The LGA's media office provides the national voice of local government in England and Wales on the major issues of the day for national, regional and local press.
“While it is good the Government will continue to help the public sector as well as businesses keep their energy bills lower and provided some certainty for the next 12 months, we remain deeply concerned about the risk to some council services."
"The findings of this survey highlight the need for urgent investment in oral health education so that parents and children understand the impact of sugar on teeth and the importance of good oral hygiene."
“It is essential that councils have the capacity, workforce and funding to stand up locally-driven testing and contact tracing as soon as possible, to be able to respond swiftly to any future outbreaks or public health emergency.”
Patients could have to wait longer for sexual health services with visits to clinics up by 25 per cent in five years at the same time as funding for councils to provide vital public health services has been cut.
These new statistics continue to show that local council-commissioned sexual health services are at risk of breaking point, with rising demand coming at the same time as real terms cuts to funding
"Councils are committed to ensuring drug users get the right support and treatment, and spend more on drug and alcohol treatment than in any other area of public health. This year alone, local authorities are budgeting to spend more than £700 million on tackling substance misuse."
The cost of providing a breakthrough drug which could lead to the end of HIV nationwide needs to be fully funded before its roll out by councils across the country, or many will be at risk of being unable to afford to deliver it, the Local Government Association warns today.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) will be made routinely available from April via local authorities’ public health services, following a successful impact trial. The daily medication is recommended for people at high risk and is considered a game-changer in the fight against HIV, by being highly effective in reducing the