Pre-conference: Policies supporting NCD prevention at regional, national and local levels – effective, aligned and equitable? (PREV)
Tuesday 11 November, 13:30 – 18:00 Helsinki time
(Starting with network lunch at 12:30)
Organised by
Joint Action PreventNCD
Background
Policies that effectively promote health and prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have only increased in importance against the backdrop of recent and rapid political changes in the world, accompanied by changes in budgetary priorities. Strained health care systems, a continuously high prevalence of NCDs and NCDs risk exposure linked with living environments that do not support healthy lives, makes the case for preventive policies an urgent one.
To support strategies and policies designed to reduce the burden of NCDs and their risk factors, both at a personal and societal level, is an overall objective of the Joint Action PreventNCD project. This collaboration of 25 European countries has ambitious targets and seeks to instigate a step change for NCD prevention and supportive policy development across Europe. With more than 100 partners involved and a total budget of more than €95 million, the expectations are high for generating real impact on lowering the NCD burden and health inequalities in Europe. Improved capacity for NCD prevention, effective implementation of best and innovative practices and better policy alignment are important project outcomes, supported by actionable policy recommendations and effective dissemination efforts.
In this pre-conference we want to shed light on some of the successes of policies that support NCD prevention at regional, national and local levels, but also examine the challenges. Which public health challenges can local authorities largely solve single-handedly, when is national legislation required and in which areas are European-level policies necessary to achieve public health objectives? Furthermore, to what extent is health equity addressed or implicated at various policy levels?
First, we will learn about the role of primary prevention and intersectoral approaches in the forthcoming European Commission Plan for HeartHealth. To assess the role of this supranational body in tobacco prevention, we will review the status of legislative approaches for tobacco prevention and implications for national and local work, based on activities in JA PreventNCD. A particular focus will be on industry interference in tobacco control work and recommended mitigation measures. Another area where cross-country collaboration is paramount is in transforming the food system, to promote healthy and sustainable diets compatible with achieving the SDGs. JA PreventNCD partners will elaborate on the most important steps needed, the role of different governance levels in effecting change and how the Health in All Policies approach can help identify the leverage points for intervention.
With a national policy lens, we will review the evidence on how health taxation for public health objectives may contribute to reduced health inequalities. We will investigate the potential of health taxation in Europe, by demonstrating policy differences among European countries. Next, a review in JA PreventNCD will demonstrate the extent to which health inequities are addressed in national policy documents on NCDs and their common risk factors. Furthermore, insights are provided into how the food industry attempts to influence national food environment policies, , based on JA PreventNCD work on corporate political activities in four European countries
Local action can vastly impact NCD prevention on its own but, like at the other levels, often requires buy-in from other sectors. JA PreventNCD partners will discuss the role of intersectorality and decision makers’ commitment in the adoption and implementation of local policies. As an example of how national legislation can instigate local action, we will hear about how national public health legislation in Norway over the last 15 years has formed a model for putting local public health on the agenda, tightly linked with the political cycle. Finally, as an example of how local policy actions can be aligned with and anchored at national and regional levels, we will learn about European collaboration to promote public food procurement standards and networks for healthier and more sustainable food provision in public institutions.
The panel debates following the two sessions will collectively aim to shed light on the following: i) at what governance levels solutions to various public health challenges should be sought; ii) how to ensure that equity perspectives and the public interest are always safeguarded; and iii) how the public health community can work with food system actors and other sectors to support effective, aligned and equitable policies and strategies?
Programme
The programme is divided into three sessions, corresponding to the various policy levels addressed, starting with regional, followed by national and ending with local.
Each session will have three interventions of 10-15 minutes each, followed by a panel discussion among the speakers, with invitations to the audience to ask questions and share perspectives.
13:30 – 13:45
Welcome & introduction to JA PreventNCD
Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator JA PreventNCD
Objectives of the Pre-Conference & introduction to the sessions
Hanna Tolonen, current president of EUPHA-PHMR section (public health monitoring and reporting) and member of JA PreventNCD (moderator of the Pre-Conference)
SESSION 1: When do health promotion and NCD prevention initiatives at European level support national and local action?
13:45 – 14:30
Primary prevention and intersectoral approaches in the forthcoming European Commission Plan for Cardiovascular Health
Marianne Takki or colleague at DG Santé (tbc)
20 years of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – successes and challenges in the EU
Hanna Ollila, THL (Finland), thematic coordinator for tobacco JA PreventNCD
Transforming food systems for healthy and sustainable diets – a synergistic approach between food environments and food systems
Ellen Huan-Niemi, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), JA PreventNCD
Health taxation and alcohol warning labels – contributing to reduced health inequalities?
Maria Neufeld, WHO/Europe
14:30 – 15:00
Panel discussion following session 1:
The potential impact of European-level policy on public health and equity & are we seizing the opportunities?
Invited guests and questions and comments from the audience, moderated by Hanna Tolonen
15:00 – 15:30
Break with refreshments
SESSION 2: Safeguarding equity and the public interest in national and local policy making – the role of policy instruments, intersectoral collaboration and decision makers
15:30 – 16:45
To what extent are health inequities addressed in national policy documents on NCDs and their common risk factors – review findings
Kadri Tammur, Directorate of Health (Norway), JA PreventNCD
Oscar Garcia, Fisabio (Spain), JA PreventNCD
How the food industry shapes food environment policies: corporate political activities in four EU countries
Silke Cnockaert, Sciensano (Belgium), JA PreventNCD
Public food procurement standards and networks for healthier and more sustainable food provision in public institutions
Neza Fras, NIJZ (Slovenia) or Bettina Madsen (Denmark)(tbc), JA PreventNCD
Erica Wie Dia, Directorate of Health (Norway), JA PreventNCD
Intersectorality and decision makers’ commitment in the adoption and implementation of local policies
Rosana Peiró Pérez, Fisabio (Spain) JA PreventNCD
The Norwegian Public Health Act – a cornerstone for local public health action and accountability
Arnfinn Helleve, Institute of Public Health (Norway), JA PreventNCD
16:45 – 17:05
Short break
17:05 – 18:00
Panel discussion following session 2: Paving the way for local action on public health and equity – facilitators and obstacles
Invited guests, with questions and comments from the audience, moderated by JA PreventNCD Scientific Coordinator Knut-Inge Klepp
Registration
The registration fee is EUR 25. Networking lunch and refreshments are included.