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Smoking 'costs NHS £1m each day' | Smoking 'costs NHS £1m each day' |
(40 minutes later) | |
New figures indicate that smoking is costing the NHS in Wales more than £7m every week. | |
A report commissioned by Ash Wales and British Heart Foundation Cymru reveals that smoking related diseases cost NHS Wales an estimated £386m in 2007/08. | |
Smoking accounts for around 22% of adult hospital admission costs, over £235m every year, the research said. | Smoking accounts for around 22% of adult hospital admission costs, over £235m every year, the research said. |
The assembly government said tackling smoking was a priority and attitudes were changing towards smoking. | The assembly government said tackling smoking was a priority and attitudes were changing towards smoking. |
The report, being presented at an international tobacco control conference in Cardiff by Prof Ceri J Phillips of Swansea University, said £43m was also spent on GP consultations. | The report, being presented at an international tobacco control conference in Cardiff by Prof Ceri J Phillips of Swansea University, said £43m was also spent on GP consultations. |
It said that nearly a quarter of the adult population in Wales are smokers and most of these started smoking as children. | It said that nearly a quarter of the adult population in Wales are smokers and most of these started smoking as children. |
With 6,000 people in Wales dying each year as a result of smoking, the report said many more would continue to die each year, or suffer chronic long term illnesses, if these levels were sustained. | With 6,000 people in Wales dying each year as a result of smoking, the report said many more would continue to die each year, or suffer chronic long term illnesses, if these levels were sustained. |
THE REPORT'S MAIN FINDINGS Smoking cost NHS Wales an estimated £386m in 2007/08; equivalent to £129 per head and 7% of total healthcare expenditure in Wales. £235.6m spent on hospital admissions (22% of total)£43.1m spent on GP consultations (13%)£21.5m spent on outpatient attendances (6%)£6.2m spent on practice nurse consultations (12%)£79.3m spent on prescriptions (14%)Source: Ash Wales and British Heart Foundation Cymru | |
Tanya Buchanan, of Ash Wales, said: "What this report doesn't include is the huge cost to the economy of Wales, for example more than £23m from lost productivity through smoking related sickness absences and £6m from smoking related fires. | |
"Not to mention the emotional cost of family members seeing their loved ones suffer daily from smoking related illnesses." | "Not to mention the emotional cost of family members seeing their loved ones suffer daily from smoking related illnesses." |
Ms Buchanan said that the report should not be used to demonise smokers but to prompt a move towards a more proactive health service, promoting and protecting people's health throughout their lives. | Ms Buchanan said that the report should not be used to demonise smokers but to prompt a move towards a more proactive health service, promoting and protecting people's health throughout their lives. |
"We urge the Welsh Assembly Government to act now and implement a comprehensive, and fully funded, tobacco control strategy for Wales, in line with other parts of the UK," she said. | "We urge the Welsh Assembly Government to act now and implement a comprehensive, and fully funded, tobacco control strategy for Wales, in line with other parts of the UK," she said. |
Delyth Lloyd, public affairs manager for British Heart Foundation Cymru, added: "The findings of this report should be of real concern to all who are involved in public health policy and decision making in Wales." | Delyth Lloyd, public affairs manager for British Heart Foundation Cymru, added: "The findings of this report should be of real concern to all who are involved in public health policy and decision making in Wales." |
A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said it had made tackling smoking a priority and there were encouraging signs that attitudes towards smoking in Wales were changing. | A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said it had made tackling smoking a priority and there were encouraging signs that attitudes towards smoking in Wales were changing. |
"Research we have commissioned shows that the smoking ban, introduced in April 2007, has had a significant impact on smoking habits, with people reporting that they're smoking less and thinking more about quitting," said the spokesman. | "Research we have commissioned shows that the smoking ban, introduced in April 2007, has had a significant impact on smoking habits, with people reporting that they're smoking less and thinking more about quitting," said the spokesman. |
Schemes such as Smokebugs and Assist, which aim to prevent young people trying tobacco, were also starting to pay off, he said. | |
"The number of 15 to 16-year-old boys smoking has dropped from 21% in 1998 to 12% in 2006, while smoking among girls in that age group has fallen from 29% in 1998 to 23% in 2006." | "The number of 15 to 16-year-old boys smoking has dropped from 21% in 1998 to 12% in 2006, while smoking among girls in that age group has fallen from 29% in 1998 to 23% in 2006." |