The Government has launched a consultation process setting out its
priorities for reducing health inequalities. Tackling Health Inequalities:
consultation on a plan for delivery is focused on how poor quality of health
within certain groups can be improved.
A key part of the strategy, which is being consulted on until 9 November, is
looking at why it is manual workers have considerably higher mortality rates
than the rest of the population and why some parts of the country have a
disproportionately low life expectancy at birth.
The Government’s NHS Plan, published last year, set a target of reducing the
gap in mortality rates between manual groups and the rest of the population by
at least 10 per cent by 2010.
Responses on the consultation can be sent by e-mail to Healthinequalities@doh.gsi.gov.uk
or by post to the Health Inequalities Consultation Team, Department of Health,
Room 534 Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG.
Being born in the south of England can mean a longer life.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show life expectancy rates
at birth to vary dramatically around the country – from 77.5 years for men born
in parts of London to 70.2 years for men born in Manchester.
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