Written Answers. - Coronary Prevention Plan.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:
131
Mr. Allen
asked the
Minister for Health
if he will make a statement on the reported £13 million national coronary prevention plan which has been proposed by the Irish Heart Foundation and which has been the subject of discussions between the Department and the foundation.
I have expressed publicly on many occasions that smoking, unhealthy dietary habits, stress, lack of exercise and the abuse of alcohol have been identified as the major risk factors to the health status of the population. The Irish Heart Foundation's draft national coronary prevention plan also implicates these risk factors and describes the dramatic changes in coronary heart disease mortality in other countries in recent years.
I met with representatives of the foundation recently to discuss their draft plan and I expressed my support in principle for the plan and the general thrust of its content. I recommended that the plan be submitted to the Advisory Council on Health Promotion for consideration. The foundation have recently submitted the plan to the council. It is appropriate that the advisory council consider this plan as it is the national body which provides advice to me on health promotion matters.
As regards the core issue of implementation, the plan considers that the Kilkenny Health Project should serve as the prototype for a nationwide programme for coronary heart disease prevention.
This pilot project which is largely funded by the Department's health promotion unit is a demonstration and research project which aims to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in respect of the people of the city and county of Kilkenny. Its success in that regards is currently being evaluated and this major evaluation exercise is also being funded by my Department.
Important strategic decisions will be required following the results of the evaluation of the Kilkenny Health Project, in terms of replication on a national scale, organisation and implementation of any national programme and the resoucing of any such programme. To explore these strategic issues my Department engaged the Health Policy Research Centre of the ESRI to examine the potential of such a model for positively influencing lifestyle on a national basis and the implications of organising a lifestyle programme within the existing care delivery structure having regard to such matters as feasibility and cost effectiveness.
Our policy on a national lifestyle programme within the existing health board structures will largely be influenced by the outcome of this research.
However, the Deputy will be aware that we are already actively tackling the various risks factors for cardiovascular disease. In relation to smoking we have comprehensive anti-tobacco strategy covering both the legislative and educatinal areas. In relation to legislation, we have regulated the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products and in May last year we introduced regulations prohibiting or restricting smoking in certain public places. A working group consisting of representatives of the trade unions, employers, the Irish Cancer Society and my Department are currently examining the possibility of extending these restrictions to the workplace, preferably on a voluntary basis. On the educational front, separate health education materials dealing,inter alia, with smoking are being developed for use in primary and second level schools. The health promotion unit also runs an annual multi-media anti-smoking campaign.
In relation to nutrition, I will be launching very shortly a five year framework for action on nutrition with the aim of improving the nutritional status of the Irish people and reducing the incidence of diet-related diseases. The implementation strategies for this plan will concern the education of the general public but will also target sub-groups of the population, for instance the young, the elderly and certain disadvantaged groups.
For adults generally the health promotion unit are promoting the lifewise project, a health education programme which focuses on promoting healthy behaviour. The programme consists of an exercise routine, stress management training and a health topic.
At present five health boards and the Irish Countrywomen's Association are participating in the project and arrangements are in train to develop a national structure to oversee its development.
On the question of the abuse of alcohol the health promotion unit and the National Youth Council are participating in a national drink awareness for youth programme which aims to inform and educate young people in relation to a responsible attitude towards alcohol and its proper use. To date over 300 youth leaders have been trained under this programme. The unit have also produced a video "Handle and Care" in conjunction with the Catholic Communications Institute which is accompanied by a comprehensive teaching guide for use in schools.
On a broader front the Deputy will be aware that the Advisory Council on Health Promotion are currently formulating a national alcohol policy to cover such matters as advertising, education, social and cultural aspects of alcohol together with treatment and management strategies.
