Podcast appearances and mentions of dame carol black

Keir Starmer commissioned a number of high-profile reviews into difficult policy areas on taking office, but the prime minister seems to have become more sceptical about their value in recent weeks.   At this event, to mark the launch of a new IfG report on lessons from past policy reviews, a panel of former reviewers and commissioners of reviews explored when reviews can lead to real change – and what needs to be done to ensure they succeed.     When is it the right time to launch a review? How should ministers best set up, work with and respond to reviews? And has the prime minister changed his view of reviews – and, if so, why?   Discussing these questions, and more, were:    Rt Hon Ed Balls, former Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Special Adviser at HM Treasury (and commissioner of several reviews) Dame Carol Black, leader of multiple past reviews, including: the Review of Drugs (2021), Drug and Alcohol Addiction, and Obesity: effects on employment outcomes review (2016), Health at Work Review (2011) and Working for a Healthier Tomorrow Review (2008) Dame Tracey Crouch, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society and Chair of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance (2021) Sir Howard Davies, Chair of the Airports Commission (2012–15)   The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer commissioned a number of high-profile reviews into difficult policy areas on taking office, but the prime minister seems to have become more sceptical about their value in recent weeks. At this event, to mark the launch of a new IfG report on lessons from past policy reviews, a panel of former reviewers and commissioners of reviews explored when reviews can lead to real change – and what needs to be done to ensure they succeed. When is it the right time to launch a review? How should ministers best set up, work with and respond to reviews? And has the prime minister changed his view of reviews – and, if so, why? Discussing these questions, and more, were: Rt Hon Ed Balls, former Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Special Adviser at HM Treasury (and commissioner of several reviews) Dame Carol Black, leader of multiple past reviews, including: the Review of Drugs (2021), Drug and Alcohol Addiction, and Obesity: effects on employment outcomes review (2016), Health at Work Review (2011) and Working for a Healthier Tomorrow Review (2008) Dame Tracey Crouch, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society and Chair of the Fan-led Review of Football Governance (2021) Sir Howard Davies, Chair of the Airports Commission (2012–15) The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Matt welcomes back Professor Dame Carol Black for her second appearance on the Believe in People Podcast.Dame Carol, recently awarded the prestigious Grand Cross, the highest level in the order, and is awarded rarely and recognises only the most exceptional and sustained service to the UK. Fewer than 80 women have received the honour and Dame Carol is the first female doctor to be made a Dame Grand Cross. Celebrated for her instrumental role in shaping UK's drug policy, Dame Carol's efforts secured record government funding of £780m to address drugs misuse. Her impactful reviews on drug abuse have catalysed a cross-government approach, reshaping strategies to tackle drug-related challenges. Matt delves into her insights on the integration of mental health and addiction services, emphasising the crucial role of trauma support. He also explores Dame Carol's influential independent reviews on employment prospects, health, work, wellbeing, and sickness absence, all pivotal factors influencing productivity.The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.Follow us on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️ Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Welcome to a thought-provoking episode, where we delve deep into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of business success – the health gap. In this conversation, we're joined by a panel of distinguished experts, including Lord James Bethell, Dame Carol Black, Kathy Abernethy, and Chantelle Bell. Together, we uncover the hidden consequences of the health gap on workplace productivity and employee well-being. Key Talking Points: 1. The Health Gap and Its Implications for the Workplace: 2. The Direct Impact on Productivity: 3. Retention and Recruitment: 4. The Role of Leadership: Guest Introductions: Lord James Bethell James is a former Minister and current member of the House of Lords. As Minister for Innovation in the Department for Health and Social Care, he helped lead the national response to the Covid epidemic. He is one of Britain's foremost campaigners with a twenty-year track record working across government, media and industry. Dame Carol Black Professor Dame Carol Black is currently Chair of the British Library, the Centre for Ageing Better, and Think Ahead, the Government's fast-stream training programme for Mental Health Social Workers. She chairs NHS Improvement's Advisory Board on Employee Health and Wellbeing, and is Adviser to NHSI and on Health and Work. She is also a member of RAND Europe's Council of Advisers, and of the Board of UKActive. Kathy Abernethy Kathy is a highly-qualified and experienced menopause specialist and Director of Menopause Services at Peppy. She is a founding member, current Trustee and the past Chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS). Through her work, Kathy raises awareness of the impact of menopause and connects people to personalised, expert-led menopause support. Chantelle Bell Chantelle Bell is the Managing Director and co-founder of Syrona Health, where she is transforming the future of women's healthcare by empowering women to monitor their gynaecological health at home. She has been recognised by Forbes as one of the top 50 women in tech for Europe and by the Financial Times as one of the top 100 minority leaders in technology. As we conclude this enlightening episode, we reflect on the pivotal importance of recognizing and addressing the silent impact of the health gap on business success. Our expert guests leave us with actionable takeaways and a call to action for business leaders and organizations to prioritize health equity and well-being as cornerstones of their success. Resources Connect with Lord Bethell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbethell/ Connect with Kathy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-abernethy-61a67349/ Connect with Chantelle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantelleebell/ More From Truth, Lies & Workplace Culture Join the conversation on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/ Listen back to Truth & Lies for more on: The Gender Health Gap https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/womens-health-a-guide-for-male-leaders_1785/ Healthcare Disrupter pirkx https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/wellbeing-and-pirkx-with-stella-smith_1894/ Britain's Healthiest Workplaces https://truthliesandwork.com/truth-lies-work-podcast/the-truth-behind-britains-healthiest-workplaces_1940/ Connect with Al and Leanne Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/ Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/truthlieswork Email: podcast@oblonghq.com

Leonie speaks to a revered figure in the world of public health, who reflects on her outstanding medical career, as both clinician and scientist, and long record of speaking up.

What a rollercoaster year it's been. In this Christmas round-up, we're looking back over our 2022 podcast episodes and pulling out some top insights for you to reflect on.  Our chief executive Dr Jennifer Dixon shares clips from: Catherine Howarth and John Godfrey, Are businesses and investors really serious about improving our health?  Dame Carol Black and Dr João Castel-Branco Goulão, Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal  Professor Kevin Fenton and Richard Sloggett, Time to get tougher on the risk factors fraying our health?  Dame Clare Moriarty and Bim Afolami MP, Will the rising cost of living be paid for by our health?  Lord Norman Warner, Reforming health care: reflections from a former health minister  Dr Jacqui Dyer and John Hume, How the public thinks about health, and why it matters  Professor Heyo Kroemer and Professor Tim Orchard, A tale of two hospitals: the pandemic and its aftermath in Berlin and London  Dr Stephen Swensen and Dr Dominique Allwood, From white coat to grey suit: should more clinicians manage the NHS?  Rachel Wolf and Isabel Hardman, Does a new Prime Minister signal change in health and social care?  Richard Smith and Libby Sallnow, What to do about dying?  Sarah O'Connor and Professor James Banks, Is ill health driving economic inactivity, and what can be done? 

