The first royal speech was delivered today. It is an important opportunity for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to set out his government’s agenda ahead of the next general election. We welcome the Government’s commitment to creating a smoke-free generation and tackling the challenges of the NHS workforce.

The government’s key priorities outlined in today’s speech are to grow the economy, strengthen societies, including by helping people get the care they need when they get sick, and keep people safe. there were.

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The widely anticipated tobacco and e-cigarette bill was one of the headline announcements. If fully implemented, the bill would raise the age at which cigarettes can be sold by one year each year. This means anyone born after January 1, 2009 (under 14 this year) cannot legally sell cigarettes.

It is estimated that between six and seven million adults smoke cigarettes in the UK, and that at least 15,000 people die from heart disease and circulatory disease each year in the UK due to smoking. We welcome this bold action by the Government, which will help prevent future generations from being harmed by smoking.

Our Chief Executive, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, said: ‘The landmark smoking bill set out in today’s King’s Speech will help us avoid thousands of unnecessary deaths from cardiovascular disease. We can, and this bill, if fully introduced, will help protect the hearts and minds of countless people for generations to come.” ”

Reduce waiting lists for cardiac care

The King’s speech reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to reducing waiting lists and transforming the NHS workforce. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published earlier this year, sets out how the health service will address critical staffing shortages and meet the challenges of a growing and aging population.

Training, recruiting and retaining more NHS staff is key to protecting the health service now and into the future, ensuring that more heart patients need life-saving treatment in the coming years. You can make it possible to receive it.

Dr Griffiths added: “We welcome the Government’s recommitment to delivering the long-term workforce plan.
“More than 400,000 heart patients in the UK currently face agonizing waits for heart tests and treatments, putting them at further risk of disability and death. We need to take short-term action against heart disease. Help heart patients who need urgent treatment now.”

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