BMJ  2008;336:633 (22 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39521.543507.DB

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Top health officials face questioning by health select committee

¹ Margate

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Less than half of England is on track to meet government targets to reduce health inequalities, MPs have been told.

Across the country only 41% of local government areas (which tie in with primary care trusts (PCTs)) are expected to meet the national strategy targets of reducing inequalities in health outcomes by 10% by 2010.

Department of Health officials confirmed the figure when giving evidence to the parliamentary health select committee as part of the first evidence session of the committee’s inquiry into health inequalities.

The session took place on the same day that the department published its third update report of its Tackling Inequalities: A Programme for Action, a strategy it published in 2003 (see News doi: 10.1136/bmj.39521.428657.DB).

MPs on the committee asked how confident the department was of meeting the targets. Fiona Adshead, deputy chief medical officer, giving evidence, said, "It is too early for any . . . [Full text of this article]

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