Health inequalities. Volume II, Written evidence / House of Commons, Health Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Health Committee
Date:
c2008
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Health inequalities. Volume II, Written evidence / House of Commons, Health Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    79. This joint working has been further strengthened since July 2007 when the Prime Minister made the two departments jointly responsible for promoting the health of all children and young people. A formal structure for joint working between the two departments has been established, the Child Health and Wellbeing Board, to deliver PSA 12 on the health and wellbeing of children and young people and related work. The Board is jointly chaired at director general level, reporting through a Permanent Secretary-level group into the Cabinet sub-Committee DA(FCY). Working with the regions 80. The GOs also have a role facilitating action across departments at regional level. Regional public health groups(RPHG) through their links with SHAs can help ensure the NHS plays its part and that connections are made with those overseeing action on the wider social determinants of health. They also lead in health and social care negotiations on LAAs for GOs. 81. For example, in the North West, the RPHG has worked with the Audit Commission to develop the Commission’s review of health inequalities in the North West, initially in Cumbria and Lancashire. The recommendations from the Greater Manchester review were adopted by the NHS and local authorities and significant progress, particularly on strategic partnership working, is being made in the light of the review. 82. In Yorkshire and Humberside region, all PCT chief executives have a personal objective to reduce health inequalities, supported by targeted actions plans up to 2010. It is recognised that PCT action alone will not be sufficient to reduce health inequalities up to and beyond 2010. A whole system approach is being developed to help local leaders embed actions to reduce health inequalities in Community Strategies and LAAs. MEETING THE 2010 TARGET [ISSUE: whether the Government is likely to meet its Public Service Agreement targets in respect of health inequalities ] KEY MESSAGE—the target is challenging, some progress has been made but it will be difficult to meet all of the target 83. Progress against the national strategy is set out in an annual Status Report on health inequalities. The report assesses progress against the target, against 12 cross governments headline indicators and the 82 government commitments included in the Programme for Action. The 2007 report is currently in preparation and is due out next year and will be forwarded to the committee when published. 84. The health inequalities targets are challenging—some progress has been made, but there is still a great deal to be done if we are to meet all aspects of the target. The latest ONS data on the national target for 2004-06 compared to 2003-05 show that : — infant mortality rates are at their lowest-ever level and that there has been a further slight narrowing of infant mortality gap between the routine and manual groups and the population as a whole—from 19% in 2002-04 to 18% in 2003-05 and 17% in 2004-06. The gap, however, remains wider than at baseline (13% in 1997-99) If this recent pattern continues, there is a good chance that this part of the target will be met though further progress will be needed — life expectancy is increasing for both men and women, including in the Spearhead areas. The gap for male life expectancy between the Spearhead areas and the England average has remained stable at 2% above baseline (for 2004-06, compared to 2003-05), but for females the gap has widened in 2004-06 to 11% wider than at baseline, compared to 8% wider in 2003-2005. 85. The record in individual Spearhead areas shows that 40% of Spearheads are on track to narrow their own gap with England by 10% by 2010 compared to baseline for either males, or females, or both. Targeted support to these areas is being provided through the National Support Team for health inequalities to provide strategic support and to identify promote good practice. 86. It was agreed to monitor progress against cross-government indicators to give a broader picture of developments across the wider social determinants—such as child poverty, housing and educational attainment—and other NHS indicators, including targets on improving the health of the population such as cancer, CHD and smoking in manual groups set in 2004.