Citation

Frew E. Appl. Health Econ. Health Policy 2017; 15(3): 287-289.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40258-017-0319-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Over the last 5 years the public health function in England has undergone rapid organisational change, and been subject to unprecedented financial pressure. Health economics can offer support but standard methods may need to evolve to fit with the rapidly changing context.

In April 2013, responsibility for public health in England moved away from the National Health Service (NHS) to local authorities (LAs). Financial support was provided through ring-fenced public health budgets for LAs to work with providers of health and non-health services, as well as community organisations to improve population health and well-being [1]. More recently, however, budgets have been cut. In 2015/2016, the LA public health budget was cut by 7% (£200 million) [2], and it will be further cut by 3.9% annually over the next 5 years--amounting to a long-term reduction in real terms of £600 million by 2020/2021 [3, 4]. Alongside these cuts, the Government announced in October 2015 that by the end of...

Language: en

Keywords

Careful Thought; Combine Authority; Economic Evaluation; Improve Population Health; Public Health Intervention