Matt is joined by Mark Moody, CEO of the UK's largest Drug & Alcohol Charity, Change Grow Live. Mark candidly discusses his rise from an entry level position with only 40 people in the organisation all the way to being responsible for over 4,000 employees. Mark and Matt discuss:The impact of Dame Carol Black's independent review on drugs The public's perception of Change Grow LiveGrowing up in Scotland during the heroin epidemic The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.Follow us on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️ Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Workplace wellbeing continues to be a key theme for Oven-Ready.  Increasingly HR practitioners are devoting more of their time tackling a range of complex issues such as mental health provision for employee burnout and additional financial support for workers in financial stress.Recent research findings from financial services giant Legal and General's Group Protection business has revealed some stark results. The majority of UK workers surveyed believe that workplace mental health support should be mandatory, a worrying and distinct disparity between what employers and workers think are the key wellbeing priorities and unsurprisingly perhaps how financial stress is the top issue for workers right now. Joining me to discuss the Wellbeing at Work Barometer research is Jo Elphick the Marketing Director for Legal & General Group Protection and Mike Tyler, the Chairman and co-founder of Fruitful Insights who are experts in helping organisations design, execute and measure wellbeing programmes.Employee benefit programmes are complex and often misunderstood [04:44]Jo agrees and acknowledges that many organisations rate the effectiveness of their benefit and wellbeing provision, and the communication that surrounds it more highly than their workers do.  Jo gives the example around financial wellbeing whereby 86% of employers feel they are doing a good job, whereas only 48% of employees agree.Visibility of mental health programmes are key for younger workers  [06:50]Jo revealed that workers in the 18 - 25 category were far more concerned about visibility of mental health provision than older workers who were much more concerned about their 'relevance' in  an ever changing work landscape.How critical is it that the leadership commit to mental health provision [09:14]Mike argues that it's essential that leadership commit to mental health provision beyond that of just an app. He points to the fact where organisations have a culture of long hours or having a boss who sends emails late in the evening that require a response as situations than an app will not solve. Jo agrees with Mike's analysis and at [10:53] comments on the role of the line manager in overall wellbeing provision.Are Chief Wellness Officers joining the c-suite? [11:51]Mike agrees there is a trend in such a role being created but he says it takes more than a badge or title and references instead the Dame Carol Black report back in 2008 that recommended that organisations report on the health and wellbeing of employers in their annual reports.Wellbeing and hybrid working [17:43]Jo reveals that the research did look at hybrid and remote working and that the majority of workers who are able to have flexibility in their schedule were positive. Jo also reminds us thought that flexible working for most employees is not possible given the type of work they do.How do you measure the success of wellbeing programmes? [23:06]Mike argues that many organisations use the narrow spectrum of reduced absenteeism as a measure of success.  This he argues isn't always a reliable measure as it's difficult to establish absenteeism when many employees are working from home and if you reduce absenteeism you might just be filling up the office with non-productive workers.Resources:https://www.legalandgeneral.com/adviser/workplace-benefits/group-protection/https://www.fruitfulinsights.co.ukhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joelphick/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lockton/

In Episode 9 Matt talks to Professor Dame Carol Black.In 2019 Dame Carol was commissioned by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to undertake a 2-part independent review of drugs, to inform the government's thinking on what more can be done to tackle the harm that drugs cause.Part one was published on 27 February 2020 and provides a detailed analysis of the challenges posed by drug supply and demand, including the ways in which drugs fuel serious violence. Part two was published on the 8 July 2021 and focuses on drug treatment, recovery and prevention.The report's aim is to make sure that vulnerable people with substance misuse problems get the support they need to recover and turn their lives around, in the community and in prison. It contains 32 recommendations for change across various government departments and other organisations, to improve the effectiveness of drug prevention and treatment and to help more people recover from dependence.In 2018 Black was appointed Chair of the British Library and she was made a CBE in 2002 in recognition of her research work on Scleroderma. She was also appointed DBE in 2005 while President of the Royal College of Physicians and she was awarded an honorary doctorate of science by the University of Bristol in 2003 and an honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators in 2010.You can read Professor Dame Carol's review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/independent-review-of-drugs-by-professor-dame-carol-black___ ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.ReNew offers:Expert advice and information on drugs, alcohol, homelessness, prison and how to improve your health and wellbeing. A multi-disciplinary approach to care; our team includes experienced health and care staff, nurses and doctors.A whole family approach – working holistically with all members of the family to achieve and promote recovery.Therapeutic group and 1:1 interventions. A community and inpatient detoxification provision. Access to residential rehabilitation environments.A comprehensive harm reduction offer - reducing drug related deaths and harm via blood borne virus screening and issuing emergency lifesaving overdose reversal medication (Naloxone).Education, training and employment services – with direct links to all local education providers and an in-house community training provision.Multiple connecting communities offers, including – an outreach provision, a rough sleepers' provision, criminal justice provision and a provision exclusively for women.Multiple peer led support provisions, including; Alcohol Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous and a daily breakfast club which is free and open to everyone.ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you. If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013. For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.Follow us on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️ Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

In this exclusive interview, Professor Dame Carol Black talks to IOSH magazine about the value of occupational health services and discusses emerging issues that will require our attention as we return to the new normal.

