HEALTH INEQUALITIES

THE findings of the Marmot Review show that in the last decade, life expectancy has stalled, health has deteriorated, and health inequalities have widened.

With the health of the population deteriorating, the gap between the health of those in the most deprived and those in more advantaged areas widening, and life expectancy stalling, alarm bells should be ringing for the Government.

It is unacceptable that those living in the most deprived areas outside of London are seeing their life expectancy stalling or even declining in some cases – this must be addressed.

As this report highlights, fulfilling the ambition outlined in the Government’s Green Paper, to ensure that people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035 and to narrow the gap between the experience of the richest and poorest – has never been more important.

We welcome this report which should serve as a reminder of the importance of the Government bringing forward a prevention white paper. It is also crucial that we see further details of their next action points as a matter of urgency if we are to stem this worrying tide and improve the health of the nation. banned Liverpool’s licensing scheme, while refusing to give reasons why. This matches the way the hard-right element who now run the Tory Party have voted in Parliament against a Labour motion aimed at enforcing the concept that rented property must be of habitable quality.

Apparently this is a red rag to the free market ideologues, or maybe it’s just cynical self-interest – so many Tory MPs have portfolios of rented property, including one of the candidates in last year’s Tory leadership election who bought seven flats in one go. huge boost to the British tourist industry.

Only original ‘blue sky’ thinking is going to get us out of this mess.