Tuesday 20 Nov 2007 @ 14:22
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) Annual Report
Scotland's health is improving, but support and intervention in early life is essential if the nation is to close the gap between affluent and deprived areas, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) said today.
Presenting his second annual report, Dr Harry Burns said:
"Scotland has lived for too long with the label of being the Sick Man of Europe and the past year has seen developments of great importance in public health.
"We have been very innovative in Scotland in designing and implementing health improvement programmes. Other countries have found much to admire in the way Scots as a nation have responded to the challenge of smoking.
"The advent of the smoking legislation has sent a powerful message that health is important and more and more scots are realising that they can improve their health and the quality of their life by taking exercise and eating healthy.
"Although the health of all sections of the community in Scotland is improving we can not disguise the fact that it is not improving fast enough for the poorest sections of our society.
"As my report makes clear, early interventions to improve the health and development of children is key to narrowing the gap in adult health.
"A number of initiatives identified in the report have shown that investment and support of expectant mothers, their infants and young children, can make a real difference to their future health and life prospects.
"A lot of vital work is underway by the Scottish Government, the NHS, the local councils and community groups, work that will bring benefits to future generations of Scots."
Related Information
Presenting his second annual report, Dr Harry Burns said:
"Scotland has lived for too long with the label of being the Sick Man of Europe and the past year has seen developments of great importance in public health.
"We have been very innovative in Scotland in designing and implementing health improvement programmes. Other countries have found much to admire in the way Scots as a nation have responded to the challenge of smoking.
"The advent of the smoking legislation has sent a powerful message that health is important and more and more scots are realising that they can improve their health and the quality of their life by taking exercise and eating healthy.
"Although the health of all sections of the community in Scotland is improving we can not disguise the fact that it is not improving fast enough for the poorest sections of our society.
"As my report makes clear, early interventions to improve the health and development of children is key to narrowing the gap in adult health.
"A number of initiatives identified in the report have shown that investment and support of expectant mothers, their infants and young children, can make a real difference to their future health and life prospects.
"A lot of vital work is underway by the Scottish Government, the NHS, the local councils and community groups, work that will bring benefits to future generations of Scots."
Related Information