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies.In this edition:Will the Health Disparities White Paper help where previous strategies have failed? 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵Ban on drinking during football matches may be overturned after nearly 40 years‘Sobriety tags’ to be rolled-out further, following scheme’s “success”Councils to receive £85.7 million for drug and alcohol servicesParents choose a “reluctantly accepting” approach to children drinkingProtecting public health in trade and investment agreementsMandatory calorie labelling on menus comes in and cracking down on gambling adsWe hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.IAS BlogsTo read blogs click here.Will the Health Disparities White Paper help where previous strategies have failed?🎵 Podcast feature 🎵Following the February release of the Levelling Up White Paper*, the Government is set to publish a Health Disparities White Paper this Spring, which should set out how the gap in health inequalities will be reduced and how the Levelling Up plan of delivering 5 additional years of healthy life by 2035 will be achieved.In our podcast we spoke to Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health at Gateshead Council, about what could be expected from the White Paper, particularly in terms of alcohol. She said, “It’s really important that it’s a cross-government approach, if we don’t combine action across all wider determinants of health we won’t achieve the aspirations set out in the Levelling Up White Paper.”The Health Foundation think tank has highlighted ‘Five tests for tackling health disparities’ within the levelling up agenda, including that there needs to be significant investment to support the proposals – which the Levelling Up White Paper did not include – and how a cross-government approach is crucial to success.The Alcohol Health Alliance and IAS will be responding to the Health Disparities White Paper once it is published.* A White Paper is a report that sets out proposals for future legislation.Ban on drinking during football matches may be overturned after nearly 40 yearsIn November 2021, the Fan Led Review of Football Governance was published, which set out recommendations for how to reduce issues within the game, particularly financial issues. On 25 April 2022 the Government announced that it accepts or supports all ten of the strategic recommendations.Within one of the recommendations is the suggestion to assess whether the current alcohol rules – established 37 years ago – are fit for purpose. The current rules mean spectators cannot drink alcohol in sight of the pitch in England’s top five leagues. The Review refers to the “perverse outcome” of being promoted from the sixth to the fifth league and it being unaffordable to the club due to not being able to sell as much alcohol.The Government says it will consider the case for pilot schemes of the sale of alcohol in sight of the pitch, but that this “must be balanced against wider fan safety considerations”. They cited the “appalling conduct of some fans at the EURO 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium” partly being driven by alcohol.Chief Constable Mark Roberts of Cheshire Police, previously told Sportsmail that it was “madness” to lift the alcohol ban in stadiums during matches, highlighting a surge in arrests at football matches this season and the violence at Euro 2020.There is very little evidence as to how a change in alcohol sales legislation at football stadiums would affect rates of violence. The University of Stirling is currently working on a number of studies on ‘Understanding the role of alcohol consumption in football cultures‘. The first of these was published in December 2021 and concludes that “alcohol regulations in some nations and sports – where restrictions are based on historical disorder – may no longer be appropriate”.Focus on alcohol-related violence in football has predominantly been on violence in and around stadiums, however there should also be consideration of changes to alcohol rules potentially affecting domestic violence when spectators return home.‘Sobriety tags’ to be rolled-out further, following scheme’s “success”The Ministry of Justice has judged the rolling out of alcohol-monitoring tags “a success” and will therefore widen the roll-out to other people leaving prisons. More than 3,100 people have been fitted with such tags and it is estimated that by 2025 around 12,000 people will have had a tag.This apparent success is based on compliance to wearing the tag, with the Government stating that over 97% of those on so-called ‘sobriety tags’ have not drunk while tagged. In January, Dr Carly Lightowlers wrote a blog for IAS on the topic, and highlighted that:“A focus on compliance – in terms of alcohol-free days – is somewhat of a smokescreen as what is needed is evidence of whether drinking and related offending are reduced in the long term after tag removal, which is yet to be provided.”Minister for Policing, Kit Malthouse, said, “It is not only protecting the public from the scourge of alcohol-fuelled crime – it also gives probation officers the chance to work with offenders to help them turn their lives around.”Councils to receive £85.7 million for drug and alcohol servicesAs part of the promise to implement the vast majority of Dame Carol Black’s drug review recommendations within its Drug Strategy, the Government has announced the allocation of £85.7 million to local councils in additional grants to improve drug and alcohol treatment services. The release lists how much each local authority will be given for ‘Drug strategy allocation’ and ‘Inpatient detoxification allocation’.Local councils and their partners have been asked to provide plans to improve these systems, which will be agreed with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).The Local Government Association welcomed the additional funding with Councillor Louise Gittins, Vice Chair of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board saying:“People with drug and alcohol problems should be able to get the right support and treatment when they need it. Councils want to see vulnerable people being given another chance to find work, rebuild relationships and find safe and secure accommodation and will work with partners to improve the life chances of those impacted by drug addiction.”It is not clear how far the Drug Strategy will go to support those needing alcohol treatment services, with references to drug treatment and support being the prevailing rhetoric. Conservative Minister Maggie Throup responded to a call for an Alcohol Strategy by saying that “the implementation of many aspects of the drug strategy will also benefit people seeking treatment for alcohol dependency”. MPs such as Labour’s Dan Carden continue to call for a specific Alcohol Strategy:Parents choose a “reluctantly accepting” approach to children drinkingA University of Bristol study explored parental views and attitudes towards alcohol use during adolescence among their children and other young people.In general, parents felt that it was inevitable that adolescents would drink alcohol, although they were aware of the risks and were mostly disapproving. Many parents therefore chose a “reluctantly accepting” approach. The researchers write that “This approach was determined by weighing disapproval of drinking against consistency with wider culture and parental behaviour, support for autonomy of the child, and avoidance of social sanctions.”A key theme was that parents wanted to protect their relationship with their children, maintain an open, honest and communicative relationship, and ultimately limit risk and minimise harm. The researchers write that:“Various boundaries and strategies were employed to this end, including care around role modelling, gradual introductions to alcohol, boundaried provision, clear risk reduction messaging and parental monitoring.”Protecting public health in trade and investment agreementsFollowing a recent publication that showed alcohol industry arguments were infiltrating World Trade Organization discussions (see our blog here), a number of academics have released a WHO Bulletin on non-communicable disease prevention policy and trade and investment agreements.The analysis identified opportunities for protecting and promoting public health in trade and investment agreements, including:The researchers write that this analysis provides support for greater engagement between the health and trade policy sectors, and that a high level of health protection in trade and investment agreements requires cooperation between disciplines, and engagement with experts in law, economics and public health policy.Mandatory calorie labelling on menus comes in and gambling ads face a crack downAs part of the obesity strategy, from 6 April new rules came into force requiring calorie information to be displayed on menus and food labels for businesses employing over 250 people. The two exceptions are for food that is only on a menu for 30 days of the year or less and alcoholic drinks above 1.2% ABV.Regarding alcohol labelling, Ministers are still stating that the consultation on mandatory labelling will “be launched in due course”.In marketing news, the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced that gambling and lottery advertising will no longer be allowed to use content “likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons”. This will include “all sportspeople well-known to under-18s” – including topflight footballers and those with large social media followings – as well as people from reality TV shows popular with young people, and any references to video game content.The UK Alcohol Alert (incorporating Alliance News) is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Please click the image below to visit our website and find out more about us and what we do, or the ‘Contact us’ button. Thank you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit instalcstud.substack.com

