Making a healthy start

摘要

Government has rediscovered the importance of prevention. Launching his prevention vision earlier this month health secretary Matt Hancock said it 'holds the key to longer, healthier, happier lives and a sustainable, high quality health and care system'. This ministerial call to action comes five years after the transfer of responsibility for public health to local government. The key plank in the case for the transfer was the benefit of locating the function in organisations with responsibility for and influence over the wider determinants of health. It was argued this would contribute to what the health secretary called 'the grand enterprise to improve our nation's health’.