opening partnership had done its job.
It's no good having the likes of Pieterson, Bell and Root in your team if they're constantly having to deal with the new ball. I have said all summer that Root was a fish out of water opening for England because his style is too loose. Just once did he make a big score as he flattered to deceive for the majority of the summer. Playing big shots comes with confidence. Confidence comes with experience. Gooch didn't start out as a dasher. He first learned his trade before he gained the experience and confidence to take an attack apart.
It is now all but certain that Carberry will open with Cook. That can only be a good thing since Carberry is an opener in the proper sense who prizes his wicket. Of the next four in the order, it is only the presence of Trott which gives cause for concern. He badly needs to rediscover the steady form of twelve months ago to augment the solid starts which the new partnership can bring. Only then will we start to maximise our returns from Pieterson, Bell and the number 6.
The number six spot is now well and truly up for grabs. It can only be a good thing to have three decent batsmen fighting over one spot. I would go for the one most able to farm the tail and I'm not quite sure if Root is the answer. My inclination would be to go for his Yorkshire team mate Bairstow who adds more to the field and the dressing room. This has been a well thought out selection by England and will have wrong footed the loud mouths like Warne.
Warne's problem is that he can no longer let his cricket do the talking. As frustrating as this must be for him, he would do well to preserve what dignity he has left and adhere to the great adage of Mark Twain: "It's sometimes better to just stand there and look stupid rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt"....
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
My birthday blog
Well, here I am another year older although not necessarily wiser. November the 5th is part of our cultural heritage and continues to inflame Catholics with its blatant portrayals of the Pope being burned in the form of a Guy. Although many assume the Guy to represent Gudio Fawkes, it actually represents the figurehead of the Catholic faith which inspired the plot to blow up Houses of Parliament. As such, November the 5th is forever synonymous with protest.
I was born in 1968 which is forever associated with protest and revolution. The year began with the Czech revolution in the form of the Prague spring. On April 4th, the greatest post war orator, Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated and on June 5th, the brother of John F Kennedy suffered the same fate. Enoch Powell delivered his "Rivers of Blood" speech which continues to cause divisions today. On June 19th, 50,000 people descended on Washington DC in a poor march while their fellow countrymen continued to fight a war in Vietnam which nobody really wanted.
On this very day in 1917, the October Revolution took place in which the Provisional government was overthrown in Estonia. This marked the beginning of the Russian Revolution.
The date and year of my birth are therefore strongly associated with revolution, protest, assassination and war. Although I'm not violent myself, I do identify with the protests. I admire anybody who has the courage to stand up for what they believe in. They often do so in the face of considerable resistance. This just makes them even more impressive in my eyes. Few have impressed me more than Dr. Martin Luther King who continues to inspire people nearly half a century after his tragic death.
In truth, November 5th has fallen victim to the sterility of our times in which large public firework displays predominate in our age of health and safety. You'd be hard pushed to see a Guy but I did hear word of an effigy of the HS2 train being burned in Northamptonshire at the weekend. Perhaps the spirit of protest is alive and kicking after all. I certainly hope so.
In my childhood, Christmas wasn't even spoken of at this time of year. Due to the plague of marketing and our decision to but in to it, it's now difficult to avoid mention of Christmas. When I was little, it meant something and churches were full. It seems now as though a new God has emerged and Nietschze, for all his cynicism, was right. Maybe now is the time of year to fight back with a new revolution. Not a revolution of anarchy as recently espoused by Russel Brand, but a revolution in morality and humanity. I'd fight for that.
I remember going to the operating theatre for my kidney transplant in 2005 and wondering what the future might hold for me. I have been lucky beyond my wildest expectations and thank God for my good fortune.
Heigh ho! It's back to work I go...
I was born in 1968 which is forever associated with protest and revolution. The year began with the Czech revolution in the form of the Prague spring. On April 4th, the greatest post war orator, Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated and on June 5th, the brother of John F Kennedy suffered the same fate. Enoch Powell delivered his "Rivers of Blood" speech which continues to cause divisions today. On June 19th, 50,000 people descended on Washington DC in a poor march while their fellow countrymen continued to fight a war in Vietnam which nobody really wanted.
