The public health Green Paper, Our Healthier Nation, places emphasis on health inequalities. It recognises that the causes of ill health are directly related to social and economic factors and highlights the relationship between poverty and health. In its response to the Green paper the Local Government Association calls for national methods of monitoring progress in tackling these issues and says that targets must be integral to local Health Improvement Programmes.Rita Stringfellow, chair of the LGA’s social affairs and health committee said: ‘We need to find local solutions to our national health problems and the LGA is pleased that the government has recognised the important influence local authorities have on the health of their local communities.

Read more on Health inequalities – call for national targets…