29/04/2005

Health inequalities across UK widen claims BMJ report

A report by the British Medical Journal shows that health inequalities throughout the UK are at their widest since Victorian times.

Life expectancy continues to rise in the most advantaged areas of the country at a greater pace than in the poorest areas.

Glasgow City has the worst life expectancy, 72.9 years, compared to Kensington and Chelsea at 82.4 years.

Latching onto the report, the Conservative's Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “Labour has failed to reverse the trend of health inequalities across Britain. Only yesterday John Reid said the Government was committed to tackling health inequalities but this is all talk.”

He continued: “At the heart of the inequality are two failures. Firstly, the Government has failed to prioritise public health-services are fragmented and Labour have delivered weak, inconsistent messages. Secondly, GPs have not been given enough control to deliver changes.

"In contrast, Conservatives would provide an integrated public health service and spearhead a strong national awareness campaign. We will devolve NHS resources to family doctor services, which will enable GPs to deliver stronger screening programmes, promote better awareness and ensure better access – especially for those on lower incomes.”

(CD/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

11 August 2005
Health inequalities gap continues to widen
The health inequality gap between people living in wealthy areas and those in poorer parts of the UK is continuing to widen, a new report has claimed. The government-commissioned Scientific Reference Group of Health Inequalities study found that the inequality gap, measured by infant mortality and life expectancy rates, had increased.
24 September 2009
Scots Life Expectancy Rises
Life expectancy for Scottish people has improved over the last 10 years, according to government statistics published today. The length of life expectancy at birth has increased from 72.4 years to 75.0 years for men and from 78.1 years to 79.9 years for women.
07 July 2010
'Healthy' Britain Surveyed
A snapshot of health for each local area comparing key statistics such as life expectancy, deprivation and early deaths from stroke and heart disease has been published this week by the Department of Health.
19 November 2004
'Spearhead' trusts to tackle health inequality
New initiatives such as health trainers and enhanced Stop Smoking Services are to be piloted in some of the most health deprived areas in England, it has been announced today.
21 November 2011
Institute Launches To Tackle Health 'Inequalities'
The Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, has launched an institute aiming to reduce health inequalities on Monday.