On this very day in 1917, the October Revolution took place in which the Provisional government was overthrown in Estonia. This marked the beginning of the Russian Revolution.
The date and year of my birth are therefore strongly associated with revolution, protest, assassination and war. Although I'm not violent myself, I do identify with the protests. I admire anybody who has the courage to stand up for what they believe in. They often do so in the face of considerable resistance. This just makes them even more impressive in my eyes. Few have impressed me more than Dr. Martin Luther King who continues to inspire people nearly half a century after his tragic death.
In truth, November 5th has fallen victim to the sterility of our times in which large public firework displays predominate in our age of health and safety. You'd be hard pushed to see a Guy but I did hear word of an effigy of the HS2 train being burned in Northamptonshire at the weekend. Perhaps the spirit of protest is alive and kicking after all. I certainly hope so.
In my childhood, Christmas wasn't even spoken of at this time of year. Due to the plague of marketing and our decision to but in to it, it's now difficult to avoid mention of Christmas. When I was little, it meant something and churches were full. It seems now as though a new God has emerged and Nietschze, for all his cynicism, was right. Maybe now is the time of year to fight back with a new revolution. Not a revolution of anarchy as recently espoused by Russel Brand, but a revolution in morality and humanity. I'd fight for that.
I remember going to the operating theatre for my kidney transplant in 2005 and wondering what the future might hold for me. I have been lucky beyond my wildest expectations and thank God for my good fortune.
Heigh ho! It's back to work I go...
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Songs of Autumn
I have just returned home after a long walk in the country with my young son. Days like these are the stuff of magic and wonder. We took some hot chocolate in a flask with a couple of sandwiches and set off. Hundreds of pheasants, a pair of buzzards, countless squirrels, a sow and her litter and to cap everything, two herons - one on the wing and one censoriously fishing a fast flowing river. The colours all around reflected the changing season and my thoughts basked in the present with one eye on the less forgiving months to come. With such thoughts in mind, I turned to music that best reflected the sights and atmosphere of the afternoon we had just enjoyed. I share with you the songs and music which came in to my head in no particular order:-
1. The Autumn Stone by the Small Faces
This song always has a sad feel for me because it was so obviously the beginning of the end for the group which holds such a high place in my affections. Their tenure was cut short on New Years' Eve 1968 as Steve Marriott decided to go his own way and form the new group Humble Pie. This song perfectly encapsulates the whimsical feelings which seem to dominate our thoughts are we contemplate another cold trip towards winter in the aftermath of another fantastic summer:-
http://youtu.be/Hy-maWYekKk
2. Our House by Crosby, Stills and Nash
This was but one of the songs which the Hollies preferred not to record. The songwriter Graham Nash became disillusioned with his erstwhile bandmates and through a chance meeting at the house of Cass Elliot, met up with the two troubadours Stephen Stills and David Crosby. There is no song which better embodies the idea of being safely ensconsed in front of a roaring fire while the elements do what they will outside. It speaks of domestic contentment as two people come to terms with the things that really matter in their lives.
http://youtu.be/c7goifK_2qY
3. English Rose by The Jam
The Jam were in their pomp during my formative years and this song is about as far removed from their normal style as you can get. It does though give us a glimpse of the songwriting genius of Paul Weller in a rare introspective number. It is plaintive, soulful and reflective and remains one of their greatest songs which is strange given its acoustic style. Paul Weller was a self confessed Small Faces fan and this ong is perhaps a nod to the Autumn Stone?
http://youtu.be/omXvnvhclMw
4. Nature Boy by Nat King Cole
Definitely unlike his normal material, this song shows a different side of Nat. It is a wonderful evocative piece which leaves everything to your imagination. It also features one of the defining voices of twentieth century music. It is haunting and magical.
http://youtu.be/Iq0XJCJ1Srw
5. Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetena
This wonderful piece was written by the great Czech composer to depict the progress of the Danube as it weaved its way towards Prague. His hearing declined before he could hear it played so he never got to appreciate its splendour and majesty. This is a truly great piece to which I return with monotonous regularity.
