A new cross-departmental Sure Start Unit was launched (based in both the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions), together with a new programme. The government said that the new unit would 'transform childcare, early years education and family and health support services', with a budget of over 1.5 billion by 2005-06. All children aged three will get a free nursery education place in their area by April 2004, six months earlier than originally planned.
Source: Press release 11.12.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A report presented the findings from a project commissioned by the government in 2000 to assist policy development in primary care health for homeless people who sleep rough. It concluded that tackling homelessness needs more than just a housing response: it needs determined and coordinated action over a period of time by a wide range of partners.
Source: Si n Griffiths, Addressing the Health Needs of Rough Sleepers, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 5907)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Dec
The number of sight tests paid for by a health authority or Scottish health board increased from 11,087,000 to 11,351,000 (Great Britain, 2001-02).
Source: Sight Tests: Volume and Workforce Survey 2001-02 - Optometrists & Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Dec
The government began consultation on a benchmarking tool designed to help those responsible for commissioning or delivering local healthcare services to compare patterns of treatment at different ages with those in other areas. The tool initially focuses on a number of acute hospital procedures. Proposed further development includes the provision of an expanded tool to investigate potential age discrimination in primary care and social care.
Source: Age Discrimination Benchmarking User Guide, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Consultation Document (pdf) | Link to benchmarking tool (Excel file)
Date: 2002-Dec
An updated paper (previously published in June 2000) considered issues relating to the interpretation of research into health inequalities, and how such inequalities might be addressed.
Source: Robert Evans, Interpreting and Addressing Inequalities in Health: From Black to Acheson to Blair to.?, Office of Health Economics (020 7930 9203)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Dec
Adult death rates are higher among people growing up in poor living conditions, said researchers who examined premature death (between 26 and 54 years of age in a sample of people born in March 1946) in relation to socioeconomic conditions in childhood and adulthood.
Source: Diana Kuh et al., 'Mortality in adults aged 26-54 years related to socioeconomic conditions in childhood and adulthood: post war birth cohort study', British Medical Journal 9.11.02
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Nov
The government published the result of a cross-cutting review of health inequalities, and said that its aim is 'to improve the health of the poorest, fastest.' It set out five steps to focus healthcare on prevention as well as cure, including the creation of a new 'Health Inequalities Unit' and a major drive to cut smoking.
Source: Tackling Health Inequalities: 2002 Cross-Cutting Review, Department of Health (08701 555455) and HM Treasury
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DH press release | Speech by Secretary of State
Date: 2002-Nov
People who are socially and economically disadvantaged are more likely to develop epilepsy than those who are not, researchers found.
Source: Dominic Heaney et al., 'Socioeconomic variation in incidence of epilepsy: prospective community based study in south east England', British Medical Journal 2.11.02
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Nov
A report said that, despite government promises, children born into poverty are still more likely than those born to wealthier parents to die in the first year of life; die from an accident in childhood; be born smaller than average; be born earlier than average; and die earlier as adults.
Source: Poverty and Child Health, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913) and Barnardo s
Links: ECP press release
Date: 2002-Nov
The government published a guide for non-specialists, which draws out the connections between health and the wider factors influencing health, such as housing, transport and employment; provides a practical guide to help local neighbourhood renewal partnerships address health issues; maps the organisations responsible for providing health services; and provides a guide to initiatives to promote healthier schools and workplaces.
Source: Health and Neighbourhood Renewal: Guidance from the Department of Health and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, Department of Health (08701 555455) and Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: Guide (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
Researchers found that adverse social circumstances in childhood, as well as adulthood, are strongly associated with increased risk of insulin resistance, and other heart disease risk factors.
Source: Debbie Lawlor, Shah Ebrahim, and George Davey Smith, 'Socioeconomic position in childhood and adulthood and insulin resistance: cross sectional survey using data from British women's heart and health study', British Medical Journal 12.10.02
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Oct
A survey found that revenues of private hospitals and clinics in the United Kingdom (excluding National Health Service pay beds) reached an estimated 2,255 million in 2001, up 11 per cent on the previous year.
Source: Laing's Healthcare Market Review - 15th Edition, 2002-03, Laing & Buisson (020 7833 9123)
Links: Contents
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 2.1
Date: 2002-Oct
A new book summarised interim findings from local and national evaluations of health action zones. (Health action zones bring together organisations within and beyond the National Health Service in order to develop and implement a locally agreed strategy for improving the health of local people.)
