£200 million public health cuts raise alarm

Chancellor George Osborne has announced a £200 million cut to the public health budget for local councils, saying he will consult on the measure. 

Until April 2013 public health budgets were managed by NHS commissioners before being transferred to local authorities. Public health bodies fear cuts could affect obesity prevention and weight loss schemes as well as alcohol misuse programmes. The Royal Society for Public Health said the proposed cuts could spell crisis for the NHS prevention agenda, while the Chartered Society for Physiotherapy said "Prevention is absolutely crucial if we are to overcome the major public health challenges of obesity and physical inactivity".  


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