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Over
49’s dance their way to better health
‘STAY active and enjoy yourself’ was the message of the Time
Out event for over-49s held at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel last
week. Volunteer members of Liverpool based Patient and Public
Involvement (PPI) Forums took part in the event along with other
partners including Age Concern and Merseytravel to encourage local
residents to lead healthier lives. Visitors enjoyed free taster
sessions of line dancing, salsa, tap dancing, drumming and even
boxercise. Information was also distributed about ways to stay
physically and mentally active.
To help recruit new volunteers to the locally based PPI Forums, an
opportunity to enter into the free prize draw for a signed Everton
football was given to anyone who expressed an interest in becoming a
forum member. Over 120 names were received, showing the that the
community is serious about getting involved in decisions which
affect their health.
PPI Forum Member Freda Banks said:- “We had a really
successful day. We were able to speak to lots of people about the
work of our PPI forums. People were especially interested in
cleanliness inspections in hospitals which we call ‘Bugwatch’, and
were very keen for us to send them further information about
becoming a forum member. We only intended to stay a few hours and
ended up staying the full 7 hours because we enjoyed the day so
much!”
The PPI Forums are looking for more volunteers to join them in
influencing local health services around the Liverpool area. Anyone
interested should call the CPPIH recruitment hotline, 01925 543 000
or visit our website,
www.cppih.org.
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SMOKE
SIGNALS
A BAN on smoking in company vehicles could be on the horizon, says
Masterlease. Businesses could soon have to stop workers from smoking
while out on the road, according to leading fleet management company
Masterlease. The warning comes after the publication of the
Government’s Health Bill, which included details of a complete
smoking ban from all workplaces by the summer of 2007.
Masterlease is warning companies that a vehicle being used by more
than 1 person should be treated as an extension of the workplace,
and that failing to do this could have serious health and safety
implications. However, Masterlease also believes that businesses
with large fleets could save money in the long-term thanks to the
new legislation.
The new law is aimed at preventing non-smokers from being exposed to
other people’s cigarette smoke and could extend to colleagues
travelling in the same car or van while on company duty – regardless
of who owns the vehicle. Also, driving while smoking could see
drivers punished for failing to have proper control of the vehicle,
an offence which is due to become endorsable by 3 penalty points,
the same as a fixed penalty notice for speeding.
Gavin Jones, head of ProAct, Masterlease’s own risk management
service, admits the rule could be difficult to enforce but says it
could be in businesses’ best interests to do so:- “Businesses
face a duty of care to their employees and that extends to while
they are out on the road too. The total ban from smoking in the
workplace will extend to all vehicles carrying more than one person
and could be particularly significant to trades like builders and
plumbers, for whom their vehicle is essentially a mobile office from
which they carry out the vast majority of their work. Of course, it
may be difficult to enforce – it is hard to say how much control a
company has over its employees’ actions, especially when they are
rarely in the office. But should a law suit arise it could be the
business that is held responsible.”
Jones added that there were other issues to consider, such as the
residual value of vehicles, which would improve if they were not
exposed to smoke damage. Jones adds:- “It’s not all bad news
for businesses as a vehicle is usually worth more money at the end
of a contract if it has not been subjected to damage and
discolouration from smoke and cigarette burns in the upholstery.
Those operating large fleets could see the savings add up over
time.”
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