Department of Health consultation exercises

Friday 14 May 2004

'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' and 'Choosing Health - Choosing Activity'

This paper sets out the background to these two Department of Health (DH) consultation documents, which cover options for action related to diet/nutrition and physical activity linked to health.

Board Members are invited to:

• note the background to these consultations in the context of the broader consultation feeding in to the Public Health White Paper
• note the reference to action in 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' relevant to current activity by the Agency on a number of fronts
• Comment on the goals and priorities for action set out in 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' by 25 June 2004. This will form the basis of further Agency input to the White Paper consultation

Nutrition Division
Contact:
Tom Murray 020 7276 8980 (GTN 276 8980)
Email: Tom.Murray@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Jacqui Webster 020 7276 8705 (GTN 276 8705)
Email: Jacqui.Webster@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Issue
Provide Agency input to DH consultation which will in turn feed into the Public Health White Paper consultation.

Strategic Objective
Action in this area contributes to the Agency's key objective of achieving long-term improvements in the diet and nutrition of the UK population.

Background
DH launched 'Choosing Health? A consultation on action to improve people's health' on 3 March 2004, with a closing date of 28 May 2004, with a view to publishing on Public Health White Paper in July 2004.

At a major consultation event at the QEII Centre, London on 6 May DH and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched additional consultation packages, the results of which will feed into the White Paper exercise:

Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet
Choosing Health - Choosing Physical Activity

The former of these documents is better known to the Board as the Food and Health Action Plan (FHAP).

As the consultation period for both documents ends on 30 June, it will not be possible for the documents to be discussed at an open Board meeting before the consultation period ends. For this reason, Board members are asked to provide written comments that will form the basis of a consolidated Agency response to the consultation. This will be published on the Agency's website.

Content of the Consultation Documents
Choosing Health - Choosing Activity, produced by DH and DCMS, relates to goals and action to promote physical activity. These are matters which fall outside the Agency remit, not requiring comment from Board members.

Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet, produced by DH, derives from the FHAP exercise in which the Agency has been involved with a range of other Government departments. It discusses a range of goals and priorities relating to the promotion of diet and health, some of which fall within the Agency's remit and some which do not (e.g. nutrition in pregnancy and nutrition in the NHS).

The goals and priorities for action in 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' flagged up for comment take account of, and would build on, current work under the Agency's Nutrition Action Plan and Labelling Action Plan. The goals and priorities are also compatible with the Agency's Action Plan on the Promotion of Food to Children and the Agency's new Strategic Plan 2005-2010 both currently out to consultation. The document is, however, high level in nature and does not go into detail on how work would be taken forward or who would take the lead role in particular areas. Both would be a matter for discussion and agreement in the light of consultation responses, taking account of the work programmes and remit of stakeholder organisations including those of the Agency.

Next Steps
Agency officials will continue to provide Agency input, at a working level, to work on the various consultations linked to the Public Health White Paper. Board member comments received on 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' will form the basis of a consolidated and formal response to the consultation.

Board Members are invited to:

• note the background to these consultations in the content of the broader consultation feeding in to the Public Health White Paper
• note the action quoted in 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' relevant to current activity by the Agency on a number of fronts
• provide comments on the goals and priorities for action set out in 'Choosing Health - Choosing a Better Diet' by 25 June 2004, which will form the basis of further Agency input to the White Paper consultation