Fears for public health as Hancock seeks greater powers
Concern has been expressed that public health could face further organisational turmoil as a result of measures to be set out by the health secretary today.
Matt Hancock will unveil a health white paper which has been widely leaked in advance. Although it focuses largely on integrating care and overturning the contentious reforms undertaken by the coalition government, it will also centralise much power and responsibility with the health secretary.
Although the bill to follow the white paper is, according to the draft document, “not the vehicle” for wholesale public health reform, it does state: “We will bring forward measures to make it easier for the secretary of state to direct NHS England to take on specific public health functions.”