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PSA target

  • Last modified date:
    3 March 2008

Health inequalities are endemic in our society. Where a person is born still influences, largely, how long they will live. This is fundamentally unfair and unacceptable. That is why the Government has introduced the most comprehensive programme ever seen in this country to address health inequalities, including the first ever national PSA target for health inequalities to narrow the health inequalities gap as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality:

Health Inequalities PSA Target

By 2010 to reduce inequalities in health outcomes by 10 per cent as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth.

The target is underpinned by two more detailed objectives:

  • Starting with children under one year, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10 per cent the gap in mortality between routine and manual groups and the population as a whole.
  • Starting with local authorities, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10 per cent the gap in life expectancy between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators (the Spearhead Group) and the population as a whole.

As part of the Spending Review in 2007, the Department of Health agreed a new Departmental Strategic Objective and Public Service Agreement structure with HM Treasury as part of the 2007 Spending Review. The existing health inequalities target was reaffirmed as part of PSA Delivery Agreement 18: Promote better health and wellbeing for all.

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