http://youtu.be/kdtLuyWuPDs
6. Prelude de l'apres midi d'un faune by Calude Debussey
If there is a more mesmerising, magical piece of music than this, I have never heard it. While much is made of his more commercial successes such as Clair de Lune, this is the one which takes you to that other place. It is wonderful from start to finish and the opening flute lets you know that a special journey awaits.
http://youtu.be/9_7loz-HWUM
7. Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
A lovely bittersweet vehicle which shows the fab four in a rather different light. Hardly surprising that it was written by the sensitive pen of George Harrison. This is a whimsical trip which hinted at the beginning of the end as the band began the slow process of exploring their lives after the hysteria.
http://youtu.be/n6j4TGqVl5g
8. Time of the Season by The Zombies
Featuring the peerless vocals of the remarkable Colin Blunstone, this song best encapsulates the magic of the the Zombies who, I'm pleased to say, continue to tour. Augmented by the mature keyboard arrangements of Rod Argent, this track seems somehow to take a piece of the sixties away with it. It is beautifully soulful and takes you to another place.
http://youtu.be/oc7b62El_fk
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and look forward to their comfort during shorter winter nights.
1. The Autumn Stone by the Small Faces
This song always has a sad feel for me because it was so obviously the beginning of the end for the group which holds such a high place in my affections. Their tenure was cut short on New Years' Eve 1968 as Steve Marriott decided to go his own way and form the new group Humble Pie. This song perfectly encapsulates the whimsical feelings which seem to dominate our thoughts are we contemplate another cold trip towards winter in the aftermath of another fantastic summer:-
http://youtu.be/Hy-maWYekKk
2. Our House by Crosby, Stills and Nash
This was but one of the songs which the Hollies preferred not to record. The songwriter Graham Nash became disillusioned with his erstwhile bandmates and through a chance meeting at the house of Cass Elliot, met up with the two troubadours Stephen Stills and David Crosby. There is no song which better embodies the idea of being safely ensconsed in front of a roaring fire while the elements do what they will outside. It speaks of domestic contentment as two people come to terms with the things that really matter in their lives.
http://youtu.be/c7goifK_2qY
3. English Rose by The Jam
The Jam were in their pomp during my formative years and this song is about as far removed from their normal style as you can get. It does though give us a glimpse of the songwriting genius of Paul Weller in a rare introspective number. It is plaintive, soulful and reflective and remains one of their greatest songs which is strange given its acoustic style. Paul Weller was a self confessed Small Faces fan and this ong is perhaps a nod to the Autumn Stone?
http://youtu.be/omXvnvhclMw
4. Nature Boy by Nat King Cole
Definitely unlike his normal material, this song shows a different side of Nat. It is a wonderful evocative piece which leaves everything to your imagination. It also features one of the defining voices of twentieth century music. It is haunting and magical.
http://youtu.be/Iq0XJCJ1Srw
5. Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetena
This wonderful piece was written by the great Czech composer to depict the progress of the Danube as it weaved its way towards Prague. His hearing declined before he could hear it played so he never got to appreciate its splendour and majesty. This is a truly great piece to which I return with monotonous regularity.
http://youtu.be/kdtLuyWuPDs
6. Prelude de l'apres midi d'un faune by Calude Debussey
If there is a more mesmerising, magical piece of music than this, I have never heard it. While much is made of his more commercial successes such as Clair de Lune, this is the one which takes you to that other place. It is wonderful from start to finish and the opening flute lets you know that a special journey awaits.
http://youtu.be/9_7loz-HWUM
7. Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
A lovely bittersweet vehicle which shows the fab four in a rather different light. Hardly surprising that it was written by the sensitive pen of George Harrison. This is a whimsical trip which hinted at the beginning of the end as the band began the slow process of exploring their lives after the hysteria.
http://youtu.be/n6j4TGqVl5g
8. Time of the Season by The Zombies
Featuring the peerless vocals of the remarkable Colin Blunstone, this song best encapsulates the magic of the the Zombies who, I'm pleased to say, continue to tour. Augmented by the mature keyboard arrangements of Rod Argent, this track seems somehow to take a piece of the sixties away with it. It is beautifully soulful and takes you to another place.
http://youtu.be/oc7b62El_fk
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and look forward to their comfort during shorter winter nights.
