The Scottish Public Health White Paper in 1999 published initial targets for smoking reduction in target groups, set by the Scottish Executive. These were reviewed and in some cases further reduced in the Scottish Executive's 2004 Tobacco Control Action Plan. The Scottish Government’s Smoking Prevention Action Plan set out new targets in 2008.
(see: Scottish Government Scotland’s future is smoke-free: a smoking prevention action plan [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2008. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/13 [accessed 28 May 2008])
The current targets for Scotland are as follows:
The Scottish Government target to reduce the percentage of adults aged 16+ smoking to 22% by 2010 was confirmed in 20081 2. This is a National Indicator and performance against this objective is tracked by the Scottish Government3.
This target has been adjusted several times by Ministers. In 2003 the target was a reduction in smoking from 35% to 33% between 1995 and 2005 and to 31% by 20104. This was adjusted to a reduction in smoking amongst adults to 29% by 2010 in 20045. In 2005 the current target was set; to reduce the percentage of adults aged 16+ smoking from 26.5% in 2004 to 22% by 20106 7 8.
The Scottish Government has also set a target to achieve agreed reductions in the rates of hospital admissions and bed days of patients with primary diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, Diabetes or Coronary Heart Disease, from 2006/7 to 2010/1117.
The Scottish Government in 2007 set a target to reduce the proportion of women who smoke in pregnancy from 29% to 23% between 1995 and 2005 and to 20% by 201014 5.
In 2007 the Scottish Government gave NHS Boards a target to support 8% of their smoking population to quit successfully (at one month post-quit) by the end of 2010/119.
The Scottish Government in 2007 wished to increase healthy life expectancy at birth in the most deprived 15% of areas in Scotland2 10. This is a National Indicator and performance against this objective is tracked by the Scottish Government .
The current Scottish Government also aims to reduce health inequalities by reducing the rate of mortality for Coronary Heart Disease amongst under 75s in the most deprived 15% of areas in Scotland2. This is a National Indicator and performance against this objective is tracked by the Scottish Government11.
Previous administrations had provided targets to address health inequalities in the most deprived areas of Scotland. The current Scottish Government has not published their targets in this area as yet. Previous targets set in 2005 included a reduction the rate of smoking during pregnancy for the most deprived communities from 35.8% in 2003 to 32.2% in 200813. The government in 2005 aimed to reduce the rate of smoking amongst adults aged 16+ in the most deprived communities from 37.3% in 2004 to 33.2% in 20086.
The previous administration aimed to reduce health inequalities by increasing the rate of improvement for the most deprived communities by 15% across a range of indicators, including CHD, cancer, adult smoking, smoking in pregnancy, teenage pregnancy and suicides in young people by 20088 13.
The previous administration aimed to reduce smoking among young people (aged 12-15) from 14% to 12% between 1995 and 2005 and to 11% by 201014 5. The current Scottish Government indicated their commitment to these targets in 20081.
The current Scottish Government’s Smoking Prevention Action Plan1 set out the following targets for children and young people:
• To reduce the level of smoking amongst 13 year old girls from 5% in 2006 to 3% in 2014.
• To reduce the level of smoking amongst 13 year old boys from 3% in 2006 to 2% in 2014.
• To reduce the level of smoking amongst 15 year old girls from 18% in 2006 to 14% in 2014.
• To reduce the level of smoking amongst 15 year old boys from 12% in 2006 to 9% in 2014.
Recommended targets had been set out previously in the 2006 report of the smoking prevention action group7. These are illustrated below:
|
|
2010 |
2015 |
2020 |
2025 |
|
Boys aged 13 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Girls aged 13 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
Boys aged 15 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
|
Girls aged 15 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
6 |
The smoking prevention action group also recommended that new separate targets for 16 to 24 year olds be set. The Scottish Government in 2008 indicated that it aimed to reduce the level of smoking amongst 16 to 24 year olds from 26.5% in 2006 to 22.9% in 20121.
The smoking prevention action group had suggested a reduction in smoking amongst 16-24 year olds to 25% in 2010, 20% by 2015 and 15% in 20207.
Health Efficiency Access and Treatment (HEAT) targets are a core set of measures, targets and objectives for the NHS. HEAT targets are set by the Scottish Government for a three year period. Progress towards HEAT targets are measured through the Local Delivery Plan process, individual to each health board.
Indicators for Scottish local government have been agreed by the Single Outcome Agreement Group in 2008. The group is comprised of Audit Scotland, COSLA, the Scottish Government, the Improvement Service and Solace.
Indicator 10 - decrease the proportion of individuals living in poverty15
Indicator 16 - increase healthy life expectancy at birth in the most deprived areas15
Indicator 17 - reduce the percentage of the adult population who smoke to 22% by 201015
Indicator 21 - reduce mortality from coronary heart disease among the under 75s in deprived areas15
The Scottish Government monitors performance against National Indicators. Several smoking related targets are included in these National indicators16.
1 Scottish Government Scotland’s future is smoke-free: a smoking prevention action plan [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2008. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/13 [accessed 28 May 2008]
2 Scottish Government Technical notes for the 2007 spending review [online] Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/933/0056554.pdf [accessed 5 May 2008]
3 Scottish Government Scotland Performs – National Indicators: Reduce the percentage of the adult population who smoke to 22% by 2010 [online] 2008. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators/reduceSmoking [accessed 2nd June 2008]
4 Scottish Executive Improving health in Scotland: the challenge [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2003. Available from
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/47034/0013854.pdf [accessed 30 April 2008]
5 Scottish Executive A breath of fresh air for Scotland. Improving Scotland's health: the challenge tobacco control action plan [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2004. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/26487/0013536.pdf [accessed 30 April 2008]
6 Clearing the Air 100 days to go to no smoking law [online] 2005. Available from
http://www.clearingtheairscotland.com/news/item.php?id=37 [accessed 30 April 2008]
7 Scottish Executive Towards a future without tobacco: the report of the smoking prevention working group [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2006. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/155323/0041722.pdf [accessed 30 April 2008]
8 Scottish Executive Delivering a healthy future: an action framework for children and young people’s health in Scotland [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2007. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/165782/0045104.pdf [accessed 29 April 2008]
9 Scottish Government Better health, better care: action plan [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 2007. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/11103453/9 [accessed 30 April 2008]
10 Scottish Government Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 [online] 2007. Available from
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/13092240/9 [accessed 30 April 2008]
11 Scottish Government Scotland Performs – National Indicators: Increase healthy life expectancy at birth in the most deprived areas [online] 2008. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators/lifeExpectancy [accessed 2nd June 2008]
12 Scottish Government Scotland Performs – National Indicators: Reduce mortality from coronary heart disease among the under 75s in deprived areas [online] 2008. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators/heartDisease [accessed 2nd June 2008]
13 Scottish Executive Building a better Scotland: spending proposals 2005 - 2008: enterprise, opportunity, fairness: Technical Notes [online] 2005. Available from
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/srtn04.pdf [accessed 30 April 2008]
14 The Scottish Office Towards a healthier Scotland: a white paper on health [online] Edinburgh: The Stationary Office 1999. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w7/tahs-10.htm [accessed 30 April 2008]
15 Single Outcome Agreement Group Single Outcome Agreements: guidance, format and indicators for Scottish local government [online] 2008. Available from
http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,0/task,doc_download/gid,1723/ [accessed 30 April 2008]
16 Scottish Government Scotland Performs [online] 2008. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators [accessed 2nd June 2008]
17 Scottish Government NHSScotland performance targets [online] 2008. Available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/17273/targets/Treat [accessed 14 November 2008]