Dr Jyotsna Vohra, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at RSPH said:

“Following the speech by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, RSPH welcomes the news that the government will place the prevention of ill health at the heart of their NHS Road to Recovery reform plans.

“Over the last century, the UK has made great strides in improving life expectancy and innovating pioneering health technologies and treatments. However, as noted by Sajid Javid, the prevention of avoidable ill health in the UK today is not where it could, or should, be. Improvements in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy specifically are now slowing, even declining, in some communities. This is widening health inequalities even further.

“Fortunately, we know what is at the root of avoidable ill-health, and so we know what action must be taken to mitigate against it. We need to adequately fund prevention care and services across the NHS. We need to hold the private sector to account for the way they can and do impact public health. We must invest in Local Authorities, so they are empowered to act within their communities. And we have to give these communities and individuals the practical and economic tools, resources, and support to live healthier lives and access care.

“Therefore, while the government’s acknowledgement of the importance of prevention is a positive step in the right direction for public health, it must be mirrored with the same level of government commitment outside the NHS arena. This is not only critical for addressing poor public health in UK, but to lessen the burden of care falling on the NHS’s already overburdened shoulders.”