Miss Melanie Johnson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; Welwyn Hatfield, Labour)

A number of guidance topics were referred to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on 5 April 2005, including topics in support of public health interventions and programmes pursuant to the aims of Choosing health—Making healthier choices easier". This referral included six public health guidance topics:

An assessment of four commonly used methods to increase physical activity: brief interventions in primary care, pedometers, exercise referral schemes and community based exercise programmes for walking and cycling.

An assessment of interventions (including screening) to reduce the transmission of Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections and to reduce the rate of under 18 conceptions, especially among vulnerable and at risk groups.

An assessment of brief interventions and referral for smoking cessation in primary care (including pharmacy and dental services as well as general practitioner's surgeries) and other settings with particular reference to pregnant smokers and disadvantaged groups and the tailoring and targeting of interventions.

Guidance on the optimal provision of smoking cessation services including the provision of nicotine replacement therapy, for primary care, pharmacies, local authorities and workplaces with particular reference to manual groups, pregnant smokers and hard to reach communities.

Guidance for midwives, health visitors, pharmacists and other primary care services to improve the nutrition of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children in low income households.

The most appropriate means of generic and specific interventions to support attitude and behaviour change at population and community levels.

NICE has already been commissioned to produce guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity.