Snapshot of Britain’s Health
25/06/2007

For the second year running, a snapshot of Britain’s health has been published. It shows the North West being a particularly unhealthy place to live.

As ten years of “New Britain” under Mr Blair ends the figures represent huge health inequalities across the country.

Dr Alan Maryon Davis, president elect of the Faculty of Public Health, said the health profiles showed "at a glance" what needed to be done.

He said:

"Even in well-off areas you will get real pockets of deprivation and that's where these maps are terribly useful.
"There's been some good progress made in the past 10 years on reducing these inequalities and the smoking ban is going to make a huge difference."
He said that public health funding needed to be more consistent if initiatives were to be sustainable.
"Often you get bits of money here and there but there's no stability in the system," he added.
It was reported in bbc news

Clearly more funds are needed but are interventions such as gym sessions and personal trainers on the NHS worthwhile?
Do they work?
Are they getting to the right people?
Do they provide value for money?
Evidence based medicine is now well entrenched yet some schemes seem to be introduced because they seem to be a “good thing” rather than with any evidence to back them