Professor Dame Carol Black studied history at Bristol University, then worked as a schoolteacher, however, in 1965 Black enrolled as a mature student to study medicine which she graduated from at the age of 30.During her career, she's been an advisor for the government on issues such as the relationship between work and health. She'd issue reports regarding sick leaves due to physical and mental health, including drug addictions.In 2019 Professor Dame Carol Black was appointed to lead a major 2-part review that looked into the relationship between drugs and violence but also treatment, recovery and prevention of drug addictions.Listen to this week's episode to hear the perspective of a dedicated physician but also a government advisor on the approach to both treatment and social implications of drug addictions. Cicely SaundersSclerodermaRoyal College of PhysiciansNewnham CollegeReview of drugs: phase two reportMethadoneIndividual placement and supportSajid JavidMatt HancockNational Treatment Agency of Substance Misuse (NTA) ★ Support this podcast ★

Like many other countries, the UK has a growing drug problem. In England around 3 million people take drugs and drug deaths are the highest on record at nearly 3,000 a year. In the last decade, heroin-related deaths have more than doubled and cocaine-related deaths have grown fivefold. The situation in Scotland is even worse – now the drug death capital of Europe.   The UK government tackles drugs as a criminal justice matter focused on punishment, rather than a public health matter focused on support. But many countries are taking a different approach, most famously Portugal which in 2000 decriminalised all drugs and concentrated instead on public health and harm reduction. The result? From one of the highest drug death rates in Europe to one of the lowest.   How did they do it and what can we learn?   Our Chief Executive Dr Jennifer Dixon is joined by: Dame Carol Black, who was commissioned by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to undertake a two part independent review of drugs, to inform the government's thinking on what more can be done to tackle the harm that drugs cause. Dr João Castel-Branco Goulão, a Portuguese physician and the current national drug coordinator for Portugal. He is credited as being the main architect of Portugal's drugs policy established in 2000 and since then has advised on drug policy for successive governments. Show notes Independent review of drugs by Professor Dame Carol Black From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives (December 2021) Ferreira, S. Portugal's radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn't the world copied it? (December 2017) National Records of Scotland, Drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2020 (July 2021) Nutt, D. UK drugs strategy promises to be tough on criminals, but evidence shows this doesn't work. BMJ 2021; 375 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n3066  The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee report on Problem drug use in Scotland (October 2019) includes an outline of some international case studies.

The government announces its new drugs plan. As the government sets out its 10-year plan to help problem drug users and cut drug-related crime, we hear from the medical expert, Dame Carol Black, whose research informed the policy. And, as Germany's new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, prepares to take office on Wednesday, Dr Katya Adler is back to explain what changes are expected in Europe's richest and most powerful country. Today's episode of Newscast was made by Emma Close with Ros Jones and Sally Abrahams. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. Jonathan Aspinwall is the editor.

