Published21 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, PA MediaBy James GregoryBBC NewsPrime Minister Rishi Sunak will call for an end to the UK’s “sick note culture” in a speech on welfare reform.Mr Sunak is considering moving responsibility for assessing fitness to work away from GPs to “specialist work and health professionals” in England.A record high of 2.8m people are out of work as of February 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.Labour says the government has “run out of ideas” and has failed to deliver a healthy nation or economy.In a speech announcing plans to overhaul the benefits system on Friday, the prime minister is expected to say the focus must shift away from what people cannot do to what work people might be able to do. “We don’t just need to change the sick note, we need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t,” Mr Sunak is expected to say. He will also warn against “over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life”. Opposition parties say changes to sick notes – officially known as fit notes – have been announced previously by the government.A call for evidence will be published on Friday seeking responses from healthcare professionals, employers, and those with lived experiences asking how the current process works and how it can be improved.Who are the millions of Britons not working?Mr Sunak is expected to refer to challenges presented since the pandemic, with the government saying a “significant number of working aged people have become inactive due to long-term sickness which has in large part been driven by mental health conditions”.The government said NHS data showed almost 11m fit notes were issued last year in England, with 94% of those signed “not fit for work”. It also said a large proportion of these were repeat fit notes issued without any advice.But Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was standard practice for surgeries to check in and provide advice for their patients before giving repeat fit notes.She added that as a profession, GPs were “not against the idea” of moving responsibility for issuing notes to other professionals, but she said the practice was quite often part of a “normal consultation” with a patient. The prime minister’s speech comes a month after Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride faced criticism for an interview in which he said there was “a real risk” that “the normal ups and downs of human life” were being labelled as medical conditions which then held people back from working.Those comments were described as “disappointing” by the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, while the Centre for Mental Health charity said they risked “belittling people’s struggles”.Ahead of Mr Sunak’s speech on Friday, Alison McGovern, Labour’s acting shadow work and pensions secretary, said: “A healthy nation is critical to a healthy economy, but the Tories have completely failed on both.”She claimed 14 years of Conservative government had resulted in a record number of people “locked out of work because they are sick – at terrible cost to them, to business and to the taxpayer paying billions more in spiralling benefits bills.”Today’s announcement proves that this failed government has run out of ideas, announcing the same minor alternation to fit notes that we’ve heard them try before.”The Lib Dem Work and Pensions spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain said: “These reheated announcements will do nothing to help the millions languishing in pain on waiting lists.”This is a prime minister and a Conservative government that has overseen nothing but stagnant economic growth and forced families to choose between heating and eating.”Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said: “The prime minister should be fixing the NHS so that people can get well, not blaming people who are ill.”We would invest in mending the health and social care system, not denying people the right to see a GP when they need it.”More on this storyWho are the millions of Britons not working?Published2 days ago

Published18 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersBy James GregoryBBC NewsPlans to phase out the sale of cigarettes in England will be the “biggest public health intervention in a generation”, Rishi Sunak has said.The PM told the BBC there was “no safe level of smoking” when asked about restricting people’s right to choose. His plan seeks to raise the legal age of smoking every year by a year so that eventually no-one can buy tobacco.Tory MPs will be allowed a free vote while Labour indicated it would back the policy.But some critics of the policy say it could lead to the creation of a “black market”.Last year, the tobacco industry raised more than £10bn in taxes, a 3% drop from 2021-22. Making the announcement in his keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference, Mr Sunak said he believed it was the right step to tackle the leading cause of preventable ill-health.In an interview with Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Sunak was challenged on why he was taking measures to ban the future sale of cigarettes but in June pushed back part of the government’s anti-obesity strategy, saying he believed in “people’s right to choose”.Originally scheduled for this month, plans to ban two-for-one junk food deals have been delayed by the government for another two years.But Mr Sunak told the BBC smoking cigarettes was not the same as eating crisps