Citizens' Juries on Health and Harmful Products
Commissioned by the YHPHN, residents from across the region have come together to form Citizens’ Juries, to discuss how to protect our health from harmful products such as tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food.
Over several workshops, Jurors heard evidence on the impact that the tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food industries have on our health and wellbeing. Jurors learned how these products are the leading causes of preventable illness in the UK, and discussed the tactics that industry uses to promote sales.
Weighing up the evidence, Jurors agreed ‘manifestos for change’ – actions they want to see to make their communities healthier places to live and work in. At the final workshops, Jurors shared their findings with MPs, local councillors and policy makers.
They called for healthy food to be made more affordable, and to restrict the advertising of alcohol, unhealthy food and vapes. Jurors also felt strongly that decisions about health policy should be protected from industry involvement and financial interests, calling for health to be prioritised over the profit of big companies.
These findings will help shape local authority plans and will be used to call on the UK government to set higher standards for how businesses design, market and sell their products.
The Juries were delivered in partnership with researchers from the SPECTRUM research consortium, and the Health Determinants Research Collaborations hosted within Wakefield and Doncaster Councils.
A summary report has been published capturing initial findings from the Juries. Further outputs will be published over the coming months.
