[SDOH] Ten Tips for Better Health

[Dennis.Raphael at mail.atkinson.yorku.ca]

Please respond to alex scott-samuel <alexss at LIV.AC.UK>

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Subject:    Ten Tips for Better Health


The English Department of Health has re-published
a modified version of its Chief Medical Officer's
Ten Tips for Better Health. See:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/07/51/73/04075173.pdf

You may recall the somewhat less finger-wagging
response from Bristol last time round ('Try not
to be poor'). I thought it might be helpful to
give the Government some tips about their role in
providing better health

Alex Scott-Samuel

Top ten tips for the Government to promote our
health

HEALTH CARE
1. Aspire to an NHS which provides all people
with comprehensive, high quality local health
care, devoid of all charges at the time of use.
Don't confuse yourself or the public by marketing
spurious 'choices'.

2. No-one should profit from other people's ill
health - resist the attractions of  private
finance and keep business away from the NHS.

3. In the context of relations between health
care providers and service users, it is
inaccurate to describe anyone as a consumer, and
demeaning to describe them as a customer.

4. Income inequality is bad for health -
eliminate all NHS six-figure salaries. If you
find it hard to give them up, try phasing them
out gradually.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH
5. The biggest contribution Government could make
to improving future health and reducing
inequalities would be to make gender-equitable
parenting and socialisation the top national
political priority. There is abundant evidence
that masculine gender roles damage both women and
men.

6. Practise safer macroeconomics - avoid free
markets or fiscal policies that exploit poorer
nations or disadvantaged groups.

7. Values matter - what counts is not 'what
works' but 'what promotes and sustains our
nationally agreed values of equity and mutual
welfare'. Evaluate all policy against this
criterion.

8. Violence is unhealthy and inequitable - don't
permit arms dealing or engage in war.

9. Social (including health) and economic rights
are as important as civil and political rights -
steer clear of 'democracies' that deny social and
economic rights to their citizens.

10. Practise safer politics - never appoint to
Cabinet posts people of either sex who display
excessive masculine gender roles.

******************************************************************
Alex Scott-Samuel
EQUAL (Equity in Health Research and Development Unit)
Department of Public Health
University of Liverpool
Whelan Building
Quadrangle
Liverpool
L69 3GB
Tel  (+44)151-794-5569
Fax  (+44)151-794-5588
e-mail  alexss at liverpool.ac.uk
 ******************************************************************

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