or a piece of cake because it could not be part of a balanced diet and there was no safe level of smoking.”Smoking is unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness in our society,” he said.”Everyone recognises this measure will be the single biggest intervention in public health in a generation.”He said measures to restrict choice were “never easy” but nobody would want their children or grandchildren to grow up to smoke.Smoking age should rise until it is banned – SunakThe facts have changed, says PM, as he scraps HS2 legRishi Sunak unleashes reset of his premiershipSix takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s speechSmoking increases the risk of strokes, heart disease, dementia and stillbirth as well as causing one in four deaths from cancer. Smoking rates have been falling since the 1970s. But there are still more than five million smokers in England and six million across the UK. Currently, one in nine 18 to 24-year-olds smokes, according to the Office for National Statistics. The idea of gradually increasing the smoking age was put forward last year by Javed Khan, the former Barnardo’s chief executive, who was asked by ministers to consider new approaches to tackling smoking.At the time, the government, which was led by Boris Johnson, said such a move was unlikely.But Mr Sunak has decided to throw his backing behind it as a way of meeting the government’s ambition for England to be smokefree by 2030 – defined as less than 5% of the population smoking.Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, has said “the overwhelming majority of the medical profession, the nursing profession and all the health charities support this”.He described claims from the tobacco industry that the ban would not work as “bogus”.Speaking to the BBC, Sir Chris said: “As a doctor I’ve seen many people in hospital desperate to stop smoking because it’s killing them and yet they can not – their choice has been removed.”Labour said it would “not play politics with public health” and would lend the prime minister the votes to get the law passed – but the plan is likely to meet opposition from the libertarian wing of the Conservative Party.Earlier this week, former prime minister Liz Truss said the party needed to “stop banning things”. It is understood she will not vote in favour of the policy.Image source, Jonathan BradyChristopher Snowdon, head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, told the BBC the policy if implemented would lead to “massive black markets”. “You’re going to have, almost certainly, a fairly large, informal market of smokers who are old enough to buy cigarettes selling cigarettes to people who are not old enough. “The problem with prohibition isn’t that it doesn’t have any effect whatsoever on consumption, the problem with prohibition is it leads to massive black markets and a lot of tax revenues gone.”Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, accused the prime minister of “dumbing down” by treating future generations of adults like children.He added that Mr Sunak had taken a “wrecking ball to the principles of choice and personal responsibility”. But Cancer Research UK’s Michelle Mitchell said the announcement on the smoking age was a “critical step”.”If implemented, the prime minister will deserve great credit for putting the health of UK citizens ahead of the interests of the tobacco lobby.” Deborah Arnott, from campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said what had been announced was an “unprecedented” set of measures which would hasten the day smoking is obsolete.Also in his interview with the Today programme, Mr Sunak: Did not directly answer whether he agreed with Home Secretary Suella Braverman who said immigration posed an “existential threat to the West’s way of life” and warning of an “invasion” and hurricane” – Mr Sunak said it was putting unsustainable pressure on the UKSaid the global investors he has spoken to were not concerned about the scrapping of the HS2 northern legWhile Mr Sunak undoubtedly hopes his plans to phase out smoking will be a legacy of his time in office, his first conference as PM was overshadowed by his decision, and the speculation in the days leading up to it, to axe the northern leg of the HS2 rail project. While critics reacted with anger to the decision, the PM insisted investments would instead be made in transport projects across the country.Are you a smoker or a parent? How do you feel about the proposed change? Get in touch by emailinghaveyoursay@bbc.co.ukPlease include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSayUpload pictures or videoPlease read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. More on this storySmoking age should rise until it is banned – SunakPublished19 hours agoRishi Sunak unleashes reset of his premiershipPublished8 hours agoSix takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s speechPublished17 hours agoThe facts have changed, says PM, as he scraps HS2 legPublished14 hours agoA-levels to be replaced by new qualificationPublished16 hours agoWould Labour tax meat? And other Conservative claims checkedPublished16 hours agoWhy Rishi Sunak’s HS2 gamble may not pay offPublished48 minutes ago

