Health is going in the wrong direction in the UK, and reversing the trend requires political and societal commitment to deal with the underlying causes
The UK is facing a prolonged and serious health crisis. At a time when the future of the NHS is in jeopardy after over a decade of austerity, and with public satisfaction at an all time low,1 it must pick up the pieces of failures across government. Attaining good health requires more than healthcare, and improvements in the provision of healthcare by the NHS alone is inadequate to address the health crisis—action is needed on the social determinants of health2 (box 1).
Box 1
### Definition of social determinants of health3
The social determinants of health are defined by the World Health Organization as: “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, and political systems.”RETURN TO TEXT
In this paper, we propose evidence based solutions to the worsening health and widening inequalities in the UK through action on the social determinants of health. (A separate article within the commission is focused on health equity.4) We first outline the problem of deteriorating health across the UK. We then provide an overview of the evidence, showing how action on the social determinants can improve health. We confront the challenging political nature of this area, including rebuttal of criticisms of interventions as actions of a “nanny state” and the neoliberal focus on individualism. Finally, we offer action focused solutions and recommendations on what NHS workers, leaders of NHS organisations and integrated care systems, and the government can do to urgently deal with the deteriorating health of the population.
Although much of the …
Related Keywords
Ireland , United Kingdom , Northern Ireland , Craigavon , London , City Of , Smeeth , Kent , Manchester , Scotland , Britain , Victor Adebowale , Parveen Kumar , David Cameron , Martin Mckee , Bob Klaber , Michael Marmot , Lucinda Hiam , Sophie Cook , Gabriel Scally , Annabel Sowemimo , Health Equity , Inequalities In Health , Department Of Health , Commission On Social Determinants Of Health , Public Health England , United Kingdom Health Security Agency , Fair Society Healthy , World Health Organization , Joseph Rowntree Foundation , University College London Institute Of Health Equity , King College London , Social Determinants , Fair Society Healthy Lives , Marmot Review , Start Children , Trussell Trust , Butler Education Act , Rishi Sunak , Black Report , Margaret Thatcher , Conservative Liberal Democrat , Build Back Fairer , Prime Minister Sunak , Social Care , Northern Ireland Executive , Good Friday Agreement , Public Health , East London , University College London Institute , Marmot Trust , Essentials Guarantee ,
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.