WIREDGOV

Responding to the Health Foundation report Improving the Nation's Health: The Future of the Public Health System in England, Nick Ville, director of membership and policy at the NHS Confederation, said: “We are clear that cuts to public health funding are a false economy, with potentially severe repercussions down the line.

“The Public Health Grant saw a £700 million real terms reduction between 2014/15 and 2019/20 and this has already had major ramifications for population health and the services that help all of us to live well, including those covering sexual health, obesity, and drug and alcohol services.

“The Spending Review included some welcome additional funding for the NHS, but the investment needed for public health wasn’t there. If the Government’s prevention agenda is to be taken seriously, then this must be re-evaluated in future spending rounds, so that everyone has the opportunity to live a long and healthy life, irrespective of economic status or background.”