Published18 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy James GregoryBBC NewsChina has deactivated a phone app that has tracked people’s movements during the pandemic.The national app, which has been operational for three years, went offline at the end of Monday.It is the latest policy change that signals Beijing is abandoning its controversial zero-Covid strategy. The move is highly symbolic but will not have a huge impact on people’s daily lives because of the local apps still in use in cities across China.The state-run Communications Itinerary Card app, which uses phone signals to track whether someone has travelled to an area considered to be high-risk, was seen as a central part of China’s zero-Covid policy. People were required to enter phone numbers in the app in order to produce a green arrow indicating they were able to travel between provinces and enter events.Now travel between provinces has been eased with the removal of Covid-prevention restrictions, the national app has been deemed to be obsolete by officials.Many social media users in China have welcomed the app’s retirement. But it is only one of several tracking apps that have governed everyday life in China, with many people still using scanning systems run by their city or province to access local amenities and public buildings.China eases some Covid restrictions amid protestsThe policy change is symbolic for a nation which is turning away from its controversial zero-Covid strategy following widespread protests in several cities. Recent unrest was triggered by a fire in a high-rise block in the western Xinjiang region that killed 10 people in November, with long-running restrictions blamed for hampering the rescue effort.Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing policy changes, people with Covid can now isolate at home rather than in state facilities, and there has been a broad relaxation of mass testing. China is now experiencing a surge in Covid cases, with authorities in Beijing saying more than 22,000 patients had visited hospitals across the city on Sunday – 16 times the number a week earlier.China reported 8,626 domestic cases on Sunday, but with testing no longer widespread the numbers are believed to be much higher.Despite its loosening of measures, China is still regarded as having some of the most hard-line Covid restrictions in the world. More on this storyChina abandons key parts of zero-Covid strategy5 days agoWhat is China’s Covid policy and how many cases are there?19 hours ago

Published6 hours agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesParts of the UK are predicted to experience a heatwave over the next few days, the Met Office has said.Southern and eastern areas will see consistently high temperatures over the next week.On Friday, parts of the country are predicted to hit 28C (82.4F) – beginning the run of hot days.The forecaster and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a level 2 heat-health alert warning ahead of the hot weather.It will come into force from Monday 11 July until Friday 15 July, and covers the east of England, south-east and London.The heat-health alert scale is designed to help healthcare workers manage through periods of extreme temperatures and has four levels. Level 2, called alert and readiness, is triggered as soon as there is a 60% risk that temperature thresholds will be reached in one or more regions on at least two consecutive days and the night in between.The Met Office declares a heatwave when it records at least three days in a row with maximum temperatures exceeding a set temperature – which varies in different areas of the country. The UK previously experienced a heatwave three weeks ago, with 17 June marking the hottest day of the year so far.Northern Ireland had its hottest day of 2022 so far on Thursday, with highs of 23.5C.Is the UK getting hotter?Check the weather forecast where you are10 tips for sleeping in hot weatherWhat do heatwaves do to the body?Temperatures in the mid to high 20s are expected in some areas over the weekend before they reach the low 30s at the start of next week, according to the Met Office’s deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver. The north-west of England is expected to buck the trend seen elsewhere, with cloud and light rain expected over the weekend and into next week.BBC Weather presenter Nick Miller said: “Temperatures are set to rise this weekend lasting into a least the first half of next week. “Parts of England and Wales will see highs in the upper 20s and low 30s Celsius for several days and meet the criteria for an official heatwave to be declared.”Some places are likely to see their highest temperature of the year so far.” Image source, PA MediaHeatwaves are becoming more likely and more extreme because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began, and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.In England, there were 2,500 excess deaths in the summer of 2020 as a result of hot weather, while heat-related deaths in the UK could treble in 30 years, the British Red Cross predicts. How are you preparing for the heatwave? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSayUpload pictures or videoPlease read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.THE FALKLANDS WAR: As told by the British troops who fought there’I FELT SO ALONE’: A shocking insight into the lives of young people in careMore on this storyIs the UK getting hotter?17 JuneHeatwaves redefined in England over climate change29 March10 tips for sleeping in hot weather15 JuneWhat does hot weather do to the body?15 JuneDogs at double risk of heatstroke in London23 MayHow do we know climate change is caused by humans?25 October 2021A really simple guide to climate change13 October 2021