Friday, 1 November 2013
Saint or Sinner?
As we celebrate All Saints' Day, I take a look back to this day in 1990. That was the day which marked the beginning of the end for the late Margaret Thatcher as British Prime Minister. Her former Chancellor, Geoffrey Howe, took a swipe at her from the safety of the back benches which ultimately led to her departure from office after an 11 year tenure.
The killer blow was landed over the vexed question of our memebership of the European Union which continues to cause divisions throughout British political life to this very day. Baron Howe of Aberavon as he now is had been Thatcher's longest serving cabinet minister having served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister. It was once said that all political careers end in failure and his speech of 23 years ago became true for both himself and the woman who had been so loyal to him.
There is an irony that such an action was executed on the very day when we celebrate the lives of all the saints who are thought to have attained the beatific vision. Political careers can only ever be assessed with hindsight and Baron Howe's doesn't look all that great. In the aftermath of the Toxteth riots in Liverpool, he advised Mrs Thatcher not to overly commit resources to Liverpool as they vcould be better spent elsewhere. That letter was made public recently and it will surely haunt him for the rest of his days. Hell hath no fury like a politician spurned it seems.
It's surprising how often the assassin fails to achieve his or her objective and this was a good case in point. Before his speech, the Tory party was trailing Labour by a mountain but the departure of Thatcher saw an immediate change in their fortunes which brought John Major to power in 1992. Although he only did so with a slender majority, he remains the last Tory leader to win an elction outright. But for the machiavellian scheming of Geoffrey Howe, he may never have had that opportunity. There was also the small matter of a Labour leader who cut the figure of a Shakespeare tragedy as he stumbled on the shoreline in a publicity shot. Like Kinnock, Howe was also Welsh and both men must now look back on what might have been as their peers received the plaudits while their own careers faded in to oblivion.
The killer blow was landed over the vexed question of our memebership of the European Union which continues to cause divisions throughout British political life to this very day. Baron Howe of Aberavon as he now is had been Thatcher's longest serving cabinet minister having served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister. It was once said that all political careers end in failure and his speech of 23 years ago became true for both himself and the woman who had been so loyal to him.
There is an irony that such an action was executed on the very day when we celebrate the lives of all the saints who are thought to have attained the beatific vision. Political careers can only ever be assessed with hindsight and Baron Howe's doesn't look all that great. In the aftermath of the Toxteth riots in Liverpool, he advised Mrs Thatcher not to overly commit resources to Liverpool as they vcould be better spent elsewhere. That letter was made public recently and it will surely haunt him for the rest of his days. Hell hath no fury like a politician spurned it seems.
It's surprising how often the assassin fails to achieve his or her objective and this was a good case in point. Before his speech, the Tory party was trailing Labour by a mountain but the departure of Thatcher saw an immediate change in their fortunes which brought John Major to power in 1992. Although he only did so with a slender majority, he remains the last Tory leader to win an elction outright. But for the machiavellian scheming of Geoffrey Howe, he may never have had that opportunity. There was also the small matter of a Labour leader who cut the figure of a Shakespeare tragedy as he stumbled on the shoreline in a publicity shot. Like Kinnock, Howe was also Welsh and both men must now look back on what might have been as their peers received the plaudits while their own careers faded in to oblivion.
The fight against sugar
An avalanche of articles have appeared recently proposing higher taxes on food stuffs rich in high glycaemic index sugars. The mayor of New York tried to ban the purchase of large fizzy drinks in a desperate measure to address the growing obesity crisis.
