On Wednesday this week our Royal Patron, His Majesty King Charles, formally opened Parliament and laid out the legislative programme of the new government. Whilst there was a focus on the economy, there were also announcements on health, including a modernisation of the outdated Mental Health Act and bringing back the plan to create a ‘smoke-free generation’ with the Tobacco and Vapes Act which had fallen at the end of the previous Parliament.
We have also seen the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting re-engage with the BMA to seek a resolution to the ongoing industrial action and a rapid review by Lord Darzi on the state of the NHS.
College President Prof. Rowan Parks commented:
We are pleased to see these measures, in particular the return of the pledge to create a ‘smoke-free generation’ which will have a real impact on preventing cancer as well as other health benefits.
Many of the other measures, including on housing, the environment and improving the economic situation will also have an impact on the wider determinants of health and current health inequalities.
We welcome the reset offered by the government and await the results of Lord Darzi’s review with interest. We remain committed to supporting the NHS in the best interests of patients.
- RCSEd was first incorporated as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505 and is based in Edinburgh and Birmingham.
- It is one of the oldest surgical corporations in the world with a global membership of more than 32,000, including 15,000 members in the UK.
- The College also has a significant worldwide presence with members in over 100 countries.
- The College promotes the highest standards of surgical and dental practice through education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical and dental workforce.
- The College has six faculties: The Faculty of Dental Surgery, The Faculty of Surgical Trainers, The Faculty of Dental Trainers, The Faculty of Perioperative Care, The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care and The Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare.
- It is also home to the UK’s only Faculty of Surgical Trainers, open to all those with an interest in surgical training regardless of College affiliation.
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For further information, please contact comms@rcsed.ac.uk