Government policies overall are going to make health inequalities worse not better

Diane Abbott MP comments on the news that the government is setting up a body to look at health inequalities:

‘Andrew Lansley should not be hiding behind Sir Michael Marmot’s international reputation to mask the fact that that this government’s policies will take this country back to levels of inequality not seen since the Thatcher era.

‘This is a good idea in principle and I have great respect for Sir Michael Marmot. But this new institute cannot conceal the fact that government policies overall are going to make health inequalities worse not better.

‘Public sector cuts are going to hit the poorest areas of the country like the North and the inner city harder than anywhere else, because those areas rely most on public sector jobs.

‘Unemployment, with all its well known poor health outcomes, will hit already deprived areas.

‘Andrew Lansley’s policies, including the health premium, will mean less money for the poorest areas in practise.’

--ENDS--

1) A warning from public health experts: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/oct/03/nhs-bill-doctors-lords

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