Shirley Cramer: health advice with your haircut | Denis Campbell

The chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health believes 19 million people, including hairdressers, teachers and firefighters, could be recruited to tackle obesity and smoking

Few experts would argue that the coalition has done anywhere near enough over the last five years to tackle the deep-seated public health problems that are damaging millions of lives and adding significantly to the growing pressures on the NHS.

Shirley Cramer, the chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), speaks for many in the field when she voices disappointment and frustration. “With plain packaging [of cigarettes], it was moving along fine and then sort of came to a grinding halt. I assume that was to do with industry lobbying. It was slightly pushing water uphill, but we’re glad to see it finally happened. It’s good news that public health finally won the day”, she says, in her office in the society’s London HQ.

The West Midlands fire service uses visits to fit smoke alarms to advise older people on how to prevent falls 

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