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Download the final 'Closing the Gap' publication: Taking Action on Health Equity.
This publication contains summaries of what each of the 21 ´Closing the Gap´ partners are doing to address health inequalities in their countries, as well as the conclusions and recommendations of this 3-year initiative.
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Cross government
The Government has made tackling health inequalities a priority since taking office in 1997. It set two national public service agreement (PSA) targets to reduce inequalities in health outcomes by 10%, as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth, by 2010. The following structures have been established to address health inequalities and the social determinants of health. These structures illustrate the need for political agreement to tackle health inequalities, and high-level support to enable cross-government work.
The Tackling Health Inequalities Programme for Action (2003) sets out a national health inequalities strategy. The Programme for Action has been taken forward across the government by the 12 departments that signed up to it. These departments are as follows: Cabinet Office; Department of Constitutional Affairs; Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Department for Children, Schools and Families; Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Health; Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; Department of Transport; Department for Work and Pensions; HM Treasure; Home Office; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government).
The Domestic Affairs Health and WellBeing Committee has been established to consider policy on health and wellbeing, including the prevention of ill-health, the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles and the reduction of health inequalities. This Committee reports to the Ministerial Committee on Domestic Affairs.
Membership includes the Minister for the Cabinet Office; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Chair); Secretary of State for the Home Department; Secretary of State for Health; Secretary of State for Environment; Food and Rural Affairs; Secretary of State for Business; Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; Secretary of State for Wales; Secretary of State for Transport; Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government; Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families; Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Chief Secretary to the Treasury; Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills; Minister for the Olympics; Minister for London (Paymaster General); Minister of State, Scotland Office; Minister of State, Northern Ireland; Parliamentary Secretary Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron); Parliamentary Secretary Equalities (Barbara Follett).
The UK Group on WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) is chaired by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Fiona Adshead. It was established to look at the opportunities for the UK to support the work of the Commission, incorporate learning from the CSDH report at the national level and taking forward the work of the CSDH in the UK in the future.
Membership includes representatives from the Department of Health England, the Commission on Social Determinants of Health, Department of Health Northern Ireland, Scottish Helath Executive, Welsh Assembly Government, Department for International Development, Healthcare Commission, London Health Observatory, Glasgow Centre for Population Health, National Institute for Clinical Excellence, Regional Public Health Groups and various UK universities.
© 2009 Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) | last update: 2008-05-29