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‘The health of our young is a priority’
EXPERTS in Dorset have attacked claims that a "teenage time bomb" is being created because of the government's alleged neglect of young people's health.
Data compiled by the Conservative Party says soaring numbers of youngsters nationally are being admitted to hospital for alcohol and smoking-related problems.
The party also says there has been a sharp increase in the levels of sexually transmitted infections and abortions, while nearly a third of children start their teenage years overweight or obese.
But a spokesperson for Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust said: "It is ridiculous to suggest that young people's health is being neglected.
"All the partners in the Bournemouth and Poole health and care community are working hard to improve the health of all local people, but especially to give children and young people the healthiest start to life.
"That is why we are investing locally to ensure there are easily-accessible services that properly tackle the big health issues such as obesity, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, and positive sexual health. And we are making real progress - in Bournemouth the rate of teenage conceptions has dropped by 34 per cent since 1998, which is one of the biggest drops in the country."
The trust is also carrying out an in-depth review of current drug and alcohol services for children and young people to make sure they receive support.
Dr Ruth Howlett-Shipley, deputy director of public health for Dorset Primary Care Trust, said that although the figures quoted by the Tories were correct, they did not reflect all the hard work going on locally to improve young people's health.
"Young people are a key focus of all our health promotion work, but you don't bring in an initiative one month and see a result the next. These problems have happened over many years," she said.
She pointed out that improved access to sexual health clinics for young people and the national chlamydia screening programme were leading to more infections being diagnosed. Dorset PCT was also rewriting its alcohol strategy, improving access to drug services and continuing its work to reduce teenage conceptions and childhood obesity.
7:02pm Thursday 28th August 2008
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CommentPosted by: debbie2110, bournemouth on 11:13am Fri 29 Aug 08
"Dr Ruth Howlett-Shipley, deputy director of public health for Dorset Primary Care Trust, said that although the figures quoted by the Tories were correct, they did not reflect all the hard work going on locally to improve young people's health."
How typical of those in our health service to attack claims of a ‘teenage time bomb’ yet concur that the report correct! This is the problem with most of the healthcare management – contradictions and mixed messages!
The point is that as a whole the health of our young is causing grave concern. When these children are in their 40s (the very time our pension system will be relying on them to pay taxes to fund those recently retired) they are likely to be disease riddled, over weight benefits scroungers. I worked within the NHS for a few years and came across hugely obese smokers who were on disability benefits and would never be in a position to go back to work. Many of them were in fact afraid to loose weight, or stop smoking, as they’d lose their disabled status and have to work for a living!
This is the behaviour that needs addressing from a young age. Once they have written themselves off and decided they are better of staying at home it’s too late for them and too late for our economy. We’ll once again have a situation of plenty of jobs but no takers.
Tackle the health of the young by all means, but also the morals – instil in them a sense of pride and need to work as both a duty and for self-respect and we might, just might have a half decent retirement to look forward to.
If in 25 years time all a large proportion of our current teenagers are out of work due to alcohol abuse, obesity, HIV or as baby factories for benefits where will our workforce come from to support the newly retired? How many millions will have to emigrate over here to put strain on our health service and housing just to keep our fragile economy ticking over?
No one health trust or individual can ever do too much to help alleviate this ‘time bomb’ and if Dr Ruth in all her wisdom feels she’s doing enough she’s probably very sadly wrong and deluding herself just a little.
"Dr Ruth Howlett-Shipley, deputy director of public health for Dorset Primary Care Trust, said that although the figures quoted by the Tories were correct, they did not reflect all the hard work going on locally to improve young people's health."
How typical of those in our health service to attack claims of a ‘teenage time bomb’ yet concur that the report correct! This is the problem with most of the healthcare management – contradictions and mixed messages!
The point is that as a whole the health of our young is causing grave concern. When these children are in their 40s (the very time our pension system will be relying on them to pay taxes to fund those recently retired) they are likely to be disease riddled, over weight benefits scroungers. I worked within the NHS for a few years and came across hugely obese smokers who were on disability benefits and would never be in a position to go back to work. Many of them were in fact afraid to loose weight, or stop smoking, as they’d lose their disabled status and have to work for a living!
This is the behaviour that needs addressing from a young age. Once they have written themselves off and decided they are better of staying at home it’s too late for them and too late for our economy. We’ll once again have a situation of plenty of jobs but no takers.
Tackle the health of the young by all means, but also the morals – instil in them a sense of pride and need to work as both a duty and for self-respect and we might, just might have a half decent retirement to look forward to.
If in 25 years time all a large proportion of our current teenagers are out of work due to alcohol abuse, obesity, HIV or as baby factories for benefits where will our workforce come from to support the newly retired? How many millions will have to emigrate over here to put strain on our health service and housing just to keep our fragile economy ticking over?
No one health trust or individual can ever do too much to help alleviate this ‘time bomb’ and if Dr Ruth in all her wisdom feels she’s doing enough she’s probably very sadly wrong and deluding herself just a little.
Posted by: philly, bournemouth on 12:50pm Fri 29 Aug 08
To follow on from my comments on another story...maybe this is the future because the PARENTS are not taking responsibility for their childrens health & too busy with their own lives.
To follow on from my comments on another story...maybe this is the future because the PARENTS are not taking responsibility for their childrens health & too busy with their own lives.
Posted by: laurie marsh, australia on 4:38pm Sat 30 Aug 08
This story has been posted for how long?
2 comments!
The very thing that is killing the country is ignored because a few planes are flying over the town!
Those planes were built to protect this country but the real danger now comes from within!
The danger is not alcohol, sex, drugs or obesity, it is APATHY!
All of the above problems can be addressed, apart from the last one. That takes a community to say ENOUGH!
The "spokesperson" (no name), is just trying to protect their little "cash cow"!
It may just be time to wake up or there will be nothing left to protect!
This story has been posted for how long?
2 comments!
The very thing that is killing the country is ignored because a few planes are flying over the town!
Those planes were built to protect this country but the real danger now comes from within!
The danger is not alcohol, sex, drugs or obesity, it is APATHY!
All of the above problems can be addressed, apart from the last one. That takes a community to say ENOUGH!
The "spokesperson" (no name), is just trying to protect their little "cash cow"!
It may just be time to wake up or there will be nothing left to protect!
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