Labour's “Black report” moment?
BMJ 2005; 331 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.331.7516.575 (Published 08 September 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;331:575
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It is good to see the responsible Minister from the Department of
Health put in such a robust challenge to an outrageous claim of something
being "hushed up". If there was any irresponsible behaviour going on in
the Department of Health over information disclosure then it has the
advantage at this time of the public being served by four female
Ministers; the French dramatist Jean Giraudoux said: "There is nothing so
wrong in this world that a sensible woman can't set it right in the course
of an afternoon." With four, any problems should be solved and set right
in a few hours!
(The views expressed are my own and not those of my employing body.)
Competing interests:
As before.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Your article (Latest government report on health inequalities ‘hushed
up’) repeats claims that the Government suppressed its health inequalities
report. This is nonsense.
“Tackling Health Inequalities”, actively promoted and announced via a
press release issued to 1300 journalists and media outlets received
widespread coverage including stories in national and regional press.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, the report author, was extensively
interviewed.
We can, therefore, hardly be accused of a ‘hushed up release’.
We are determined to reduce health inequalities. The report showed
that we are moving in the right direction and highlighted the further work
that needs to be done.
However, the report’s data dated back to 2003. Last November, we
published the Choosing Health White Paper aimed at improving health and
tackling health inequalities.
Health trainers are one of many initiatives in Choosing Health which will
help narrow the inequalities gap by helping people to make healthier
choices in their daily lives.
Infant mortality rates, a key indicator of health inequalities, have
fallen in the “routine and manual” group as well as the total population.
Government action including Sure Start, better neonatal services, stop
smoking services, breastfeeding campaigns are all having an impact.
Progress is slower in more disadvantaged areas which is why spearhead
primary care trusts are piloting many of the key Choosing Health
recommendations, including health trainers, in those areas.
Health inequalities are and will continue to be a Government
priority.
Yours,
Caroline Flint
Minister for Public Health
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
The implied assertion by Davey Smith et al in the complete version of
the letter that this was a cover up - an assertion implied by the use of
the word "deliberate" that was omitted from the BMJ published letter - is
mistaken.[1] A cover up would have been if the authors of the report had
failed to include a material fact and finding in the report such as the
widening inequalities in life expectancy and infant mortality. At best,
the Department of Health could be accused of bias in the way that it
apparently chose the timing of the release after an election and chose to
point out the thrilling development of "health trainers" to help those who
seem to require such assistance. Personally, I would much prefer to see
such resources invested in the therapist deficit for the many stroke units
around the country but that would not be exciting news although it would
perhaps do far more to help a greater number of people.
[1]Shaw ME Personal trainers, shifting goalposts, and widening health
inequalities. http://bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/331/7514/419#115362
(The views expressed are my own and not those of my employing
organisation.)
Competing interests:
Consultant in Elderly and Stroke Medicine feeling sorry for trust managers trying to live in hard financial times when resources could be used for better effects on older population health and wellbeing!
Competing interests: No competing interests
Health inequalities: preventive health services complement tax and benefit measures
Whilst social, environmental and fiscal policies are key to reducing
inequalities in income, education and health, this should not be pitted
against interventions aimed at individuals. For example, although much
more should be done at these levels to ensure safer working environments,
this is not an argument against health and safety training of individual
employees. Similarly, whilst housing, tax and benefits policies are
central to reducing inequalities in health, this should not be pitted
against training people in how to achieve the goals they set for
themselves to improve their health. NHS health trainers will be available
to all, but will target those least well off. The strategies that people
develop to improve their health may include acting at a social level and
addressing root causes of ill health, as well as acting at an individual
level. Interventions at the economic, political and social level will not
achieve their potential unless complemented by interventions at the
individual level.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests