Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Will address inequalities to level up public health: Sajid Javid

Will address inequalities to level up public health: Sajid Javid

BRITISH health and social care secretary Sajid Javid has vowed to overhaul public and mental health provision and tackle the “hidden costs of Covid-19”.

Speaking at the Grange Community Centre in Blackpool on Thursday (16), Javid said he is “determined” to address the “social backlog” that has built up, including by cutting hospital waiting times.


He said the global pandemic has also shone a light on the health disparities that exist across the country - evident in varying mortality rates, hospital admissions and vaccine uptake. He reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the inequalities to level up public health.

“More than 5.5 million people are on the waiting list for elective treatment – that is a record high”, he said adding that it “is only one part of the story. Covid-19 has had many hidden costs”.

“Passing the peak of the pandemic has been like a receding tide, revealing the underlying health of our nation. It’s revealed some fractures within. And in many cases, the pandemic has deepened those fractures.

“It’s this government’s mission to unite and level up across the whole of the UK, to build back better and to build back fairer.”

“We’re ending historic injustices by updating our Mental Health Act, ensuring people in acute mental distress are still met with the compassion and choice they deserve...”

“We know that 1 in 4 people living in deprived areas has a common mental health disorder, so we need to look at everything that’s holding people back from living their very best lives”, he said.

“Our long-term plan commits an extra £2.3 billion a year to transforming mental health services by 2023 - expanding them to reach families, communities, workplaces, and schools. And we’re launching brilliant new resources, like Every Mind Matters.”

Javid laid out his mission to level up the public’s health against the backdrop of Blackpool, which has eight of the 10 most deprived neighbourhoods in England, and where 40 per cent of the neighbourhoods are classed as ‘highly deprived’.

“I’m determined everyone gets access to the health and care they need – especially the kind of preventive action that will stop them from becoming ill in the first place. That’s another way we ensure, not just a healthier society, but a fairer society too.”

More For You

Trump plans to meet Starmer 'very soon'

Keir Starmer, Donald Trump. (Photo: Getty Images)

Trump plans to meet Starmer 'very soon'

US president Donald Trump said he had agreed to meet prime minister Keir Starmer and that the British leader wanted to travel to the US in the coming weeks.

Starmer's office had said earlier on Friday (14) that he discussed visiting the US on a call with Trump the day before, part of London's efforts to press its case with a US president whose overhaul of trade and foreign policy has shaken much of the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Man found guilty of rape and murder of Irish backpacker in India

McLaughlin, 28, from County Donegal, was found dead in a field in Goa in March 2017. (Photo credit: Twitter)

Man found guilty of rape and murder of Irish backpacker in India

A COURT in India has found Vikat Bhagat guilty of the rape and murder of Irish backpacker Danielle McLaughlin.

McLaughlin, 28, from County Donegal, was found dead in a field in Goa in March 2017.

Keep ReadingShow less
Alderman Alastair King

King, who serves as the global ambassador for the City of London, will be in Mumbai to discuss trade and investment under his mayoral theme, 'Growth Unleashed.'

Lord Mayor of London to visit India for trade talks

THE LORD MAYOR of London, Alderman Alastair King, is set to visit India for a week starting Saturday, aiming to promote free trade and capital flows between the two countries.

King, who serves as the global ambassador for the City of London, will be in Mumbai to discuss trade and investment under his mayoral theme, “Growth Unleashed.”

Keep ReadingShow less
trump-modi-washington-getty

The meeting came hours after Trump criticised India’s business environment and announced plans for reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose duties on US imports. (Photo: Getty Images)

Modi and Trump agree to resolve trade disputes, discuss tariff concerns

INDIA and the US have agreed to begin negotiations aimed at resolving trade and tariff disputes, following talks between Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump in Washington.

India has committed to increasing purchases of US oil, gas, and defence equipment, while both sides pledged to address trade barriers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pablo-Escobar-merchandise-Getty

Escobar, killed by security forces in 1993, remains a figure of global interest, with his image appearing on souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and keychains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Colombia considers ban on Pablo Escobar merchandise

COLOMBIA’s Congress is considering a bill that would ban the sale of merchandise featuring drug lord Pablo Escobar and other convicted criminals.

The proposed law aims to curb the glorification of Escobar, who was responsible for thousands of deaths during his time leading the Medellín cartel, reported BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less