Source: Linda Bauld and Ken Judge, Learning from Health Action Zones, Aeneas Press (01243 779378)
Links: AKD Press homepage
Date: 2002-Oct
From 1 October 2002 the Prescription Pricing Authority took responsibility for issuing pre-payment certificates for National Health Service prescriptions, with the aim of improving access to the certificates.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 24.6.02, column 710W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2002-Oct
A report from the British Medical Association said that the health of asylum seekers may actually get worse after entry to the United Kingdom.
Source: Asylum Seekers: Meeting their Healthcare Needs, British Medical Association (020 7387 4499)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release page
Date: 2002-Oct
Further research is needed on the effects of adding fluoride to drinking water in order to extend knowledge on how the effects vary with social class, a report concluded.
Source: Water Fluoridation and Health, Medical Research Council (020 7636 5422)
Links: Report (pdf) | MRC press release
Date: 2002-Sep
An article questioned the existence of 'food deserts' - poor urban areas where residents cannot buy affordable, healthy food - and examined the way in which the concept has influenced health policy.
Source: Steven Cummins and Sally Macintyre, '"Food deserts" - evidence and assumption in health policy', British Medical Journal 24.8.02
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Aug
An article examined trends in life expectancy by social class, based on the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study from 1972 to 1999.
Source: Angela Donkin, Peter Goldblatt and Kevin Lynch, 'Inequalities in life expectancy by social class, 1972 1999', Health Statistics Quarterly 15, Autumn 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 12.4
Date: 2002-Aug
A research review found strong evidence of a link between years of education and level of qualification and better health, both physical and mental.
Source: Cathie Hammond, Learning to be Healthy, Research Brief RCB07, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Brief (pdf)
Date: 2002-Aug
Birth weight and social class at birth have a strong influence on cognitive (mental) function in children, said researchers.
Source: Barbara Jefferis, Chris Power and Clyde Hertzman, 'Birth weight, childhood socioeconomic environment, and cognitive development in the 1958 British birth cohort study', British Medical Journal 10.8.02
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Aug
Two reports looked at the experience of local areas in designing and setting up Sure Start programmes.
Source: Mog Ball, Getting Sure Start Started: National evaluation of Sure Start, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Jane Tunstill, Debra Allnock, Pamela Meadows and Alice McLeod, Early Experiences of Implementing Sure Start, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Getting Started (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Early Experiences (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jul
A survey found that the number of people with private medical insurance policies in the United Kingdom totalled 3,714,000 at 31 December 2001, up 1 per cent on the previous year.
Source: Private Medical Insurance: UK market sector report 2002, Laing & Buisson (020 7833 9123)
Links: L&B press release
Date: 2002-Jul
A cross-cutting review (part of the 2002 Spending Review) recommended a comprehensive approach to tackling inequality in health outcomes through improved focus of programmes and resources - in particular education, health, and housing - as well as increased efforts on smoking cessation, better nutrition and exercise, and other preventative health care services.
Source: Opportunity and Security for All: Investing in an Enterprising, Fairer Britain: New Public Spending Plans 2003-2006, White Paper Cm 5570, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: White Paper | Press release | Hansard
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121, paragraph 2.6
Date: 2002-Jul
The Prime Minister announced that responsibility for early years education, childcare and Sure Start will be brought within a single inter-departmental unit based in the Department for Education and Skills, reporting to a cross-departmental ministerial group.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 16.7.02, columns 181W-182W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 3.2
Date: 2002-Jul
National Health Service prescription items dispensed in the community were free in 85 per cent of cases (England, 1999-2001).
Source: Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community: England 1999-2001, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Statistical Bulletin (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/2, Digest 118 (paragraph 2.2)
Date: 2002-Jun
A study found poor literacy was linked to ill-health, unemployment and depression.
Source: Samantha Parsons and John Bynner, Basic Skills and Social Exclusion: Findings from a study of adults born in 1970, Basic Skills Agency (0870 600 2400)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jun
An article examined the contribution of smoking to health inequalities.
Source: M. Evandrou and J. Falkingham, 'Smoking behaviour and socio-economic status: a cohort analysis, 1974 to 1998', Health Statistics Quarterly 14, Summer 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122 (paragraph 2.1)
Date: 2002-May
The government announced pilots giving children free swimming, aimed at increasing access to physical activity and sport in low-income areas.
Source: Press release 20 May 2002, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-May
Researchers found significant benefits from the 'Sure Start' programme (for vulnerable and deprived families with young children) in Scotland.
Source: S. Cunningham-Burley et al., Sure Start Scotland Mapping Exercise, Scottish Executive (web only)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/3, Digest 119 (paragraph 3.2)
Date: 2002-May
