Public health "mentors" will be enlisted by the NHS to offer 'on the spot' advice in their local neighbourhood when they see people smoking, eating or drinking too much.
The Government hopes that the volunteers will help to get across its messages on healthy living in a new and influential way but the plans have been criticised as evidence of the creeping 'nanny state'.
Speaking at the Royal Society of Arts yesterday (19th March 2009), Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, said mentors could be "amazingly successful" and that he hoped that they could revolutionise the nation's health.
The mentors, who as volunteers are not paid, are expected to work to influence the people around them, offering advice to workmates, family and friends about how they should change their unhealthy habits.
These public health 'mentors' will be enlisted by the National Health Service (NHS) to offer 'on the spot' advice in their local neighbourhood when they see people smoking, eating or drinking too much, the Daily Telegraph reported by Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent (Last Updated: 8:18AM GMT 20 Mar 2009) in an article 'Snoops' to nag their friends to live healthier lives’
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