Turnaround on health impact assessments

  All legislation in Wales could be assessed for its impact on public health after lobbying by the BMA. Statutory HIAs (health impact assessments) were included in the green paper for the Public Health (Wales) Bill but were dropped when the bill was published. However, after hard lobbying by BMA Cymru Wales, the assessments will now be included as a Welsh Government amendment. Health minister Mark Drakeford said he had been strongly influenced by evidence presented by the association. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s health and social care committee, Professor Drakeford said: ‘I’ve reflected carefully on the evidence, which this committee received on this matter. I’ve been particularly influenced by the latest set of evidence produced by BMA Cymru, and, as a result, it is my intention to bring a Government amendment forward on this matter at stage three. ‘It will put health impact assessments on the face of the bill in the way that members have argued for.’   Campaign Professor Drakeford added that BMA Cymru Wales and other organisations would be involved in drafting the amendment. The turnaround has come after months of pressure from BMA Cymru Wales, which has consistently argued and campaigned for the introduction of HIAs in Wales. The Welsh Government had previously argued that the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 was sufficient to cover the work that HIAs would do, but BMA Cymru Wales strongly disagre...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news