Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Feature Alcohol and Public Health

Under the influence

BMJ 2014; 348 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7646 (Published 08 January 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:f7646

Rapid Response:

Re: Under the influence

The MUP political debacle should act as a wake-up call to the public health community in England. Political influence needs to be exerted in a co-ordinated way between all relevant public health organisations (PHE, Faculty of Public Health, Association of DPHs, UK Public Health Association and the CMO). There are surely enough combined resources to achieve this!!

If the competing interests of the alcohol industry are to be truly taken on (within a flawed system that allows them such ease of access to the corridors of power) the public health community must play them at their own game. We can either complain about the seemingly unjust system from the side lines or roll our sleeves up and get on the pitch. Effective lobbying must be a skill developed in earnest within our profession. If we are to address the 'organised efforts of society' then that surely means effectively influencing Government itself.

Public Health community - it is time to grow up and play with the big kids...

Competing interests: No competing interests

15 January 2014
Ian Walker
Public Health Registrar
Yorkshire and Humber Deanery
Leeds