Government Says Bodies ‘Without An Interest’ Will ‘Not Be Considered’ In Local Fluoridation Scheme Consultations
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- Published: Tuesday, 12 April 2022 07:46
- Written by Chris Tapper
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Battle lines look soon to be drawn between the opposing sides of the fluoride debate following the launch of the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on water fluoridation.
The Government is calling for submissions to the DHSC’s fluoridation consultation in preparation for the anticipated implementation of the Health and Care bill, which is currently passing through Parliament.
If it becomes law, the Bill will allow the Secretary of State, rather than local authorities, to establish new water fluoridation schemes or to vary or terminate existing water fluoridation schemes in England.
The DHSC consultation document said “In the event that the Bill is passed, there will be a legal duty on the Secretary of State to undertake a formal public consultation before introducing any new water fluoridation schemes or before varying or terminating an existing scheme.”
“Secondary legislation will need to set out the process for consulting and the results from this consultation will inform that secondary legislation.”
The Government says it is “Proposing to maintain local consultation” but added “The views of individuals not directly affected and bodies without an interest would not be considered.”
The introduction to the consultation invitation does not make clear which bodies ‘without an interest’ would be excluded, or whether only local interested bodies would be included in the consultation process when local fluoridation schemes are proposed.
“Similarly, where proposals relate to varying or terminating existing schemes, views would be sought only from those people affected and bodies with an interest,” the introduction continued.
The launch of the consultation closely follows the publication of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities report ‘Water fluoridation: health monitoring report for England 2022 last month.’
The report supported “Earlier findings and wider evidence that water fluoridation, at levels recommended in the UK, is a safe and effective public health measure to reduce dental caries and inequalities in dental health.”
The British Fluoridation Society (BFS) welcomed the report on water fluoridation as “An effective public health intervention.”
The BFS said on its website “The findings in the latest health monitoring report for England show that children and young people in areas with higher fluoride concentrations were up to 63% less likely to be admitted to hospital for tooth extractions due to decay than those in areas with low fluoride concentrations.”
“The difference was greatest in the most deprived areas as children and young people in these areas benefitted the most from fluoridation.”
In his address to the British Fluoridation Society’s conference in Birmingham last year, former Health Minister and former BFS President Lord Philip Hunt told the conference “I do think we need to be prepared to battle and campaign to get fluoridation through.”
He called the Government’s plan to centralise the control of water fluoridation schemes “An opportunity to take a big step forward in not only improving this generation’s oral health, but those for decades to come.”
Proposed local fluoridation schemes seem unlikely to pass without opposition.
In 2021, the National Pure Water Association promoted a UK Government and Parliament petition: ‘Do not put fluoride in all tap water.’ The petition gathered 44,860 signatures – not enough to secure a Parliamentary debate, but enough to initiate the Government response: “Water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure to improve oral health. Public consultation will be an important part of the process ahead of introducing any new schemes.”
In 2003, a national anti-fluoridation campaign was launched following the passing of the Government’s Water Bill. That campaign, which saw protest events in Manchester and Leeds, was supported by the National Pure Water Association as well as the Green Party, according to the Local Government Chronicle.
That same year councillors in Bradford passed a resolution condemning mass medication as "unethical,” and sent a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair outlining its opposing stance to fluoridation.” Calderdale Council passed a similar resolution, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus reported.
Bradford remains non-fluoridated and even the YorkshireWater authority states on its website “We don’t put fluoride into Yorkshire’s water.”
The DHSC’s consultation form can be accessed here.
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