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Councils, which are responsible for public health services, are committed to continue supporting people with alcohol and other substance misuse problems despite ongoing pressures made worse by the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has reinforced the urgent need for long-term reform of adult social care, including sustainable funding which grows in line with demand, as well as investment to tackle the funding gap between the cost of providing care and what councils pay."

"Investing in drug prevention and treatment now will reap benefits for everyone longer-term, including for the NHS, criminal justice and other public services."

"Councils broadly support the Bill’s focus on improving the health and wellbeing of the population and the duty of bodies to have regard to this in making decisions. We are strongly in favour of the duty to engage with patients, carers and representatives and hope and expect that there will be further guidance to help bring this to fruition."

COVID-19’s expected long-term health impact needs to be recognised in future public health and social care planning.

"Whilst we are all keen to get back to normal as soon as possible, we all still need to remain vigilant and use common sense wherever necessary."

“Any decision on offering a booster jab later this year, to protect our most vulnerable from variants and flu ahead of winter, will be supported by councils and their directors of public health in our collective national effort to end the pandemic."

"Any efforts to tackle the causes of obesity needs to be part of a whole systems approach, if we are to help the Government meet its target of halving childhood obesity by 2030."

Councillors from across the country and political spectrum have called on the Government to give greater priority to social care and start committing more resources to it now.

"“It is good to see NHS England and NHS Improvement’s inclusive approach to developing the Integrated Care System (ICS) design framework. The LGA has been consulted on the scope, tone and content of the document and many of our concerns have been addressed."