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies.In this edition:‘No Escape: How Alcohol Advertising Preys on Children and Vulnerable People’‘Sobriety ankle tags’ rolled out after successful pilotCross party group of MPs demands better approach to reduce alcohol harmDisagreement over alcohol duty reformScottish LibDems and 28 NGOs call for minimum unit price to increaseDiageo’s Christmas ‘responsibility’ campaign normalises excessive drinkingNo major economy covers the cost of harm from alcohol, tobacco and sugarAlcohol-fuelled incidents at Wales rugby matches spark criticismWe hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.Event: New IAS report on restricting underage alcohol purchasesJoin us on Wednesday 8 December for the launch of our new report on ‘Preventing underage alcohol purchasing online using payment card details’. Register here.With a growth in online purchasing, particularly since the pandemic, online age verification for buying alcohol is increasingly important. Currently most systems are poor, such as relying on honesty policies or uploading documents.In a new IAS-commissioned report, Jessica Muirhead looks at how 'Merchant Category Codes' could be used for online alcohol purchases. Every time a payment is made on a bank card, a code is sent with payment details to identify the type of transaction. This is already used to prevent under-18s from gambling and would better protect retailers from illegally selling alcohol to under-18s.This month’s IAS blogsLink to blogsAlcohol Toolkit Study: quarterly updateUCL’s quarterly alcohol data suggest that the number of increasing and higher risk drinkers has steadily increased since May 2021.Prevalence of increasing and higher risk drinking (AUDIT)Increasing and higher risk drinking defined as those scoring >7 AUDIT. A-C1: Professional to clerical occupation C2-E: Manual occupationCurrently trying to restrict consumptionA-C1: Professional to clerical occupation C2-E: Manual occupation; Question: Are you currently trying to restrict your alcohol consumption e.g. by drinking less, choosing lower strength alcohol or using smaller glasses? Are you currently trying to restrict your alcohol consumption e.g. by drinking less, choosing lower strength alcohol or using smaller glasses?All past-year attempts to cut down or stopQuestion: How many attempts to restrict your alcohol consumption have you made in the last 12 months (e.g. by drinking less, choosing lower strength alcohol or using smaller glasses)? Please include all attempts you have made in the last 12 months, whether or not they were successful, AND any attempt that you are currently making.‘No Escape: How Alcohol Advertising Preys on Children and Vulnerable People’On 30 November the Alcohol Health Alliance launched a new report that looks at alcohol marketing in the UK and calls for the Government to introduce restrictions to such marketing in order to protect children and vulnerable people.Discussing the prevalence and ubiquity of alcohol marketing, the report shows that advertising is across an enormous range of sectors, using a range of mediums: at sporting events, festivals, TV entertainment, theatres, across outdoor media. They rebut the industry assertion that marketing is simply about brand switching and doesn’t increase and encourage consumption. The AHA argues that:“The alcohol industry logically requires the continual recruitment of new generations of drinkers. Indeed, many brands see marketing as a key way to recruit new consumers and some specifically target the youngest demographics of legal drinkers.”The report focuses on the danger of marketing to children and those in recovery. The AHA writes that it normalises alcohol and “creates a culture where alcohol is seen as an essential part of everyday life”. Respondents to the report’s survey said this led to pressure on them to drink in order to fit into that perceived culture. As the report states, studies have shown that children who are exposed to alcohol advertising are more likely to start drinking earlier in life, and subsequently will consume more. They are also more likely to develop alcohol dependency later in life.The AHA report asserts that the UK’s self- and co-regulatory approach to alcohol marketing fails to protect children from exposure to large amounts of marketing, with studies showing that children are aware of alcohol adverts and that they appeal to them too. Although there is less data on the effect of adverts to people in recovery, survey respondents discussed how marketing and imagery of alcoholic products is highly triggering and likely to increase relapse. They argued it should be treated like tobacco due to the harm it causes.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities agrees that the current system is flawed, stating:“A consistent body of research demonstrates considerable violations of content guidelines within self-regulated alcohol marketing codes, suggesting that the self-regulatory systems that govern alcohol marketing practices are not meeting their intended goal of protecting vulnerable populations.”What is the AHA calling for?In order to catch-up with many other countries across the world who have implemented alcohol marketing restrictions – such as Ireland, Finland, France, and Russia – the AHA report was clear on its policy recommendations:‘Sobriety ankle tags’ rolled out after successful pilotFollowing a seemingly successful pilot for community sentences, ‘sobriety ankle tags’ have been rolled-out for ‘serious and prolific offenders’. Those who are known to reoffend after drinking alcohol will face a potential ban from drinking or limitation to the amount they can consume. The tags can detect alcohol in the wearer’s sweat and alert probation services if detected.An estimated 12,000 people will wear the tags over the next three years and judges can either include a condition that requires up to a year of abstinence, or have the person’s alcohol monitored with a defined level allowed.Previously the Government has said the tags would not be used on adults who are alcohol-dependent or suffering from certain medical conditions, and that they would not be intended as a treatment for alcoholism.The formal name for the requirement is ‘Alcohol Abstinence Monitoring Requirement (AAMR)’, and will be rolled-out in Wales first, with England following suit in summer 2022. Those who are banned from drinking and contravene the order could be:FinedHave their order extendedImprisonedThe Ministry of Justice says that the tags will help reduce the level of alcohol-related crime, with alcohol playing a part in 39% of all violent crime in the UK. They also state that such crime costs the UK economy around £21.5 billion every year.Discussing the pilot projects that saw such tags fitted to people with community sentences, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said:“This innovative technology has been successful in policing community sentences with offenders complying over 97 percent of the time. Offenders now have a clear choice. If they don’t work with probation staff to curb their drinking and change their ways, they face being sent back to jail.”What are the legal complications?Dr Arianna Andreangeli, of Edinburgh Law School, has previously raised concerns about the potential legal issues surrounding the policy, stating “there is no doubt that it constitutes an intensive interference with the individual’s right to private life, as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights”. She questioned whether there are sufficiently strong safeguards to accompany the policy in protecting these rights.A 2012 paper however, argued that “the law clearly permits the imposition of sobriety conditions, and there are no convincing grounds for objections based on human rights law”. The authors went further, stating that “in fact, given the prospective benefits to both offenders and the public, it would be extremely unethical not to implement the scheme”.What are the health concerns?When the pilot projects were launched, a number of NGOs highlighted that that the tags needed to be implemented within a holistic system of support and prevention.Nuno Albuquerque, an Addictions Counsellor at the UK Addiction Treatment Group has previously said:“What they're doing in effect is just slapping a sticking plaster over the top of a person's open wound. Tagging them simply stigmatises them for drinking alcohol and doesn't address the root cause of the problem.”“Collaborative support between probation teams and treatment providers needs to be in place so that when the tag comes off, the person won't want to drink, rather than being forced not to drink.”Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change UK, echoed Nuno’s concern about the risk of stigma, saying that there is risk of reinforcing the stigma that people living with alcohol problems face, reducing the likelihood of them seeking support. He said:“We must address problem drinking as a whole, including preventing it before it starts. We need a properly funded alcohol treatment system that is well-integrated with other forms of health and social care. We need to encourage those whose drinking is increasing to seek help before it becomes a serious issue, and make it easy for them to do so.”This touches on an important aspect of the policy: that it is reactionary and may do little to reduce the number of people initially engaging in alcohol-fuelled crime. The Ministry of Justice is focusing on the 97% compliance rate as they have no data on whether the tags actually reduce crime, especially when the tags come off. Further, as Dr Piper points out, there is little evidence to suggest the scheme will reduce drinking in the long-term, after the tags have been removed.Cross party group of MPs demands better approach to reduce alcohol harmOn 25 November the Commons debated alcohol harm, with a group of cross-party MPs calling on the Government to improve their response to a growing crisis.The debate, jointly secured by Labour MP Dan Carden and Conservative MP Derek Thomas, highlighted the harm alcohol causes to individuals, society and the economy. There was consensus among the parliamentarians present that the Government is not doing enough and needs to launch an alcohol strategy to tackle the rise in deaths and liver disease.Thomas said the strategy needs to be part of the Covid recovery plan and that minimum unit pricing needs to be introduced “without delay”, as it’s already been shown to work in Scotland.Thomas said:“Far from being an issue for individual responsibility, as it is often framed by the industry, there is a compelling case for Government intervention to end the cultural celebration and normalisation of alcohol in public, while vulnerable individuals suffer harm and stigma behind closed doors. Never before has action on alcohol been so urgently needed as it is now. We must do more; we must do better.”Labour MP Liam Byrne spoke of his personal experiences as a child, with a father who struggled with alcohol problems:“Trying to make yourself invisible to disappear from the shame of some terrible public incident; the chronic insecurity; the bouts of violence; the hospital visits; and the trouble with ambulances. There is the pervasive sense of guilt. Am I doing enough? Is my father okay? Is he eating? Is he starving? Or is he on a floor somewhere?”.Shadow Public Health Minister, Alex Norris, highlighted the cuts to treatment services and that Labour wants labelling on products to be improved as “It is about informed choice; we know that that is what customers want too”.Maggie Throup, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said the Government have agreed to carry forward the recommendations of part two of Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drugs and will publish a drug strategy later this year which “will also benefit people seeking treatment for alcohol dependency”.Disagreement over alcohol duty reformFollowing the Government’s October Budget announcement that included proposed reforms to our outdated alcohol duty system, the House of Commons and Lords have discussed the potential impact of the changes. Industry figures too, have reflected on how the reforms will play out.Conservative peer Lord Kamall, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Health, responded to criticism from Labour’s Baroness Hayter, who said freezing duties will be bad for public health, by stating that public health advocates have been calling for this reform for years.Lord Kamall argued that the change will encourage alcohol producers to develop and push lower strength products, and the public to consume these cheaper, lower strength products, which will reduce harm.Baroness Finlay questioned what the Government’s contingency is if the reform doesn’t reduce harm. Kamall responded that a programme is underway to address alcohol harm, including setting up alcohol care teams in hospitals and supporting children of dependent parents.In the Commons many agreed with the duty reform, with Conservative Dehenna Davison focusing on ciders, with: “My inner low-tax Tory let out a massive cheer when I learned that fruit ciders were going to see a reduction in duty as well”. The SNP’s Carol Monaghan asked Davison whether she recognises “that fruit ciders have been linked to alcoholism in children, and that it is not necessarily a good thing to cut the tax on them?”, to which Davison responded that cutting tax is generally a good thing, but has to be alongside a proper public health strategy.Other Scottish MPs pointed out wider issues with the reform, with the SNP’s Peter Grant saying that successive British Governments have failed “to put the wellbeing of the people front and centre of their taxation and spending plans”, highlighting the wealth various Scottish distilleries bring to Westminster coffers but not to the local Scottish populations, many of whom live “on or below the breadline”.  Alcohol industry figures have also pointed out perceived flaws to the reforms, with the Wine & Spirit Trade Association’s Chief Executive, Miles Beale, stating:“We are mystified by a proposal that embeds unfairness between products meaning that beer will be taxed between 8p and 19p per unit, wine increases to 26p per unit and spirits remain at 29p per unit.”There is undoubtedly a level of unfairness between how much alcohol will be taxed between the ABV strength 3.5-8.4%, with cider paying under half that of beer, wine and spirits. No clear rationale was provided for why beer is charged double that of cider between these strengths.The Grocer also argued that although much of the duty reform makes sense, the “glaring exception” was that of reducing draught duty only for containers 40 litres and above. They said this will punish small British brewers who tend to use 20-30 litre containers.The Guardian agreed with this, saying small producers argue the plans “would stifle innovation and favour large corporations” - as it’s the big brands that cause harm, not small independent producers, even those making high-strength drinks.In response to a Parliamentary Question, Exchequer Secretary Helen Whately said that “We will discuss the size of containers that will qualify for the relief with brewers as part of our consultation process.” Conservative MP Mike Wood was reported as being “confident” that this limit will be reduced to 20 litres.Scottish LibDems and 28 NGOs call for minimum unit price to increaseIn mid-November the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, called for minimum unit pricing (MUP) to be increased from 50-65p in Scotland.Mr Cole-Hamilton said:"Alcohol misuse can wreck lives. Even today we are seeing an average of 20 people per week die due to alcohol misuse. Experts have suggested that raising the minimum unit price to 65p in line with the original ambition of the policy would cut alcohol misuse and reduce the pressure on our health and justice systems.”He added that once it is increased it should be linked to inflation and thus increased each year, in order to avoid a diminishing effect over the years.SNP Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, confirmed that the Scottish Government has "begun to gather information in order to review the minimum unit pricing of alcohol".This call was followed on the 19 November by a group of 28 health charities and medical experts, who urged the Scottish Government to increase MUP to 65p to help reduce harm.Alcohol-related deaths in ScotlandThe group included Alcohol Focus Scotland, with their Chief Executive Alison Douglas saying:“We need to off-set both the effects of inflation and of the pandemic, and adjust the minimum unit price to a level that will save more lives and prevent a new generation from developing an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.”Dr Alastair MacGilchrist, chairman of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, said that there is a “sweet spot” when setting MUP:“If you set it too low it's not going to be effective, but if you set it too high it's going to have an unfair impact on moderate drinkers. We think that raising to at least 65p would be the correct level just now and would certainly save lives.”A day before, on 18 November, Nicola Sturgeon responded to a question on raising MUP during First Minister’s Questions, saying that the evaluation was ongoing, and any changes needed to have a “robust evidence base”."Prior to the pandemic, we were seeing early encouraging signs of a reduction in alcohol sales and a reduction in alcohol specific deaths. The pandemic and the changed legal landscape post-Brexit are two significant events that are impacting on this work and must be factored into the analysis."Diageo’s Christmas ‘responsibility’ campaign normalises excessive drinkingThe alcohol giant is in full festive swing, recently launching both a bold marketing plan and a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign called ‘Know When to Stop’. Within its marketing plan, Diageo is looking to grow its market share by a huge 50% by 2030, using the following tactics:Ironically perhaps, another target for 2030 is to reach 1 billion people worldwide with dedicated ‘responsibility’ messaging.Their Christmas campaign ‘Know When to Stop’ involves a number of animations depicting “overindulging in common holiday pleasures, such as eating sweet treats, binge-watching television and films, and over-decorating your home”.Each animation ends with the line “There’s a happy limit to everything. Drink Responsibly”. It could be argued that this comparison of excessive alcohol consumption and other ‘over-indulgences’ such as decorating one’s home aims to normalise drinking. In a 2019 BMJ blog, Professor Mark Petticrew and Dr May Schalkwyk argued that:“Christmas is a favourable time for the alcohol industry owing to a rise in marketing and sales, and an increase in events during which alcohol is served and consumed. However, this period also poses a threat to the alcohol industry as the adverse social and short-term health impacts potentially become more visible, and this visibility risks elevating public and media awareness of alcohol harms. To deal with these public relations risks, the alcohol industry is well versed in employing corporate social responsibility initiatives”.They pointed out that:“These attempts by the alcohol industry at promoting safety during this time of increased risk from alcohol harms, may actually be something different: mixed messages that normalise or even promote drinking heavily while attempting to minimise the visibility of short term overt harms, thereby ensuring that the industry gets its gift this Christmas—increased profits partnered with an unharmed corporate image.”No major economy covers the cost of harm from alcohol, tobacco and sugarThe Centre for Global Development, a US international development think tank, published a paper on 17 November that looked at taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and sugar, across 25 major economies, and whether they cover the cost of the harm they cause.The authors write that carbon taxing has garnered a lot of interest recently, whereas corrective taxes on the mentioned three products are “comparatively overlooked”. They state that these taxes “fall far short of the huge negative externalities and self-imposed costs from alcohol, sugar and tobacco”.Across the 25 countries, which account for three-quarters of global GDP, 60 million productive life years are lost every year due to the harm these three products cause, with an economic cost of $2.1 trillion each year, about 2% of GDP in advanced economies.The following graph highlights how none of these countries get back the money lost in harm, with Bangladesh the closest to recouping the money, and Russia and Ukraine furthest away.When looking at alcohol individually, Turkey is the only country that raises enough tax to cover finances lost due to alcohol harm.The authors argue that such taxes “should be a routine part of the advice provided by international financial institutions to emerging markets and advanced economies with high rates of consumption” and that the IMF and World Bank are paying “growing but still limited attention to these kinds of taxes in operations in fiscal policy”.IAS will shortly publish a blog by the authors on the subject.Alcohol-fuelled incidents at Wales rugby matches spark criticismBBC Wales published a story on 23 November highlighting a number of alcohol-related incidents at rugby matches in Wales during the Autumn internationals. These incidents included a child being vomited on, a boy being given £20 after having a beer spilled on him, and pitch invaders in two matches, one of which potentially prevented Wales from scoring a try.The article quotes a liver specialist, Dr Dai Samuel, who said, “the halo of rugby has well and truly slipped this autumn”.It goes on to quote IAS’ Dr Sadie Boniface, who said:"The normalisation of heavy drinking in relation to sport is at odds with the health benefits of participating in sport. Alcohol marketing also means alcohol is virtually unavoidable in sport. For example, in the 2020 Six Nations, there were alcohol references several times a minute. There is a link between alcohol sponsorship in sports and alcohol consumption, including among children and young people.”Dr Boniface argued that IAS would like to see similar legislation in the UK to Ireland, which has banned alcohol advertising during sporting events.Interestingly, the framing of the new law by some seems to already be comparing it to the French Loi Évin rules, which are often circumvented by using ‘alibi marketing’: using marketing that is synonymous with a brand without directly mentioning it.The Welsh Rugby Union said:"It is policy for our staff to intervene if people are visibly intoxicated - this happens in three main areas: The turnstiles where people can be denied entry, at the point of sale if they try and buy alcohol, and in the stadium bowl."The story also quoted a previous IAS blog by Habib Kadiri, who asked "why we haven't extended the alcohol ban to all sporting grounds? Perhaps it is because no other sports have attained football's notoriety. But why risk it?".In a recent Parliamentary Question, Baroness Hayter asked what plans the Government has “to protect children and vulnerable populations from exposure to alcohol marketing”, following the IAS, SHAAP and AAI Six Nations marketing report.In response, Lord Parkinson said that the “UK advertising industry has some of the strictest alcohol regulations in the world [and that] if new evidence emerges that clearly highlights major problems with the existing Codes, then the Advertising Standards Authority has a duty to revisit the Codes and take appropriate action.”The UK Alcohol Alert (incorporating Alliance News) is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Please click the image below to visit our website and find out more about us and what we do, or the ‘Contact us’ button. Thank you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit instalcstud.substack.com

