HC Deb 27 October 1994 vol 248 cc833-4W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the terms of reference and list the membership, of the sub-group on variations in health established in her Department; when it was established; how often it has met; and when it will complete its work.

Mr. Sackville

The terms of reference of the sub-group on variations in health are:-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 prepare a report for the Departmental Research Directorate on 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 health variations aspects of its work".

The members of the sub-group are:-

Chairman: Dr. Jeremy Metters—Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Members: Dr. S. Adam Director of Public Health, North Thames Region Dr. J. Chambers Director of Public Health, North Birmingham Health Authority Prof. M. Marmot Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College, London Prof. M. Pringle Department of General Practice, The Medical School, Nottingham Dr. J. Fox Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys Prof. S. Mcintyre Medical Research Council Medical Sociology Unit, Glasgow Prof. P. Fonagy Psychoanalysis Unit, University College London Dr. K. Kelleher Director of Public Health, Wolverhampton Health Executive Mr. D. Benton Director of Quality and Human Relations, East London and City Health Authority

Observers from the Medical Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council and the Department of Health and Social Security, Northern Ireland, together with Department of Health officials also attend.

The sub-group was established in October 1993 and met for the first time on 17 May 1994. Since then it has met on two occasions. It expects to report to the timetable established in the terms of reference.