Medics slam tan sessions; COUNCILS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR NOT BANNING SUNBEDS

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 24, 2009

Byline: SARA NICHOL

LEADING medics have hit out at North East councils after learning they raked in thousands of pounds from sunbeds.

A Chronicle investigation revealed that local authorities in the region earned more than pounds 160,000 from tanning beds in their leisure centres over the past four years.

And now those councils who haven't ditched the ultra violet tubes and continue to make money despite the health risks associated them have come under scrutiny.

Since January, four councils in the region have removed all sunbeds from their services after it was claimed at least 100 people are killed by them each year in the UK, while many more suffer malignant cancers or disfiguring injuries.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that councils made pounds 162,000 from tanning booths in the last four years, with Newcastle City Council generating the most at pounds 62,081.94. But the overall figure is expected to be much more, as financial information from Northumberland County Council was only available from April, when it became a unitary authority, during which time it already made pounds 3,000 from tanning beds.

In January this year, Newcastle removed all sunbeds from its leisure facilities, with North and South Tyneside Councils withdrawing their last remaining sunbeds a few months later.

But tanning facilities still remain in Ponteland Leisure Centre, Ponteland, the Swan Leisure Centre, Berwick, both in Northumberland, Spennymoor Leisure Centre, in County Durham, and the Sunderland Tennis Centre, Sunderland.

The British Medical Association has been campaigning against sunbed use since 2003, arguing that just one session a month doubled the average individual's annual dose of UV radiation.

Dr George Rae, chairman of the North Eastern BMA, said: "The whole thing is a concern. Local authorities, as well as sunbed users, have to be well aware of the inherent dangers involved from sunbeds and we are worried about the increasing rate of malignant melanoma.

"Anything that can be done to protect people from it, including removing sunbeds from council facilities, would very much be backed by us. Not making sunbeds available in these leisure centres is very worthwhile for public health."

Durham County Council said its two tanning facilities in Spennymoor were in a beauty salon, which is operated under a franchise agreement to a third party.

Since the Chronicle brought the matter to the attention of Northumberland Council, a spokesperson said: "Due to the reported health risks of this equipment we are currently in discussion with the companies about the sun beds and we are confident that they will be removed in the future."

A spokesman for Sunderland City Council said: "We have no immediate plans to remove the sunbed from the centre but Sunderland City Council is committed to providing safe and responsible services to its customers, which includes sunbeds."

CAPTION(S):

AGAINST ADVICE: Local authorities have made more than pounds 160,000 from tanning beds in four years