Today's guest is on a mission to transform the way we view people addicted to drugs. This year, Professor Dame Carol Black led a government review into the way we handle drug addiction in this country - be that treatment and recovery, or even prevention. She called for a more health-based approach and more than £500 million investment over five years.This Addiction Awareness Week, Bryony has teamed up with Action on Addiction and the Forward Trust to bring you a conversation each day tackling a different element of addiction. Because even though we are slowly breaking down the stigma around discussing mental health, addiction - sadly - remains a taboo, even though we will all know someone touched by it.Dame Carol tells Bryony why alcohol is "just as dangerous" as other drugs, why she feels addiction should be treated as a chronic health condition, and explains why the current system is "broken".You can read Professor Dame Carol Black's review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/independent-review-of-drugs-by-professor-dame-carol-black |Action on Addiction is a UK charity providing support to people who need rehab, as well as a wealth of resources for those battling addiction issues: https://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk |You can find more information about organisations that offer free and confidential support at the end of this episode.Read Bryony's columns: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/bryony-gordon/ |For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/madworld |Follow Bryony on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryonygordon/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two years ago the Government commissioned an independent review by Professor Dame Carol Black looking into Britain's drug epidemic. They wanted to know how big the issue was, why it was happening and how to break the drug cycle. Dame Carol Black will be handing her recommendations to the Government in April, including proposals for prevention, treatment and recovery. She spoke with Andy Bell ahead of the release date for her independent review, in tandem Channel 5 News' #BreakingBritainsDrugCycle investigation. Her overlook is that the drug epidemic is "pretty bad" in the UK, due to a perfect storm of high-quality drugs (heroin and cocaine) and years of austerity for those in the most vulnerable groups. How did we get here? Explaining the news is a podcast from 5 News. Join Andy Bell as he explains the world's biggest news stories through interviews with politicians, experts, and analysts.

