LGA response to government consultation on proposed public health funding reductions

4 Aug 2015 11:14 AM

LGA responds to government consultation released last week on proposed public health funding reductions.

Responding to the Department of Health's consultation on ‘local authority public health allocations 2015/16: in-year savings', Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, said:

"A £200 million in-year reduction in public health funding will clearly impact on councils' ability to improve the public's health and wellbeing as well as reduce demand for hospital, health and social care services. This comes on top of a year-on-year real terms reduction in public health budgets.

"Giving councils the ability to make a real impact to the health of local people was a positive step, but local government can only continue its important work such as reducing smoking or excessive drinking and tackling obesity if we are adequately resourced to do so.

"With further reductions in public spending expected next year we need to move away from a focus of treating sickness to actively promoting health and wellbeing. Cutting public health budgets is not the solution."

View consultation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/450508/Cons_doc_HA_version.pdf