Health and Inequalities

HC Deb 12 May 1994 vol 243 cc215-6W

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the remit and timetable and (b) the membership of the new working group on health and inequalities.

Mr. Sackville

The terms of reference and membership of the variations sub-group of the Chief Medical Officer's "Health of the Nation" working group are as follows:

TERMS OF REFERENCE

For the current Health of the Nation key areas: By spring 1995 to prepare a report for the Chief Medical Officer as to how the Department of Health and the national health service can make best use of existing information in tackling ethnic, geographical, socio-economic and gender variations in health status, with particular reference to the strength of observed relationships and evidence about the effectiveness of interventions. By the end of 1994 to prepare a report for the departmental research directorate in areas in which new epidemiological and research information is needed to inform the targeting of interventions for high risk groups of the population and further understanding of underlying processes relevant to policy on longer-term intervention. To support the Public Health Information Strategy with the health variations aspects of its work.

Membership

Dr. J. Metters (Chairman)—Deputy Chief Medical Officer—Department of Health

Dr. S. Adam—Director of Public Health, North Thames (West)

Dr. J. Chambers—Health Education Authority

Professor M. Marmot—Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London

Professor M. Pringle—Department of General Practice, The Medical School, Nottingham

Dr. J. Fox—Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Professor S. McIntyre—Medical Research Council Medical Sociology Unit, Glasgow

Professor P. Fonagy—Psychoanalysis Unit, University College London

Dr. K. Kelleher—Director of Public Health, Wolverhampton Dr. A. Peatfield—Medical Research Council Observer

To be confirmed—Economic and Social Research Council Observer

Dr. D. McInnes—Department of Health (Health Promotion Division)

Mrs. J. Griffin—Department of Health (Research and Development Division)

Mr. K. Guinness—Department of Health (Health Promotion Division)

Dr. S. Gupta—Department of Health (Health Promotion Division)

Dr. A. McConville—National Health Service Executive Headquarters

Mr. R. Willmer—Department of Health (Statistics Division)

Miss E. Lynam (Secretariat)—Department of Health

Dr. K. Binysh (Secretariat)—Department of Health

Dr. L. Catan (Secretariat)—Department of Health