The UK government has announced a new 3 year programme to reduce inequalities in health. Specific targets have been identified including reducing ineqaulities in life expectancy and infant mortality by 10% by 2010. Tackling health inequalities : a programme for action was launched by the new Health Minister, John Reid on 2 July 2003.
The Programme is organised around four themes to enable action on a broad front :
supporting families, mothers and children - to ensure the best possible start in life and break the inter-generational cycle of health
engaging communities and individuals - to ensure relevance, responsiveness and sustainability
preventing illness and providing effective treatment and care - making certain that the NHS provides leadership and makes the contribution to reducing inequalities that is expected of it
addressing the underlying determinants of health - dealing with the long term underlying causes of health inequalities.
For more information on health inequalities across the EU, visit the website of Eurohealthnet.
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