Host Stu King, CEO of BeeZee Bodies, and guests discuss Public Mental Health in the workplace and supporting employers.Professor Dame Carol Black was Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge until 2019. She has advised the British Government on the relationship between work and health.Professor Neil Greenberg is Professor of Defence Mental Health at King's College London. He has served in the Armed Forces and advises the Academic Department of Military Mental Health. He also runs March on Stress.Dr Jane Suter is Lecturer in HR Management at University of York Management School and Principal Investigator on the insight report Managing Mental Health in Small and Micro Businesses.Our guests outline the importance of public mental health in the workplace and influencing factors such as the role of managers and culture. The group explores the impact of Covid-19 and Jane talks about pressures on small and medium enterprises, accounting for the majority of UK employers. Neil shares his experience in long-term traumatic environments, what helps people cope and moral injury. The group talk about presenteeism, identifying the driving factors of mental ill-health and measuring impacts of interventions. The group recommend training in psychologically safe conversations, shown to be cost effective in a study with Australian firefighters. Neil recommends a condensed, on-line version REACT Mental Health®, validated peer support programmes such as StRaW or TRiM, and occupational health advice. When selecting interventions, Carol suggests looking at organisations in Britain's Healthiest Workplace awards. The Midlands Engine mental health productivity pilot provides examples for small and medium enterprises, such as Prime Accountants.Contacts:@drjanesuter@DameCarolBlack@ProfNGreenberg@Stu_King_HhOther Resources:Thriving at Work: the Stevenson/Farmer review on mental health and employers, 2017Mental health at work resources for employers (including during Covid) Local government guidanceBITC/PHE health and wellbeing at work tool-kits

