The evolution of a UK regional tobacco control office in its early years: social contexts and policy dynamics

Abstract

The Smoke Free North East Office (SFNEO) is the first dedicated tobacco control office in the UK coordinating a regional tobacco control network, Smoke Free North East (SFNE). On the basis of ethnographic research conducted between 2006 and 2008, this article examines the context for SFNEO's emergence at this time and in this region of England, and the main policy and practice challenges it has faced in its early years. SFNE formed in a favourable political and cultural climate, although regional champions were crucial in setting it up. It has worked well in branding itself and in taking advantage of the opportunity to lobby in support of comprehensive smoke-free legislation, although the success of the legislation presents a risk that people will regard SFNE's work as finished. There is a need for independent sustainable funding, strong partnership working and the 'bringing together' of existing organizations under its leadership for an organization such as SFNE to succeed. SFNE offers a model that is transferable to other places as well as to other public health concerns such as alcohol, and has been taken up by public health planners and policy makers with alacrity. This indicates a general perception that SFNE plays an effective role in public health delivery.

What makes intersectoral partnerships for health promotion work? A review of the international literature

“…The success of “strong” partnerships was linked to positive history of partner interaction, partner engagement, clear roles, and a desire for future collaboration. Input interaction, communication, roles/procedures Smoke Free North East Office: a tobacco control network, UK ( Russell et al , 2009 ) An ethnographic study of the Smoke Free North East Office coordinating a regional tobacco control network in the UK. Data were collected over a two year period to develop an understanding of the organizational culture and policy contexts in which the staff operates.…”

“…One case study noted the importance of having a “champion” within the federal health sector who helped facilitate the success of the partnership ( Vogel et al , 2010 ). An ethnographic study of a tobacco control partnership in the UK found that the partnership strategy of changing social norms through social marketing supported their work ( Russell et al , 2009 ).…”

“…A smaller subset also examined organizational capacity building as an outcome ( Zakocs and Guckenburg, 2007 ; Cheadle et al , 2008 ; de Groot et al , 2010 ). A few studies also examined policy impact ( Cheadle et al , 2008 ; Russell et al , 2009 ; Vogel et al , 2010 ). Several studies examined a combination of these outputs and outcomes ( Zakocs and Guckenburg, 2007 ; Cheadle et al , 2008 ; de Groot et al , 2010 ).…”

Documenting Impact: An Impact Case Study of Anthropological Collaboration in Tobacco Control

“…When it was established in 2005, Fresh Smoke Free North East (FreshNE) was the first tobacco control office in the U.K. It was unique in bringing together smoking cessation, health education and lobbying work under one dedicated umbrella organisation (Russell et al 2009). The involvement of the Anthropology Department at our University was secured through AR being appointed to the Intelligence Subcommittee of the newly formed organisation in 2006.…”

The Making and Changing of Smoking Persons in Public Health Policy and Practice: Ethnography of a World-First Illicit Tobacco Program

“…In 2005, Fresh North East (hereafter "Fresh"), the United Kingdom's first dedicated tobacco control office, was established. Partly inspired by the publication of a paper suggesting that smoking prevalence would take decades to reach government targets if intervention was limited to smoking cessation programs alone (Milne, 2005), its aim was to control tobacco through a comprehensive range of strategies that targeted "upstream" factors and not simply smoking cessation (Russell et al, 2009). Fresh was actively involved in lobbying for national smokefree enclosed public spaces legislation, but early on also identified another issue as contributing to serious health inequalities, namely the presence of contraband and counterfeit tobacco products in the region.…”