Manifesto for a Healthier Nation

The UK’s health is declining and health inequalities are widening – strong leadership is required to change the current situation. Austerity and Covid-19, amongst other factors, have left lasting scars and poor economic performance is both a cause and a consequence of poor health.

Smoking is the leading cause of premature and preventable death in the country, over a quarter of adults are living with obesity, and one in six adults are experiencing mental health issues. An estimated 149 million days of work were lost due to either injury or illness in 2021.

Most concerningly, people in the least deprived areas of the country can expect to live 19 more years in good health, compared to those in the most deprived areas.

Read more about how, by working in partnership across all sectors and levels of government, we can achieve a healthier nation in ADPH President Prof Jim McManus’ article on politics.co.uk.

Today, we launch our Manifesto for a Healthier Nation and are calling for all political parties across the UK to set out long-term plans to improve public health and reduce health inequalities.