A public health warning for councils

摘要

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures issued on 16 February on the UK's ageing population and its impact on social and public health policy will be of particular interest to health secretary, Andrew Lansley, whose controversial Health and Social Care Bill includes plans to transfer public health to local government. The beleaguered secretary of state believes that public health, being socio-economic rather than clinical, is a local government function rather than belonging to the NHS, meaning public health staff will transfer to council employment in April 2013.