Banning and taxing never actually get to the root of the problem. If they did, there would surely be no smokers left because the price of tobacco is now prohibitive. But not prohibitive enough to address the addiction which drives the habit. This remains the true challenge. Only through effective education will this and similar problems such as addictions to alcohol, tobacco and drugs be properly addressed. I have long advocated a minimum 50p per unit charge on alcohol in the UK simply because such a price structure will have a negligible impact on anyone drinking within national guideline limits. What it will do is to make a drinking habit harder for those whose lives are blighted by alcohol. I'm aware of the counter arguments. People will start to brew and distill their own alcohol. For those who are addicted, this may very well happen but the real issue is education.
The education has to adopt a two pronged approach. We first need to engage with pre-school children in nurseries and pre-school through teachers, nursery nurses and health visitors. Odd as it may seem, we need to be getting the message across early about the dangers of poor diets stacked high in sugary carbohydrates. Sugar is every bit as addictive as alcohol, tobacco and the rest but is always given more of a wide berth for reasons which I don't fully understand. It rots teeth. It is a well trodden path to diabetes in later life. It opens the door to obesity and all the health impacts which go with that. Yet if you go to your local supermarket today, you will doubtless see mounds and mounds of tins of chocolates on sale for the Christmas market. Today is November 1st so you have to wonder about the cynicism of such a tactic by the retailers. With proper education, the majority of people can make an informed choice about the wisdom of buying in to this trap.
Certainly education will cost money to put in to place but it will be money well spent rather than just taxing something for the sake of it with no concrete plan to address the real cause and effect of the problem. If this government is as serious about the NHS as they say they are, the implementation of a national education strategy shouldn't even be optional. That strategy though has to engage with the parents of young children if it is to achieve success. Schools should be on hand to continue the good work which has first been achieved in the home. It is therefore the parents who have the biggest role to play. If the parents themselves are already hooked in to a high sugar diet, this presents another challenge. The only way to address this is with effective public information programmes plastered throughout libraries, sports centres and yes, supermarkets and shops. Tobacco packets and alcohol come with a health warning so sugar should be treated in the same way. This is a price which we simply can't afford not to pay. People talk of health time bombs but this clock is well and truly ticking....
Banning and taxing never actually get to the root of the problem. If they did, there would surely be no smokers left because the price of tobacco is now prohibitive. But not prohibitive enough to address the addiction which drives the habit. This remains the true challenge. Only through effective education will this and similar problems such as addictions to alcohol, tobacco and drugs be properly addressed. I have long advocated a minimum 50p per unit charge on alcohol in the UK simply because such a price structure will have a negligible impact on anyone drinking within national guideline limits. What it will do is to make a drinking habit harder for those whose lives are blighted by alcohol. I'm aware of the counter arguments. People will start to brew and distill their own alcohol. For those who are addicted, this may very well happen but the real issue is education.
The education has to adopt a two pronged approach. We first need to engage with pre-school children in nurseries and pre-school through teachers, nursery nurses and health visitors. Odd as it may seem, we need to be getting the message across early about the dangers of poor diets stacked high in sugary carbohydrates. Sugar is every bit as addictive as alcohol, tobacco and the rest but is always given more of a wide berth for reasons which I don't fully understand. It rots teeth. It is a well trodden path to diabetes in later life. It opens the door to obesity and all the health impacts which go with that. Yet if you go to your local supermarket today, you will doubtless see mounds and mounds of tins of chocolates on sale for the Christmas market. Today is November 1st so you have to wonder about the cynicism of such a tactic by the retailers. With proper education, the majority of people can make an informed choice about the wisdom of buying in to this trap.
Certainly education will cost money to put in to place but it will be money well spent rather than just taxing something for the sake of it with no concrete plan to address the real cause and effect of the problem. If this government is as serious about the NHS as they say they are, the implementation of a national education strategy shouldn't even be optional. That strategy though has to engage with the parents of young children if it is to achieve success. Schools should be on hand to continue the good work which has first been achieved in the home. It is therefore the parents who have the biggest role to play. If the parents themselves are already hooked in to a high sugar diet, this presents another challenge. The only way to address this is with effective public information programmes plastered throughout libraries, sports centres and yes, supermarkets and shops. Tobacco packets and alcohol come with a health warning so sugar should be treated in the same way. This is a price which we simply can't afford not to pay. People talk of health time bombs but this clock is well and truly ticking....
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