This is the second of six special episodes of the podcast in which we consider what are the most important facets of workplace wellbeing. We are incredibly grateful to Wellworking for making the series possible. Not only with their sponsorship but in their role as one of the UK’s leading organisations in the field and their commitment to an informed debate on what is a complex and changing issue. Today’s guest is Anna Davison who is head of workplace wellbeing at ukactive, one of the driving forces behind a new approach to physical activity and wellbeing in people’s lives. It draws on the expertise and energy of such high profile figures as Dame Tanni Grey Thompson and Dame Carol Black and works with people and organisations across the UK. Anna talks about the ways that organisations can help to improve the wellbeing of people in the workplace, looking at the vital role of ergonomics as well as the growing emphasis on movement and physical activity and the role that workplace design and working cultures can play. Enjoy.

Listen to Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black, at our Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, featuring CBI Deputy Director-General Josh Hardie; Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON; Dr Fran Woodard, Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Listen to Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support at our Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, featuring CBI Deputy Director-General Josh Hardie; Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON and Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black.

Listen to Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON at our Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, featuring CBI Deputy Director-General Josh Hardie; Dr Fran Woodard, Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support and Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black.

Listen to Josh Hardie, at our Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, also featuring Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON; Dr Fran Woodard, Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support and Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black.

Listen again to our Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, featuring CBI Deputy Director-General Josh Hardie; Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON; Dr Fran Woodard, Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support and Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black.

Listen to the introduction to the Great Business Debate on health and wellbeing at work, featuring CBI Deputy Director-General Josh Hardie; Fiona Stark, Corporate Affairs Director, E.ON; Dr Fran Woodard, Executive Director, Macmillan Cancer Support and Government adviser on Health and Work, Dame Carol Black.

Kirsty Young's castaway is Professor Dame Carol Black.She is Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, and is a special adviser to the Department of Health and Public Health England. She is also Chair of the Board of the Nuffield Trust, the health policy think tank.She read History at Bristol University before beginning her medical career with encouragement from Dame Cecily Saunders, the founder of the hospice movement. She was Head of Rheumatology at London's Royal Free Hospital from 1989-1994, and was Medical Director of the hospital between 1995 and 2002. She's an international expert on scleroderma, a skin and tissue auto-immune disease, and is the second woman to become President of the Royal College of Physicians.She was made a Dame in 2005 for her services to Medicine.Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

Kirsty Young's castaway is Professor Dame Carol Black. She is Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, and is a special adviser to the Department of Health and Public Health England. She is also Chair of the Board of the Nuffield Trust, the health policy think tank. She read History at Bristol University before beginning her medical career with encouragement from Dame Cecily Saunders, the founder of the hospice movement. She was Head of Rheumatology at London's Royal Free Hospital from 1989-1994, and was Medical Director of the hospital between 1995 and 2002. She's an international expert on scleroderma, a skin and tissue auto-immune disease, and is the second woman to become President of the Royal College of Physicians. She was made a Dame in 2005 for her services to Medicine. Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

How to move from sick leave to ‘good work’. As many as a quarter of people with chronic pain go on to lose their jobs, so what can be done to make staying in work more achievable? We look for answers in this first of two episodes focusing on employment. This edition is funded by a grant from the Moffatt Trust. ‘With the right support, many people on sick leave, could be in work or helped back to work faster’, says Dame Carol Black, independent expert advisor to the government. She explains why ‘good work’ – work where people are listened to, respected and have some control – is not only important for our mental wellbeing, but can even predict back pain. The result of Dame Black’s report into this issue was the government’s Fit to Work scheme. Occupational therapist Gerry McFeely describes how the programme aims to help those on sick leave to develop a Return to Work Plan. Contributors: * Dame Carol Black, Expert Advisor on Health and Work to Public Health England in the Department of Health *Gerry McFeely, Macmillan Consultant Occupational Therapist for Cancer and Long Term Health Conditions Specialising in Vocational Rehabilitation, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh First broadcast 24.11.15 #Occupationaltherapy #Socialandeconomicimpactofpain #Work

Carol Black was an overweight child who, aged 13, put herself on a diet. Now, as an expert advisor to the government, she's the woman behind recent newspaper headlines suggesting that obese people who refuse treatment could see their benefits cut. In the last decade, Carol has conducted several reviews on work and health, sickness absence and how best to help people with obesity, alcohol and drug problems get back into the workplace. In 2008 she suggested the Sick Note should be replaced with a Fit Note which states what people can do rather than what they can't. Later she recommended that an independent assessor should decide who is, or is not, Fit for Work. Dame Carol Black talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the challenges associated with advising government on these controversial issues; and how, despite relative adversity and several bad decisions, she achieved such a position of power and influence. Producer: Anna Buckley.

Dame Carol Black argues that it is important to promote health and well-being at work. Both employers and employees need to do their part. If they do, it will benefit everybody - companies, staff and the NHS. Achieving improved health in the workplace, she says, can help to significantly reduce demand on stretched NHS services. But the benefits are not just for the NHS. Healthier staff will feel better, be more productive, and happier at work. And employers can save money on sick pay or the costs associated with high staff turnover. Some companies are at the forefront of this, such as the Ipswich Building Society. They have a points scheme, for example, whereby staff can earn points for walking or exercising at lunchtime. These can then be cashed in for time off work. They also offer lunchtime team walks, pedometers and "couch to 5k" podcasts that help non-runners to gradually build up to running five kilometres. One member of staff says that as a result, she not only feels more valued at work but has also not had a day off sick in seven years. Presenter: Dame Carol Black Producer: Arlene Gregorius Editor:Andrew Smith.

The role of doctors in maintaining a healthy working-age population and sustainable economy

Dame Professor Carol Black is the country’s leading expert adviser on health and work. The principal of Newnham College Cambridge, she was a consultant rheumatologist and a former President of the Royal College of Physicians. However, she started out in medicine as working class grammar school girl with a third class degree in history...

Talk by Dame Carol Black about maintaining a healthy working-age population and keeping people in work.

HR news and views including: - Comment on the new fit note from Dame Carol Black and shadow welfare reform minister David Freud - The latest developments in the Default Retirement Age saga Presenter Tara Craig is joined by Mike Berry. Edited and produced by Tara Craig.