Public health

The public health system is changing to deliver the government's commitment to 'improve the health of the poorest, fastest'.

Local authorities have new responsibilities and funding, and will take a greater role in improving health and reducing health inequalities. They will be supported by a new executive agency - Public Health England - and there is a new public health outcomes framework. The NHS will also have a new legal duty to improve health inequalities.

The new public health system

Mike Kelly: NICE and Public Health England

The Director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence discusses how NICE is providing the evidence base for better public health outcomes.

Improving the health of the poorest, fastest

David Buck outlines the role that local authorities must play to narrow inequalities in public health.

Now that public health allocations to local authorities has been decided, it's time to move beyond debate on reforms and improve the public's health

Why aren't we spending money on improving health outcomes?

More than half of years of healthy life lost are a result of behavioural or lifestyle factors. How can we improve the nation's health?

Have we lost the battle to improve health inequalities?

Gabriel Scally asks what must be done to improve health inequalities in England.

For more information

Department of Health

More details on the design of the new public health system.

Public Health England

Public Health England has been established to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and to reduce inequalities.

Related publications

Clustering of unhealthy behaviours over time: implications for policy and practice

Our paper looks at how smoking, excessive drinking, poor diet and lack of exercise cluster in the English population and how that is changing over time.