England's NHS plans for sugar tax with ban on unhealthy food adverts

England's National Health Service (NHS) plans to introduce a sugar tax, reportedly 20% from April, by removing price promotions, adverts and checking for unhealthy food in hospitals and other health centres.

In a press release, Simon Stevens, NHS England’s chief executive announced £ 600 million of funding, about 1% of the money budgeted for commissioning services from hospitals and other trusts, to help pay for the initiative.

In order to finalise the implementation of the tax from April 2017 and help staff adopt healthier lifestyles, trusts have to provide information on fast-food franchises, vending machines and other retail outlets on their sites.

Some of the initiative are to get as many staff to walk and cycle to work and provide more physical activities, like team sports, fitness classes and running clubs. Mental health initiatives, including stress management, mindfulness courses, counselling and mental health first aid, are also on the agenda.

News of the initiative comes amid doubt that the government will introduce a sugar tax on retailers elsewhere and delays a strategy to tackle childhood obesity. Stevens believes the NHS needs to "practice what it preaches" by providing to support for the health and wellbeing for England's 1.3 million staff. 

"A good place to start is by tackling the sources of staff sickness absence including mental health and musculoskeletal injuries, while doing our bit to end the nation’s obesity epidemic by ditching junk food and sugary drinks in place of tasty, healthy and affordable alternatives," he stated in the press release.

Adding, “If we can do this well, we hope that more parts of the public and private sector will see the sense of it and also take the plunge.”